Hedruris heyeri n. sp. (Nematoda: Hedruridae) from the stomach of Lithobates warszewitschii from Costa Rica is described and illustrated. Hedruris heyeri n. sp. represents the 22^nd species assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae of the male: 9 pairs posterior papillae (2 pairs precloacal, 1 pair adcloacal and 6 pairs postcloacal). Acanthocephalus lutzi (Hamann, 1891) is reassigned as Anuracanthorhynchus lutzi (Hamann, 1891) n. comb. Other helminths found include three species of Digenea (Gorgoderina diaster, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, and Mesocoelium monas), one species of Cestoda (represented by proteocephalid plerocercoids), and nine species of Nematoda (Aplectana incerta, Aplectana itzocanensis, Cosmocerca podicipinus, Falcaustra costaricae, Oswaldocruzia costaricensis, Porrocaecum sp., Raillietnema lynchi, and Rhabdias savagei).

A survey to locate prehistoric sites on the island of St. Vincent found 25 new sites and three previously unrecorded cultural components. The goal was to analyze settlement patterns. The survey data was plotted on maps along with all other new information and previously reported sites. Six variables were considered: location by quadrant, coastal versus inland distance to reefs, windward versus leeward location, elevation, and potential vegetation. These were then compared to the regional pattern for the Windward Islands after adding the new information to the regional database. The results showed that in some cases settlement patterns on St. Vincent differed from the regional patterns. The results confirm a preference for the southwest quadrant during Saladoid times rather than the northeast as had previously been hypothesized. Coast locations, low elevation, cactus scrub, or secondary rainforest are the preferred conditions for settlement at all time periods. These conditions supersede any preference for locating on either the windward or leeward side of St. Vincent. Unlike the regional settlement patterns, locations directly adjacent to reefs do not appear to be as important for prehistoric peoples on St. Vincent.

This paper is a report on the diatoms and dinoflagellate cysts identified in a sediment core and a water sample recovered from Rookery Bay, a subtropical estuarine system located on the west coast of Florida. Eighty-eight diatom taxa representing 48 genera, many of which have been rarely observed, and 14 dinoflagellate cyst genera with 20 taxa were identified in Rookery Bay. All taxa are briefly annotated and documented by light micrographs. The most common diatom taxa in the surface sediment sample are Amphicocconeis disculoides, Chaetoceros resting spores, Cyclotella litoralis, Cymatosira belgica, Neodelphineis pelagica, Paralia sulcata, and Pleurosigma rhombeum. The most abundant dinoflagellate cyst taxa in the surface sample include Brigantedinium spp., Lingulodinium machaerophorum, Polyspheridium zoharyi, Spiniferites bentorii, and Spiniferites ramosus.

Rare borings infest brachiopod shells in Pleistocene fore-reef deposits of Jamaica (86 shells 35 valves) and Barbados (53 shells 49 valves). Only one example of the sponge domicile Entobia isp. was found, infesting Tichosina sp. cf. T. bartletti (Dall) from Jamaica. Predatory drillholes, Oichnus ispp., were more common. One Terebratulina sp. cf. T. palmeri Cooper from Barbados was perforated by Oichnus paraboloides Bromley; two further Terebratulina and one Argyrotheca sp. ct. A. barrettiana (Davidson), all from Jamaica, were bored by Oichnus simplex Bromley. This is a similar order of magnitude of predatory boreholes as most post-Paleozoic brachiopod faunas reported in the literature. This is the first record of O. simplex from the Manchioneal Formation of Jamaica and the first record of O. paraboloides from Barbados.

Two species of ranid frogs, Lithobates taylori and Lithobates vaillanti, from Costa Rica were examined for helminth parasites. Three species of Digenea, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, Gorgoderina parvicava, Haematoloechus meridionalis and three species of Nematoda, Oswaldocruzia costaricensis, Subulascaris falcaustriformis, Porrocaecum sp. (larvae) were found in Lithobates taylori. All represent new host records. Five species of Digenea, Glypthelmins facioi, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, Haematoloechus meridionalis, Langeronia macrocirra, Loxogenes arcanum, four species of Nematoda, Contracaecum sp. (larvae), Foleyellides striatus, Physaloptera sp. (larvae), Subulascaris falcaustriformis, and two species of Acanthocephala (centrorhynchid and oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths) were found in Lithobates vaillanti. Loxogenes arcanum, Contracaecum sp., Physaloptera sp., oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths represent new host records.

