More than 30 years ago the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans, P. miles) were introduced into the western Atlantic Ocean, where P. volitans has reached the level of biological invasion threatening the marine ecosystem. The aim of this study was to describe the variation in body length, length-weight relationship (LWR), and condition factor of P. volitans between years in a mesophotic coral ecosystem (MCE) in the southern Gulf of Mexico, to provide baseline life history data. From September 2014 to September 2017, we speared 92 lionfish at the same MCE in the Alacranes Reef, off the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. There were differences in length between years, with larger lionfish found in 2014, and also differences between the LWRs. The LWR for all lionfish indicate a positive allometric growth. No significant difference was found in length between females and males. Males showed a greater Fulton's condition factor in 2015 and 2016, in comparison to females. This study revealed P. volitans has attained a large length and good condition factor in the MCE. Human limitations for diving deep areas preclude mechanical removal of lionfish by culling. Further scientific research is necessary to quantify its density and understand the potential lionfish would have to impact the MCEs in the region.

Desde hace más de 30 años el pez león del Indo-Pacífio (Pterois volitans, P. miles) fue introducido en el Atlántico Oeste, donde P. volitans ya ha alcanzado el nivel de invasión biológica que amenaza al ecosistema marino. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir las variaciones en longitud corporal, relaciones peso-longitud (RPL) y factor de condición de P. volitans entre años en un ecosistema coralino mesofótico (ECM), en el sureste del Golfo de México, para proporcionar una línea base de datos de historia de vida. De septiembre 2014 a septiembre 2017, arponeamos 94 peces león en el mismo ECM en el Arrecife Alacranes, frente a la costa norte de la península de Yucatán, México. Hubo diferencias en longitud, con peces león más grandes en 2014 y también diferencias enre las relaciones RPLs. La RPL para todos los peces león indicó un crecimiento alométrico positivo. No hubo diferencias en la longitud entre las hembras y los machos. Los machos mostraron un factor de condición de Fulton mayor, en 2015 y 2016, en comparación con las hembras. Este estudio reveló que P. volitans ha adquirido una longitud mayor y un buen factor de condición en el ECM. Las limitaciones humanas para buceo en áreas profundas impiden la remoción mecánica de pez león por sacrificio. Se requiere de análisis más amplios para cuantificar su densidad y entender el potencial que el pez león tendría para impactar los ECMs en la región.

The first official record of Parachromis managuensis in Jamaica is reported in the Large Cockpit Spring, Clarendon. This species is native to Central America. It was introduced into Jamaica to control the growth of aquaculture species. A total of 104 specimens were captured between December 2017 and March 2020 using seine nets. Morphometric and meristic descriptions are provided. Specimens captured had total lengths of 3.663–11.797 cm and weighed 0.787–36.810 grams. All specimens were classified as juveniles. Gut content analyses were conducted, which revealed that Parachromis managuensis mainly fed on invertebrates which include insects, ostracods, and gastropods. Ostracods were ranked as the most important food item. Other food items include algae and plant matter.

Within nearshore waters off Bimini, The Bahamas, Atlantic spotted (Stenella frontalis) and common bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins are sympatric but separated spatially in different geographic areas and water depth ranges. Afternoon surveys during summer months across a 16-year period showed S. frontalis used the northern part of the nearshore area more, while T. truncatus used the southern area more. Generally, examination of geographic zones and water depth distributions of both species before and after construction of a pier in the study area suggested these dolphins were not impacted, long-term, by this anthropogenic activity. Still some differences in use of the nearshore area were identified. For water depth, S. frontalis varied use between 5–<12 m and 12–<20 m, depending on location along the coast. In contrast, T. truncatus consistently used the 5–<12 m depths. This difference may be related to how each species used the nearshore area, with T. truncatus feeding more and S. frontalis travelling and doing other activities. A small change in the distribution of S. frontalis by water depth off the northern coast of Bimini was found, specifically an increased use of deeper (12–20 m) water post 2014, which is unlikely an effect of pier construction as S. frontalis continued to use the 5–12 m depths as they had before pier construction. How this change might be related to an unprecedented 2013 S. frontalis immigration event, which might have disrupted the social structure, habitat/resource use, and distribution of both species, is discussed.

