The spatial and temporal variability in mean prevalence of Caribbean yellow band disease (CYBD) in the scleractinians Orbicella faveolata and O. franksi was assessed during 2008 and 2009 in reefs off La Parguera, Puerto Rico. All diseased and healthy-looking colonies were counted along each of four band transects (20 m²) in each of 3 depth intervals (3–8; 8–15; > 15 m) in two inner (Pelotas and Enrique) and two mid-shelf (Turrumote and Media Luna) fringing reefs, and two deep bank reefs at the shelf-edge (Weinberg and Old Buoy). Overall, densities of O. faveolata were higher at intermediate depth habitats (0.5 col./m²) while those of O. franksi were higher at deep habitats (1.7 col./m²). In inner-and mid -shelf fringing reefs both O. faveolata and O. franksi showed significantly higher mean CYBD prevalence at intermediate depth habitats (25 ± 24 % and 17 ± 36 %) compared to deeper (13.4 ± 27 % and 5.2 ± 11 %) and shallow habitats (7.9 ± 11 % and 0 %, respectively). Mean CYBD prevalence in O. faveolata and O. franksi were significantly higher (p<0.05, H=31.6; df=2; U=1756; p<0.05) in mid-shelf reefs (28 ± 27 % and 16.3 ± 31 % respectively) compared to shelf-edge reefs (5.3 ± 5.6 % and 1 ± 1.4 %) and to inner-shelf reefs (9.9 ± 20.6 %) only for O. faveolata. There was a significant positive correlation between CYBD prevalence and densities of O. faveolata (Spearman's r = 0.7; p<0.05). In contrast, O. franksi showed a significant but negative correlation (Spearman's r = -0.5; p<0.05). No significant change in mean CYBD prevalence was observed between seasons and years (2008 to 2009) for both species (26.9 ± 24.9 % and 24.1 ± 23.4 % in O. faveolata and 5.4 ± 10.7 % and 5.0 ± 12 % 5.4 ± 10.7 % to 5.0 ± 12 % in O. franksi respectively). Overall, O. faveolata had significantly higher CYBD prevalence compared to O. franksi which indicates that this species is more susceptible to CYBD. Deep habitats with low quality/quantity of light might serve as a refuge from CYBD in both species. The slight decrease over time in the proportion of infected colonies in both species, indicates no new infections, possibly because of lack of more susceptible colonies after 12 years, reduced virulence, an immune response, or any combination of these.

The Manzanilla barrier beach at Cocos Bay has been undergoing marine erosion for decades due to its position against the high energy environment of the Atlantic Ocean. The barrier beach borders the Ramsar listed freshwater Nariva Swamp, offering protection from the marine environment whilst helping to maintain the delicate ecosystem in the wetland. Visible ongoing coastal erosion at this beach threatens the longevity of this internationally protected wetland. Previous studies of coastline erosion at this beach have been restricted to the analysis of beach profile data over short time periods. This paper examines the evolution of the coastline over a 36 year time period from 1958 to 1994. Digital analysis of shorelines from 1958 and 1994 aerial photographs permitted the identification of areas where erosion or deposition was the dominant process over a 36 year time period. Identification of these areas of coastal change, allowed for the lateral extent of erosion or deposition to be quantified using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS 4.0). These calculations gave an insight into the long-term rates of erosion and deposition operating within the bay. Direct coastal measurements were also made in the short-term as a calibration of the rates of erosion and deposition from the longer-term GIS analysis. The long-term GIS analysis revealed much slower erosion rates than previously reported in short-term studies. Results indicate that analyzing short-term erosion rates alone may exaggerate the true rates of erosion at this bay.

Conepatus, represented by five extant species is widely distributed in the Americas today ranging from the southern United States to southern Argentina and Chile. Despite this broad distribution, the genus is poorly represented in the fossil record of northern South America. In this article, we report two new Pleistocene-Holocene specimens of Conepatus (IVIC-P-2754 and ORS-20 262) from Venezuela Guacharo Cave and El Breal de Orocual in Monagas State. IVIC-P-2754 is represented by cranial and post-cranial material of C. semistriatus and ORS-20 262 is a fragment of mandible that can only be identified as cf. Conepatus. Conepatus has probably been present in eastern Venezuela since the Pleistocene, so although its discovery was expected, its presence in a cave deposit is unusual.

