As an official language of the European Union, Maltese, is the only Semitic language in the European Union. It is also the only Semitic language written in the Latin script. Maltese is derived from Siculo-Arabic, a language spoken on Sicily and Malta during the 9th century. The language has evolved into modern Maltese.
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Squatina squatine - The monkfish, a member of the shark family, is an ambush predator. The flattened body and camouflage coloration allows it to lie partially buried along the sea bottom watching for a prey animal to venture close. The historical range of the monkfish had been along the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean, but its range has been drastically reduced. Over-fishing and low reproductive rates have contributed to a sharp decline; females produce one litter every two years.