As Sargassum biomass continues to increase globally, it is critical to develop a better understanding of how it functions as habitat, therefore, community structure of Sargassum-associated organisms was examined from 11 sampling locations spanning the tropical Florida Straits to the more temperate Gulf Stream off the coast of Savannah, Georgia from May to September 2018 using a combination of modified shrimp trawls and dip nets. A total of 5413 organisms were collected from Sargassum habitat representing 14 species from 10 families. A core group of organisms (Platynereis dumerilii, Litiopa melanostoma, Portunus sayi, Portunus spinimanus, Leander tenuicornis, and Latreutes fucorum) were found throughout the entirety of the geographic range surveyed. This core community did not vary significantly with increasing distance to shore or latitude, nor did it correlate with environmental variables such as salinity and temperature. However, community structure did vary with clump size, with larger clumps harboring more speciose communities. The Sargassum community in the Florida Straits and Gulf Stream appear to provide habitat for a consistent group of epifaunal organisms. In turn, this stable group offers a consistent prey source for a variety of important, higher trophic level organisms.

Carabidae is a large worldwide family of long legged, fast running beetles (Order Coleoptera). While the carabid fauna of Jamaica has been studied by various authors, here we present the first comprehensive checklist of the Carabidae family for the island. Included are 148 species from 59 genera and 28 tribes.

The use of circle hooks in pelagic longline fisheries has often been proposed as a minimally disruptive means to minimize bycatch mortality. However, most studies have been in large scale fisheries, not the small-vessel fleets seen in many Caribbean countries. Size 16/0 circle hooks and 9/0 J hooks were alternated over 26 sets to assess the performance of circle hooks in the Grenadian pelagic longline fishery. Catch, mortality, hook location, length, and grade of fish were compared between hook types. No species-specific differences in at-vessel mortality rate or yellowfin tuna grade were found between hook types. However, significantly fewer billfish collectively (t = 2.36, p = 0.028), and sailfish specifically (t = 3.04, p = 0.005), were caught on circle hooks. Additionally, tunas caught with circle hooks had a 69% greater chance of external hooking compared to J hooks (χ² = 4.38, p = 0.036). All other species analyzed had similar catch rates regardless of hook type (p < 0.05), including yellowfin tuna. The results of this study suggest that the Grenadian pelagic longline fishery – and other Caribbean fleets, by extension – could reduce impacts on billfish stocks by using 16/0 circle hooks without incurring negative effects on yellowfin tuna catch rate or grade. With many bycatch species populations at depressed levels, these results also provide further evidence that circle hooks should be the recommended terminal gear type when using a bycatch mitigation approach to manage pelagic longline fisheries while maintaining target catches for local and export markets.

Lizards play key roles in ecosystems where they are prey for a wide variety of predators, including snakes, other lizards, mammals, birds, and invertebrates. The Green Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons; Squamata: Iguania: Corytophanidae) and the Green Iguana (Iguana rhinolopha; Squamata: Iguania: Iguanidae) are two large lizards usually found sympatrically in the lowland humid forests of Central America, and show the same diurnal, arboreal habits; both species are found near bodies of water. Male Green Iguanas can reach two meters in length; females up to 1.4 m. This species possesses a notable crest of comb–like spines along the neck, back, and tail, and a greatly enlarged smooth scale on the side of the throat. It is green, particularly so the juvenile individuals, and they commonly develop darker wavy transverse dorsal crossbands. The Green Basilisk can exceed 0.9 m in total length, although females are shorter. The coloration is emerald green with strikingly yellow eyes and conspicuous crests are present on the head, dorsum, and tail. This species feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods, but it also consumes flowers and fruits and occasionally eats vertebrates such as small lizards. On July 11, 2022 at 09:36 h we observed an adult Green Basilisk preying on a young Green Iguana at Selva Verde Lodge, located in tropical wet forest in northern Costa Rica. Herein, we present the details of this event in the context of lizard predatory encounters.