The historic rarity of the critically endangered Grand Cayman blue iguana, Cyclura lewisi, has prevented detailed research on this species prior to this decade. This study primarily used focal animal observations, transect sweeps, and radio-telemetry to document the behavioral ecology of a captive-bred, reintroduced population of adult C. lewisi in a botanic park on Grand Cayman. Activity budgets and foraging budgets are presented for each sex in each season, and for all data combined. Distributions of basking time and active time differed between the two seasons. Iguanas both emerged earlier and retreated later in the summer than in the fall. Of the small percentage of time spent active, iguanas mostly foraged and engaged in locomotion. Iguanas spent little time in trees or bushes or inside of retreats during the day. Observations of extensive tongue-touching of retreats, substrates, and feces suggest an importance of chemosensory ability in C. lewisi. Iguanas primarily consumed plant matter, of which the majority was non-cultivated plants in the park and surrounding area. Limited geophagy, coprophagy, and consumption of invertebrates were observed. Supplemental feeding contributed little to the overall diet of iguanas, but appeared to make iguanas more aggressive towards humans. Iguanas were heavily habituated to human and vehicular disturbances, which were common occurrences. Aspects of the behavioral ecology of C. lewisi reported here will assist in the conservation of this and other endangered iguanas.

Blood samples from 302 wild and domesticated birds (75 species, 24 families) from two zones of lowlands in northern Colombia (Urabá Gulf and Lower Cauca) were examined for haematozoa. Microscopic observation of blood smears stained with Giemsa revealed twenty-eight individuals of 16 species (9.3% of all birds) infected with parasites of at least one genus. Plasmodium spp. accounted for 5.6% of the infections, followed by Haemoproteus spp. (2.6%), Leucocytozoon spp. (0.3%) and unidentified microfilariae (1.0%). This survey reports four species examined for the first time and four new records of hosts of haematozoa. In agreement with previous studies in the Neotropics, the prevalence of blood parasites was low in comparison to other regions of the world.

We report the youngest radiocarbon determination so far for an identified species of Antillean sloth, 4190 ± 40 yr BP, based on a molariform of Megalocnus rodens from the locality of Solapa de Silex, Lomas de Cacahual, prov. La Habana, Cuba. Together with other recently reported age estimates, the evidence is now secure that at least some Antillean sloth species survived until ca. 4200 yr BP, or approximately 1000 yr later than the first plausible evidence for the presence of humans in the Greater Antilles. The survival of relatively large terrestrial mammals for such a lengthy period after the arrival of Homo sapiens indicates that insular extinctions in the Late Quaternary did not always occur in a “blitzkrieg” manner.

The avifauna of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has received little attention from researchers. The lack of baseline information is therefore a major hindrance to the construction of management plans. Here we present detailed monitoring data on the species composition and numbers of each species for the island of Anegada, BVI. We surveyed the birds of Anegada between November 2003 and March 2005 utilising a combination of coastal transects, wetland bird counts, point counts, and species-specific survey methods for nocturnal species. A total of 99 different species were recorded, with a large increase in the number of species and number of individuals centred around peak migration in September. Although there is a depauperate terrestrial bird community consisting of predominately generalist species, it holds important populations of regional avifauna. For example, it hosts five regionally important breeding seabird colonies and its wetlands provide an important stop-over and over-wintering site for many species of shorebirds and waterbirds. In addition, the Eastern salt ponds are also the only breeding site for the greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, within the territory. We discuss our findings within the current framework of regional conservation and provide recommendations for the implementation of a territory wide monitoring program as a first step towards meeting the UK's commitments under several multilateral environmental agreements.

Descriptions and illustrations are given for one new species of Rallicola Johnston and Harrison, 1911 and three new species of Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 from ovenbirds, leaftossers, and woodcreepers from Costa Rica. These chewing lice and their type hosts are as follows: Rallicola (Rallicola) ochrolaemi and Myrsidea ochrolaemi ex Automolus ochrolaemus (Furnariidae: Furnariinae), Myrsidea calvi ex Sclerurus guatemalensis (Furnariidae: Scleruridae), and (Myrsidea souleyetii ex Lepidocolaptes souleyetii (Furnariidae: Dendrocolaptinae). Records of five other louse species of the genus Myrsidea, Menacanthus and Rallicola from dendrocolaptid hosts are also discussed. These are the first records of the genus Menacanthus and Myrsidea from members of the passerine subfamily Dendrocolaptinae.

