The Miocene chondrichthyan fauna from the Kendeace and Grand Bay formations consists of five species which have been identified from the remains of teeth. These are Carcharias taurus (sand-tiger shark), Isurus oxyrinchus (shortfin mako shark), Carcharocles megalodon (mega-tooth shark), Carcharhinus obscurus (requiem shark) and Hemipristis serra (extinct snaggletooth shark). No further skeletal fish remains, Chondrichthyes or Actinopterygii, were discovered. Teeth of Carcharhinus obscurus predominated, by greater than three to one, the other shark species found in these deposits.

A cranium of the extinct Cuban Macaw Ara tricolor from a Quaternary sinkhole in Villa Clara Province, Cuba, is the third paleontological record for the species in Cuba or for any macaw in the West Indies. The specimen also constitutes the northern and easternmost proven occurrence of the species and adds further information bearing on the osteology and size of Ara tricolor relative to other members of the genus. Aquatic depositional environments may be important for determining the true distribution of macaws in the West Indies through the fossil record.

Distribution, occurrence, diet and growth of juvenile blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus, were examined based on specimens caught between 1995 and 2002 by the artisanal shark fishery from Los Roques Archipelago. Fishery monitoring revealed that C. limbatus was the species most frequently caught, accounting for 48.5% of the shark catch. Capture of neonate and juvenile sharks was concentrated in the central lagoon of the archipelago, indicating that this area corresponds to a nursery area for the species. Birth season was approximately from mid June to the end of August. Average length at birth was 63.5 cm TL, based on neonates with an open umbilical scar. The smallest mature male and female sharks measured 152 and 161 cm TL, respectively. Diet was composed of teleost fishes, with the most important prey being Eucinostomus argenteus (13.3 %IRI), Opisthonema oglinum (6.9 %IRI) and Gerres cinereus (5.5 %IRI). Monthly length frequencies revealed that juveniles remain within the nursery area for 14–16 months after birth, reaching a length of about 130 cm TL during this period. The growth of the juvenile population is characterized by a linear function, with sharks almost doubling their birth length during the first year of life. This growth was more rapid than the estimated rates reported from the Gulf of Mexico, western Florida and South Africa. The results suggest that growth rate is negatively correlated with latitude or positively correlated with temperature. The rapid growth shown by these juveniles will have positive implications for the recovery of the adult populations of this species.

A new species of the red algal genus Woelkerlingia,W. sterreri C. W. Schneid. & M. J. Wynne, is described from a single collection made in Bermuda. The collection contained male and female (dioecious) individuals as well as tetrasporangia and polysporangia on sporophytes. The Bermudian species is compared with and distinguished from W. minuta of the Mediterreanean Sea, up to now the only other species recognized in the genus, as well as other members of the Spermothamnieae. Tiffaniella gorgonea is excluded from the flora of Bermuda after looking at Collins and Hervey material on which the historic record was solely based.

Road and non-roadside surveys of breeding White-crowned Pigeons Patagioenas leucocephala were conducted on St. Croix from April through September 2002 and 2003. Confirmed or probable breeding birds were discovered at 15 sites, including all four cays off St. Croix, and two sites in the interior (21–25 m asl) where this species had not bred previously. An estimated 160–175 pairs nested each year, although numbers were low (1–10 pairs per site) except at two sites. Larger numbers occurred at Ruth Island and Great Pond (55–95 pairs each), and birds have increased at the latter site. Crude breeding densities at all sites ranged from 0.2 to 23.5 pairs/ha, with the highest densities both years (> 1 pair/ha) restricted to the three largest tidally influenced wetlands, the three smallest cays, and the Buccaneer Hotel. White-crowned Pigeons nested in two habitats: (a) low in manglars (islets of one or more red mangroves Rhizophora mangle without solid land) over standing water in mangrove wetlands, and (b) higher over ground in a variety of nest-sites in littoral woodland, especially on cays. Roadside point-transect surveys throughout St. Croix during May of 2004 and 2005 confirmed that most White-crowned Pigeons occur in the general vicinity of confirmed breeding sites, despite their ability to fly long distances. Protection of vulnerable breeding sites such as Ruth Island where squabs are still poached, restoration of manglars as sheltered nest-sites in several tidally influenced wetlands, and expansion of foraging areas in littoral woodland near breeding sites should be conservation priorities for the White-crowned Pigeon on St. Croix. Their current breeding status suggests this species should be downlisted from territorially endangered to threatened in the United States Virgin Islands.