Las lagartijas juegan un papel clave en los ecosistemas en los cuales son presa de una gran variedad de predadores tales como serpientes, otras lagartijas, mamíferos, aves e invertebrados. El basilisco verde (Basiliscus plumifrons; Squamata: Iguania: Corytophanidae) y la iguana verde (Iguana rhinolopha; Squamata: Iguania: Iguanidae) son dos lagartijas grandes que suelen encontrarse en simpatría en los bosques húmedos de tierras bajas de América Central y presentan los mismos hábitos diurnos y arbóreos; ambas especies se encuentran cerca de cuerpos de agua. Los machos de la iguana verde pueden alcanzar dos metros de longitud, mientras que las hembras alcanzan 1.4 m. Esta especie presenta una notable cresta de espinas en forma de peine en el cuello, la espalda y la cola, y una escama lisa muy agrandada en el costado de la garganta. Es verde, en particular los individuos juveniles, comúnmente con bandas cruzadas dorsales transversales oscuras y onduladas. El basilisco verde puede superar los 0.9 m de longitud total, aunque las hembras son más pequeñas. Es de color verde esmeralda con ojos amarillos notables y crestas conspicuas en la cabeza, el dorso y la cola. Se alimenta principalmente de insectos y otros artrópodos, pero también consume flores y frutos y ocasionalmente vertebrados como pequeñas lagartijas. El 11 de julio de 2022 a las 09:36 h observamos un basilisco verde adulto depredando a un neonato de iguana verde en Selva Verde Lodge en el Bosque Húmedo Tropical del norte de Costa Rica. Presentamos los detalles de este evento en el contexto de encuentros de depredación entre lagartijas.

A new species of Melocactus is described from Puerto Rico. This miniature species, with a stem no more than 70 mm in diameter, is of uncertain affiliation but is unlikely to be a close relative of M. intortus, the only other Melocactus known from Puerto Rico, due to the lack of a pink-coloured stigma, smaller stem dimensions and distinct seed structure. There are morphological similarities with some other Caribbean species: M. lemairei and M. praerupticola of Hispaniola, and M. guitartii (= M. curvispinus) from Cuba.

The critically endangered Mona Island iguana, Cyclura stejnegeri, is threatened by nest predation by feral pigs, invasive plants that reduce nesting area, and high juvenile mortality. Even though studies in the last 45 years have been sporadic, they had led to different management actions such as protecting nesting areas from feral pig incursion and expanding suitable nesting sites by eradicating the Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia) and other invasive plant species. In addition, from 1999 to 2016 a head-start program (HST) was implemented, to increase the recruitment and survival of juvenile iguanas. In 2021, we conducted a 10-week mark-recapture study to survey the population. Data obtained suggest that the Mona iguana lifespans can exceed 32 years, iguanas are very philopatric staying in the same areas over many years, and that health parameters for HST individuals are similar to those of wild ones. These findings provide new information that should be considered when implementing management actions directed at guaranteeing the survival of the Mona iguana.

This work presents the results of the application of a series of sequential analyses of a digital image of rock art obtained at the Piedra del Sol site, located in central Panama. In this sequence, we propose the application of (i) median filtering for the elimination of high-frequency components present in the original image; (ii) a process of stretching histogram that seeks to improve the contrast of the image by means of stretching of the range of density values; (iii) a simple thresholding process where the grayscale image is converted to a binary or two-level scale; (iv) edge detection using several computational codes based on image segmentation; and (v) a negative representation of the obtained edges. The structure of the sequential code used in this study is based on MATLAB functions. The detection of the edges of the images obtained over the nine threshold levels between 0 and 1, as a product of the result obtained from the histogram stretching process by defining a window of maximum and minimum intensities of [0 0.7] and [0.7 0], which, in turn, of the application of the filter through the median for a mask (2 × 2), allowed us to better define the elements that characterize the rock art of Piedra del Sol. In summary, this low-cost technique can offer valuable information on rock art, starting a complete database of these cultural features made by the ancient indigenous societies of the Isthmus of Panama.

