|
Guánica State Forest
The Guánica State Forest ( es, Bosque Estatal de Guánica), popularly known as the Guánica Dry Forest (Spanish: ''Bosque seco de Guánica'') is a subtropical dry forest located in southwest Puerto Rico. The area was designated as a forest reserve in 1919 and a United Nations Biosphere Reserve in 1981. It is considered the best preserved subtropical dry forest and the best example of dry forest in the Caribbean. With approximately 10,000 acres, it is the largest of the 20 state forests of Puerto Rico, and it extends over 5 municipalities: Guánica, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Ponce, and Yauco (although the forest units located in the municipalities of Peñuelas and Ponce only consist of keys and small islands). History The dry forest area of southwestern Puerto Rico protected under the jurisdiction of the Guánica Dry Forest was first established in 1919 as a forest reserve. The United Nations recognized the ecological value of the forest in 1981 when it was designated a Biosph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melocactus
''Melocactus'' (melon cactus), also known as the Turk's cap cactus, is a genus of cactus with about 30–40 species. They are native to the Caribbean, western Mexico through Central America to northern South America, with some species along the Andes down to southern Peru, and a concentration of species in northeastern Brazil., pages=456–467 The first species was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, as ''Cactus melocactus''. When the genus was separated from ''Cactus'', the pre-Linnaean name ''Melocactus'' was used. Acting on the principle of priority, in 1922 Nathaniel Britton and Joseph Rose resurrected Linnaeus' ''Cactus''. However, the 1905 Vienna botanical congress had already rejected the name ''Cactus'', so this name was not available, and ''Melocactus'' Link & Otto is the correct genus name. Mature plants are easily recognizable by their cephalium, a wool- and bristle-coated structure at the apex of the plant, containing a mass of areoles from which the small flowers g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rain Shadow
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carried by the prevailing onshore breezes towards the drier and hotter inland areas. When encountering elevated landforms, the moist air is driven upslope towards the peak, where it expands, cools, and its moisture condenses and starts to precipitate. If the landforms are tall and wide enough, most of the humidity will be lost to precipitation over the windward side (also known as the ''rainward'' side) before ever making it past the top. As the air descends the leeward side of the landforms, it is compressed and heated, producing foehn winds that ''absorb'' moisture downslope and cast a broad "shadow" of dry climate region behind the mountain crests. This climate typically takes the form of shrub–steppe, xeric shrublands or even deserts ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anolis Cooki
''Anolis cooki'', also known commonly as Cook's anole, Cook's pallid anole, and the Guanica pallid anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Rico. Etymology The specific name, ''cooki'', is in honor of Melville Thurston Cook (1869–1952), who was an American botanist and entomologist. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Anolis cooki'', p. 58). Geographic range ''A. cooki'' is found in southwestern Puerto Rico, including the island of Caja de Muertos. Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''A. cooki'' is forest, at altitudes from sea level to . Description Moderate-sized for the genus ''Anolis'', males of ''A. cooki'' may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of . Females are smaller, attaining SVL. Reproduction ''A. cooki'' is oviparous. Taxonomy ''A. cooki'' was originally described as a subspecies ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Typhlatya Monae
''Typhlatya monae'' is a species of basket shrimp in the family Atyidae. It is found in the Caribbean and Africa. The IUCN conservation status of ''Typhlatya monae'' is "LC", least concern, with no immediate threat to the species' survival. The IUCN status was reviewed in 2013. References Further reading * Atyidae Articles created by Qbugbot Crustaceans described in 1954 Arthropods of the Dominican Republic {{Caridea-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gecarcinus Ruricola