Pharaxonotha portophylla, new species (Insecta: Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae), is described based on individuals collected on the cones of native populations of Zamia amblyphyllidia D. W. Stevenson and Z. portoricensis Urban (Cycadales: Zamiaceae) in the Puerto Rican Cambalache and Susúa Commonwealth Forests, respectively. The new species is a member of a complex centered around P. floridana (Casey), and may be distinguished from other Pharaxonotha species by the following traits: head lacking supraocular striae, with coarse punctation; pronotum slightly transverse, anterolateral edges weakly projected and angulate; protibia narrowly triangularly widened toward apex; elytra with an anterior marginal line, elytral punctures coarse, not impressed, elytral striae not grooved, and elytral intervals plane. Pharaxonotha portophylla is the second species in this genus reported for the Caribbean region, raising the number of known Pharaxonotha species to 13 worldwide. Samples of insect visitors on Zamia cones of either gender and at various stages of anthesis strongly suggest that P. portophylla is the primary and sole pollinator of these cycad species at the two locations. The abundance of adult individuals was much lower on the receptive megastrobili than on the pollen-releasing microstrobili which produced similar attracting odors. Larval development was restricted to the microstrobili, possibly indicating the presence of defensive metabolites in the megastrobili and a reproductive interaction with “pollination by deceit”.

The hardbottom, patch, and bank reefs of Biscayne National Park (BNP) are among the most northern reef communities in the Florida Keys reef tract. The close proximity of BNP reefs to highly developed areas (i.e., the greater Miami metropolitan area) make them both heavily used and susceptible to a multitude of anthropogenic stresses. This study analyzes a unique 1977–1981 data set on stony-coral abundances and percent cover, collected from eight reefs in BNP, and compares this more than 25-year old data set with published data from surveys conducted from 1994–1996 and 1998–2000. In 1977–81, stony-coral cover on the eight reefs ranged between 8% and 28%, whereas coral cover reported from surveys in 1998–2000 ranged between 0.4% and 10%. Significant declines in cover of all coral species were seen at BNP reefs in the ? 20 years between data sets, although few changes were observed in species richness and taxonomic distinctness values. Spatial differences were observed between lagoonal patch reefs and outer bank reefs, consistent with previous reports of greater loss of coral cover on offshore reefs. Previous reports have suggested that high juvenile coral mortality due to fish predation, physical stresses, and thermal stresses have contributed to reduced cover at offshore BNP reefs.

Six coral reefs in southwest Puerto Rico were censused in 1995 to examine species assemblages and their spatial distributions. This census was repeated in 2005 to detect temporal changes in distributions and abundance of species and associated substrata. Ten years after the original study, analyses indicated that 13 species of fishes declined significantly in numbers (a decrease of 21–100%), one species increased by 49% and nine species did not change in abundance. Among invertebrate species, one sponge, two corals and the urchin Diadema all increased in numbers (91–2167%), whereas one coral, a zoanthid, two urchins and three algae all declined significantly (24–70%). Four gorgonian genera did not change in numbers of colonies but grew significantly in size over 10 years. No change in abundance occurred among 14 species of invertebrates and plants. Overall species richness decreased significantly. Substrata sizes, an important habitat characteristic, remained the same on backreefs but changed significantly on forereefs: the amount of boulder decreased by 21% while the smaller substrata (cobble, pebble and sand) increased (85, 382 and 28% respectively). Sea surface temperature was warmer in 2005 than in 1995.

The life history of Helmithora anomala Vélez & Vega (Nemaliales, Rhodophyta), collected from Puerto Rico was examined in culture. Carpospores from monoecious plants germinated to form freeliving, uniseriate filamentous micro thalli. The micro thalli released monospores continuously that gave rise to identical micro thalli. On one occasion, the micro thalli developed cruciate sporangia. Tetraspores germinated to produce prostrate filaments which later gave rise to an erect thallus with the typical morphology of the gametophyte. Gametophytes never developed carpogonial branches or spermatangia in culture. Nevertheless, this study indicates that Helmithora anomala exhibits a heteromorphic triphasic life history in culture.

The impact of the changes in seasonal grazing of the copepod Eucalanus subtenuis on chlorophyll a concentrations in the water column along the coastal zone of the south-central Caribbean Sea, Colombia, were studied during eleven oceanographic cruises carried out between September 1999 and May 2000. The cruises covered two coastal stations in Salamanca Gulf and two off the Tayrona Natural National Park. Ingestion rates on phytoplankton were determined for two copepod size classes (prosome length 250–600 µm and >600 µm). During each cruise, chlorophyll a was determined in the upper 35 m of the water column for three phytoplankton size classes: pico- (0.2–2.0 µm), nano- (2.0–20.0 µm), and microphytoplankton (20.0–200.0 µm). Our results showed no differences in the ingestion by E. subtenuis between the copepod size classes, nor strong variations in ingestion between areas. However, differences in hydrography (lower salinity and higher temperature during the rainy season), phytoplankton biomass (higher in the rainy season), and copepod ingestion (higher gut contents and ingestion rates during the rainy season) occurred between climatic periods. Within both areas and seasons, the grazing impact of E. subtenuis was low (<1% of the phytoplankton standing stock) and its variability was mainly determined by fluctuations in copepod density and phytoplankton supply, rather than by temperature changes or copepod size classes. Thus, in the southcentral Caribbean shelf, E. subtenuis grazing seems to play a minor role in determining the phytoplanktonic seasonal biomass fluctuations, especially when compared with the effects of the important input of water over the shelf from the continent and coastal lagoons.