The relative contribution of urban agriculture vs. urban forest remnants to the preservation of insect diversity in large cities, particularly in developing countries in the tropics, remains poorly documented. We assessed the distribution of pollinating insect orders in the densely-populated capital city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. From early January to late April 2018, a survey was conducted in 16 urban green sites, consisting of eight unexploited, private secondary forest remnants (Fo) and eight agroforestry plantations (Ag) embedded within the urban landscape. At each site, we relied on coloured pan traps as an efficient way to sample pollinating insects during three different 24 hour sampling sessions. Overall, we collected a total of 2,747 pollinating insects, belonging to six different orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera). Site area, site elevation, and percentage of built area within a 500 m radius had no significant influence on the total number of insects collected at each site. Insect order richness was significantly higher at Ag sites compared to Fo ones. Although it was not possible to identify all collected insects at the family or species level, we collected two Lepidopteran species of patrimonial interest, the Hispaniolan-endemic Zetides Swallowtail, Battus zetides, and the Jaeger's anetia, Anetia jaegeri, in our pan traps during the course of the survey. We discuss our results in relation to the value of urban green spaces for the conservation of pollinating insects and particular characteristics of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.

Brother Marie-Victorin was the founder of the Montreal Botanical Garden, and one of the most important figures in the botanical history of Canada. Between 1938 and 1944, he undertook seven major plant exploration expeditions to Cuba that resulted in the discovery of several new Cuban endemics. Archival research carried out in the Division de la Gestion de Documents et des Archives (University of Montreal) revealed that during his voyages to Cuba, he made three major side-trips in 1940, 1941, and 1942 to other regions of the Caribbean. Specifically to Barranquilla (Colombia), Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Yucatan (Mexico). We could not find any of his written accounts of his 1940 voyage to the Yucatan; however, we were able to find a collection of photographic slides. An unpublished 33-page travelogue of his 1941 trip to Colombia, Jamaica, and Trinidad was discovered, studied, and translated into English, with annotations. Furthermore, we examined and interpreted two of his published papers that described the 1942 visits to Haiti and Puerto Rico. During these three “out-of-Cuba” voyages, no plant material was collected; however, Brother Marie-Victorin's written accounts and the 502 photos that he took provide unique insights into Caribbean society of the 1940s, as well as on the naturalists and botanists working in the region, and the plants and habitats they encountered. Brother Marie-Victorin's records highlight racial discrimination against those of African descent in Jamaica and Trinidad. It appears that these trips did not lead to major botanical research initiatives. Furthermore, the few collections that he made for potential propagation in botanic gardens or botanical institutes are not currently being grown any longer. The trips had clear leisure aims and they were centered on learning about the society, the flora, and plant science research activities of the visited areas.

Fisheries managers rely on independent programs to collect data to design and inform management plans and decisions. These programs aim to implement cost-effective, robust monitoring approaches to assess spatiotemporal changes in fish structure and composition using different methods, which could lead to different conclusions. We compared four methods: two types of underwater visual censuses (UVC) (i.e. transect and roving), remote underwater video (RUV), and fishing using handline (HL) to characterize differences, identify potential complementarities, and estimate relative precision among them. All methods were simultaneously performed on 13 sites in Fajardo, eastern Puerto Rico for a total of 26 visits, and nine sites in La Parguera Natural Reserve (LPNR), western Puerto Rico for a total of 43 visits. Multivariate analysis revealed significant dissimilarities between all methods, with higher species diversity, abundances, and biomass observed in UVC and RUV. Patterns of spatial and temporal variation detected with UVC and RUV were significantly correlated among them, but not with HL. Univariate analysis for commercially important species showed that UVC and RUV methods were more precise and time efficient than HL. Complementarity between UVC and RUV was observed with the latter increasing the diversity observed during surveys. This study showed that UVC and RUV were different, however, they can be used complementarily they were significantly correlated. HL should be used when additional information (e.g. sex and age) is needed. A multi-gear approach with increased use in RUVs is recommended depending on the aims of the study to precisely assess a broader diversity.