This paper reports seasonal variations in the insect component of the Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) diet based on the study of guano from a colony on Guadeloupe. Fecal pellet content reveals that insects, mainly phytophagous scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), can form an important part of Antillean fruit-eating bat feeding patterns, primarily at the beginning of the dry season.

The major goal of this study was to provide valuable information about the effectiveness of tagging the whitish sea urchin Tripneustes ventricosus in semi-captivity conditions using one type of internal mark. A field experimental study was conducted to assess the effect of Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT) tagging on the survival and growth rate of T. ventricosus as a function of body size, and evaluate PIT tag loss. PIT tags were injected into the coelomic cavity of sea urchins ranging from 29 to 125 mm of test diameter (TD). Sixty sea urchins (30 tagged and 30 non-tagged) of similar sizes were monitored over 10 weeks. For all sea urchin size categories, at the end of the study, tag retention rate was 100%, and survival rate was 75.0 ± 24.0 %. Small-sized urchins exhibited the highest Gross Growth Rate during the experiment (tagged: 3.16 ± 0.34 mm TD; control: 1.78 ± 0.36 mm TD), whereas large-sized individuals displayed the lowest rates (tagged: 0.53 ± 0.0 mm TD; control: 0.70 ± 0.18 mm TD). No significant differences in survival and growth rates were found between tagged and non-tagged animals within size classes. Results suggested that urchins can be tagged using PIT tags, with negligible effects on survival and growth, and this leads to a zero tag rejection rate. Therefore, we recommend use this accurate technique to improve estimation of demographic parameters in T. ventricosus populations for long term tagging studies.

We studied the bird communities of five contrasting semi-natural habitats of Lac Bay, Bonaire, South-eastern Caribbean, during the fall of 2011. A total of 420 point counts were conducted in five different habitats and 63 species were detected. Of these, 31 (49%) were migrants, 24 (38%) were residents, 6 (10%) occurred both as residents and migrants and 2 (3%) were migrants that possibly or irregularly breed. Most migratory species were shorebirds and waders (76%). The bird communities of the five habitats studied showed significant differences in species composition and associated community parameters. Mangrove thicket and salt flat habitats had roughly a two-fold higher total species richness and a four-fold higher migratory species richness compared to woodland habitats. In woodland habitats, breeding residents dominated, whereas migratory shore and waterbirds dominated in salt flat habitat. The Northern Waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis, and Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, were the numerically most important migratory passerines. The Reddish Egret, Egretta rufescens, a globally Near-Threatened species, ranked among the top 10 most abundant species of the Lac Bay salt flat habitat. Our results suggest that the relatively expansive hypersaline wetlands of Bonaire (of which Lac is only a small part) may be of special significance to migratory shore and waterbirds. In contrast to other areas of the Caribbean, invasive exotic birds so far play a minor role in the communities studied.

Archaeological research on Carriacou in the southern Grenadines has demonstrated that despite its relatively small size, the island was inhabited prehistorically for at least a thousand years (ca. AD 400-1400) and has an unusually large number of sites. Over the past decade we have conducted research at two major coastal village sites— Grand Bay and Sabazan—that have revealed an archaeologically rich heritage, but one that is also extremely threatened as a result of looting, sand mining, and tidal erosion. Here we provide a brief summary of research from seven field seasons on Carriacou with a focus on results from the 2014 project in what has become one of the longest continuously running field programs in the region. Results demonstrate that Carriacou was: 1) settled slightly later in time (ca. AD 400) compared to nearby islands with higher elevations; 2) engaged in widespread exchange with other islands and possibly mainland South America as evidenced by the discovery of translocated animals, non-local pottery, and ritual objects; and 3) heavily focused on the exploitation of marine resources for subsistence.

From Bonaire, we here provide the first documented case of the green turtle feeding on the invasive seagrass, Halophila stipulacea, in the Caribbean. The seagrass is rapidly invading existing seagrass meadows and altering key foraging habitat of this endangered marine reptile throughout the eastern Caribbean. We expect that more records of green turtles feeding on this invasive species will gradually follow from throughout the region and that the green turtle might alter its foraging behavior in response to the changing species composition of its foraging habitat.