Oxygen-transport properties of blood and heart mass of 11 species of bats in the families Phyllostomidae, Mormoopidae, Noctilionidae, Molossidae, and Vespertilionidae were investigated and related to morphological characteristics of the wings and to phylogeny. These 11 species include all West Indian core species, and 85% of the assemblage of bats in the subtropical moist forest of northern Puerto Rico. Hematocrits (48.5%–64%) fall within values expected for bats. Diameter of red blood cells ranged from 4.2µm to 6.2µm. Heart mass (0.32g–0.01g) and hematocrit were significantly correlated to wing shape and wing loading (0.19 g/cm²–0.06 g/cm²), but not to phylogeny. The relationship between hematocrit and wing loading showed a negative slope.

The taxonomic composition and functional feeding groups (FFG) of macroinvertebrate communities were characterized along a stream-size gradient of four streams in Trinidad, two being impacted by agricultural and urban activities (Arima and Guanapo Rivers) and two being relatively pristine (Marianne and Paria Rivers). The degree to which benthic assemblages have been altered by agriculture and input of treated domestic waste was assessed, by comparing the longitudinal patterns between the north-flowing (unimpacted) and south-flowing (impacted) streams. Both univariate and multivariate analyses indicated significant changes in macroinvertebrate community function, with smaller changes in taxonomic composition, along the gradient. Such changes were less conspicuous in the north-flowing than the south-flowing streams. This study indicates that land-use can have more of an influence on the macroinvertebrate community than the natural longitudinal gradient.

The last comprehensive native forest structure survey made in the Grand Etang National Park and Forest Reserve of Grenada was in the 1940s, before Hurricane Janet hit the island in 1955. The data from this study were collected in the mid-1990s, previous to the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the first hurricane to strike Grenada since 1955. A total of 584 trees representing 41 species were identified in twenty 2m × 50m plots. Mean tree height, basal area per hectare, tree density per hectare, and species richness were determined for the park and forest reserve. Licania ternatensis was the dominant tree in terms of density per hectare (18%), while Dacryodes excelsa was dominant in terms of basal area per hectare (30.3 m2). Trichillia septentrionalis had the largest mean height (23.6 m) even though the tallest tree in the sample was a Dacryodes excelsa (51.9 m). The composition of the Grand Etang forest in the 1990s consisted of a mosaic of stands of different size classes and species composition, most likely indicating varying damage and recovery from Hurricane Janet. Additional surveys are recommended to reassess Grenada's Grand Etang native rainforest structure in order to determine which tree species are recovering and at what rate after the devastation of Hurricane Ivan. These results could then be compared to the significant body of work done on ecologically similar hurricane affected wet/rain and lower montane wet/rain forests found on Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico's forest cover decreased to less than 10% in the early 1900's leaving few forest patches available for migrant and resident birds. In this process of deforestation karst hills and coastal wetlands have been some of the most severely modified forest types; however, we know little about their bird community dynamics and their relation with habitat variables. To address this issue we studied bird species composition and habitat characteristics in karst forest and two coastal forested wetlands (mangrove and Pterocarpus forest) in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. In each forest type, we conducted 10 point counts monthly for two years and characterized habitat variables. We performed a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination and a multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) for each year to determine the similarity of bird species composition among monthly censuses and the relation between species composition and habitat variables. This ordination technique grouped censuses into three groups: karst forest, Pterocarpus and mangrove in the migratory period, and Pterocarpus and mangrove in the non-migratory period. The high tree species richness in the karst forest, and the presence of standing water in coastal wetlands were the most important habitat variables associated with the different bird communities. Our results demonstrate that the karst and coastal wetlands forests, even if they are small patches surrounded by a mixed matrix of pasture and urban settlements may be important habitat for both residents and migrants, and suggest that the protection and restoration of these habitats should be high management and conservation priorities.

Dalechampia scandens, a native to the American tropics, was recently found naturalized in two Broward County parks in southern Florida. This is the first spontaneous occurrence of the plant in the continental United States. One of the populations may be an escape from a butterfly attraction where the plant was introduced and grown to rear cracker (Hamadryas) butterflies. Dalechampia scandens is pollinated by Euglossa viridissima, a recently naturalized orchid bee in Florida, known to pollinate this species in Mexico.

Penicillus dumetosus (J.V. Lamour.) Blainv. f. expansus Børgesen, a rarely recorded taxon of benthic green algae originally described from the U.S. Virgin Islands, is reported for the first time from Cuba and the Bahamas. The species is depicted in the literature for the first time.