DNA barcoding is a powerful tool that can be effective for identifying unknown seafood samples when morphological characteristics are unreliable. Additionally, DNA barcoding has proven useful for identifying illegal trade such as commercial seafood fraud, and the technique has advanced such that it can be used to identify even highly processed products such as jerky, dog food, and cosmetics. In Puerto Rico, a popular local fried turnover called “empanadillas de chapín” are allegedly prepared using other fish or meat products as a substitute for the traditional smooth trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter), known in Spanish as chapín. Sharks and rays are commonly sold for local cuisine; however, it is unknown which species of sharks or rays are being consumed. Driven by these unconfirmed reports of substitutions and the consumption of protected shark species, we sought to identify the prevalence of this allegedly common yet unverified type of seafood fraud, using DNA barcoding. Fifteen fish species were identified as substitutes for chapín including elasmobranchs and imported freshwater species. Furthermore, this molecular forensic technique also identified nine shark species sold as fillets in local cuisine, of which the majority were misidentified to the consumer. The meat source inside these fried turnovers and shark meat products could be identified even after it was cooked and visually unrecognizable. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that rays are being consumed in Puerto Rico, and confirms the report that a variety of native and imported fish are being substituted for chapín in the local cuisine.

The feeding ecology of four co-occurring mojarra species, Eucinostomus argenteus, Diapterus auratus, Gerres cinereus, and Diapterus rhombeus in a shallow, brackish water, tropical stream on the south coast of Jamaica was studied. Stomach content analyses were performed, and these revealed that the fishes have a primarily zoobenthic diet. Both juveniles and sub-adults of the four species feed significantly on cyclopoid copepods, but in varying amounts. Invertebrate eggs, nematodes, algae (both filamentous and unicellular), and amorphous organic matter were shown to be of significant importance in the diets as well. The working hypothesis is that these four species of mojarras vary their diet interspecifically and intraspecifically to decrease competition within this habitat.

While green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were once abundant throughout the Caribbean, over-exploitation has dramatically reduced their numbers. We conducted a 168-day simulated grazing experiment to determine how loss of this once-abundant mega-herbivore could have affected the productivity and community composition of Thalassia testudinum-dominated seagrass beds in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Simulated grazing reduced both percent cover and productivity of T. testudinum. High runoff and local pollution from industrial farming may limit light availability and reduce seagrass photosynthetic performance to replace biomass lost to simulated grazing. Other seagrass species and algae failed to colonize space opened by reductions in T. testudinum percent cover. Many plots subjected to simulated grazing were also bioturbated by stingrays. Relevance of these findings to balancing sea turtle and seagrass conservation efforts are discussed.

Abnormal white vertebrates are a result of chromatic anomalies that may be associated to several genetic and environmental factors. On October 2, 2022 a Humpback Whale mother Megaptera novaeangliae and a white calf were observed in northwestern Costa Rica. This is the first record of a white Humpback Whale in the Eastern Pacific. This species is found in Costa Rican waters, where the Central American wintering ground of the North Pacific Humpback Whale overlaps the winter range of the Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whale. The calf is hypopigmented, without a clear conclusion about the exact chromatic abnormality determining its white coloration.

Los vertebrados de coloración blanca anormal son el resultado de anomalías cromáticas que pueden estar asociadas a varios factores genéticos y ambientales. El 2 de octubre de 2022 se observaron una madre ballena jorobada Megaptera novaeangliae y una cría blanca en el noroeste de Costa Rica. Este es el primer registro de una ballena jorobada blanca en el Pacífico oriental. Esta especie se encuentra en aguas de Costa Rica, donde la zona de invernada de América Central de la ballena jorobada del Pacífico Norte se superpone con el área de distribución invernal de la ballena jorobada del hemisferio sur. El ballenato es hipopigmentado sin una conclusión clara sobre la anomalía cromática exacta que determina su coloración blanca.