This study targeted the successional, trophic and taxonomic aspects of nematode assemblages inhabiting fallen Rhizophora mangle leaves in an experiment repeated during two consecutive years. Four replicates of four leaves each were secured near the mangrove prop roots at Magueyes Island, southwestern Puerto Rico. At biweekly intervals, one leaf from each replicate was removed and selected meiofauna were enumerated. The two most abundant taxa were harpacticoid copepods (max. 228/leaf) and nematodes (max. 182/leaf). Significant differences between sample times were observed. Copepod and nematode densities for these times were compared using a two-way, crossed ANOSIM (global R = 0.327, significance level of 0.1%). Both nematode and copepod densities increased as leaves decayed. The leaf size had no significant effect on meiofaunal densities, an observation consistent with previous studies. We identified 25 nematode species of 25 genera, with the most abundant taxa being Adoncholaimus and Dichromadora. The most frequently encountered taxa in leaves were Haliplectus (58.62%), Dichromadora (65.52%), Adoncholaimus (41.38%), and Oncholaimus (41.38%). When we assigned nematode species to feeding groups, omnivores/predators accounted for >30% of the nematode abundance. Together, the omnivores/predators and the epigrowth feeders accounted for >63% the species richness and >72% of the species abundance. No successional patterns were detected between the nematode feeding groups. Diversity indices were not significantly different within and between years. The successional patterns of colonizing nematodes did not follow the patterns observed in classical succession studies in terrestrial habitats.

Relatively little is known about the microhabitat preferences of most species of Neotropical harvestmen. We investigated the use of trunks, buttresses, and the leaf litter in the immediate vicinity of trees by multiple species of harvestmen in a Trinidad, W. I. rainforest. A total of 238 individuals were collected. This included adults of species from the families Cosmetidae, Manaosbiidae, Sclerosomatidae, and Stygnidae. Our results indicate that the cosmetids (2 species), especially Cynortula sp., were the most abundant species to occur on the trees. We also found significant, positive correlations for several species with regard to tree size and the number of individuals present. We hypothesize that harvestmen may use the surfaces of trees as well as the leaf litter in the immediate vicinity of the buttresses as either shelters from potential predators or as areas that provide favorable microclimates (e.g., relatively high humidity).

This study describes forest cover changes and the current vegetation in the area surrounding the Joyuda Lagoon in western Puerto Rico. Forest cover increased from 22 ha to 87 ha between 1930 to 1997. This increase is the result of mangrove forest expansion and the abandonment of a former coconut plantation. Three mangrove species occupy the areas closest to the lagoon water. The abandoned coconut plantation is dominated by several exotic tree species typically planted along the coasts of Puerto Rico. Comparisons with previous accounts of the composition of this plantation and with the vegetation of another abandoned coconut plantation elsewhere in Puerto Rico suggest that this tree assemblage is still developing towards a community type that is very different than that of other areas having similar physical and climatic conditions.

Fifty years after it was first reported, the existence of an Echinolampas marker band in the Lower Miocene of the White Limestone Group of Jamaica remains unconfirmed. Horizons rich in monospecific accumulations of clypeasteroid echinoids (Clypeaster spp., scutelline sp. indet.) occur in these limestones and may have been misidentified by field geologists lacking expertise in echinoid systematics. This assertion is given greater credence by a recent report of related clypeasteroid taxa being similarly misidentified in the Middle Miocene of Poland.

Low pressure waves that contributed to the formation of Hurricane Wilma in the western Caribbean produced westerly winds in the central Caribbean and Puerto Rico during the second week of October, 2005. On October 12 and for the following two weeks Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus, six locations) and Veery (C. fuscescens, one location) were reported from the island. These species usually migrate through Central America and the central Caribbean and appear not to have been recorded before in Puerto Rico. The hurricane season overlaps the autumnal migration. Increase in cyclonic activity with local wind direction dependent on the location of centers of low pressure may increase vagrancy.

The stout iguana, Cyclura pinguis (also known as the Anegada iguana), survives only in the British Virgin Islands and the total population is believed to be about 250 individuals. The sole remaining natural population, on Anegada, is declining in both numbers and area inhabited. Several extra-limital populations have been established, and here we report on body size and timing of egg-laying in the Guana Island population, which is thriving. Egg laying occurs in June and July, and hatchlings emerge in September and October. For hatchlings, mean snout-vent length was 108 mm, mean undamaged tail length was 197 mm, and mean mass was 60 g. Growth of hatchlings is rapid. Overall, the relationship between log mass and log body length is statistically significant. Comparisons to data published for Anegada animals show that iguanas of similar length weigh more on Guana, suggesting possible food limitation in the Anegada population. Until progress is made towards establishing a national park on Anegada, reintroduced populations, such as the one on Guana, constitute a critically important precautionary measure for Cyclura pinguis. Moreover, we strongly recommend enhancing the Guana gene pool.