''Gecarcinus ruricola'' is a species of terrestrial crab. It is the most terrestrial of the Caribbean land crabs, and is found from western Cuba across the Antilles as far east as Barbados. Common names for ''G. ruricola'' include the purple land crab, black land crab, red land crab, and zombie crab. Description Four colour morphs exist within the species - black, red, yellow, and green. The carapace of ''G. ruricola'' grows in width at a rate of about per year, with the crabs reaching maturity after 5 years, and living for up to 10 years in total. ''G. ruricola'' crabs have a number of adaptations to terrestrial life, mostly regarding water conservation. They are nocturnal, to prevent the hot sun from drying them out. They also have a "nephritic pad", onto which urine is released, to be cleaned by microbes before the water is then reabsorbed. Distribution ''G. ruricola'' is found across much of the Caribbean, from Cuba and the Bahamas in the west through the Antilles to Barba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puerto Rican Nightjar
The Puerto Rican nightjar or Puerto Rican Whip-poor-will (''Antrostomus noctitherus'') is a bird in the nightjar family found in the coastal dry scrub forests in localized areas of southwestern Puerto Rico. It was described in 1916 from bones found in a cave in north central Puerto Rico and a single skin specimen from 1888, and was considered extinct until observed in the wild in 1961. The current population is estimated as 1,400-2,000 mature birds. The species is currently classified as Endangered due to pressures from habitat loss. Description Puerto Rican nightjars, whose song is composed of rapid "''whip''" notes, are small birds about 22–23 cm in length, weighing 39-41 g. Similar to the Antillean nighthawk, the species has a mottled, black, brown and gray colored plumage which serves as camouflage while the bird is perched on the ground. Males have a black throat with a white thin horizontal line. There are white spots on the lower part of the tail which are visibl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puerto Rican Vireo
The Puerto Rican vireo (''Vireo latimeri'') is a small bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico and one of the 31 species belonging to the genus ''Vireo'' of the family Vireonidae. Its local name is ''bien-te-veo'' ("see-you-well", after the call), not to be confused with the unrelated great kiskadee - also known as bien-te-veo - which is found elsewhere. The Puerto Rican vireo has a gray head, a white breast and a yellowish belly. The species measures, on average, 12 cm (4.72 in) and weighs from 11 to 12 grams (0.388–0.423 oz). An insectivore, the species's diet consists of grasshoppers, caterpillars, cicadas, beetles and aphids and is complemented with spiders, anoles, and berries. From 1973 until at least 1996, the species suffered a population decline in the Guánica State Forest. The primary reason for this decline was brood parasitism by the shiny cowbird (''Molothrus bonariensis''). See also * Fauna of Puerto Rico * List of birds of Puerto Rico ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Karst (Puerto Rico)
The Northern Karst (Spanish: ''Carso norteño'', ''Carso norte'') is a limestone karst landscape located in the northern part of Puerto Rico. A karst is a topographical zone formed by the dissolution of soluble porous rocks, such as limestone, with features such as mogotes, canyons, caves, sinkholes, streams and rivers, all of which are common on this region of the island. Some of the island's main rivers, including its longest ( La Plata River), traverse the karst and form some of the most distinctive Puerto Rican geographical features such as the Camuy caverns. Many of these rivers feed into and are important in the formation of many marshy areas such as the Caño Tiburones wetlands. Notable features Mogotes A mogote (English: /məˈɡoʊti/, Spanish: /moˈgote/) is an isolated hill with steep, almost vertical, walls that are completely or partially surrounded by alluvial plains. These hills are a characteristic feature of northern Puerto Rico and they can be seen along t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coamo, Puerto Rico
Coamo (, ) is a Coamo barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality founded in 1579 in the south-central region of Puerto Rico, located north of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, Santa Isabel; south of Orocovis, Puerto Rico, Orocovis and Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, Barranquitas; east of Villalba, Puerto Rico, Villalba and Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, Juana Díaz; and west of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, Aibonito and Salinas, Puerto Rico, Salinas. Coamo is spread over 10 barrios and Coamo barrio-pueblo, Coamo Pueblo – the downtown area and the administrative center of the city. It is both a principal city of the Coamo Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Ponce metropolitan area#Combined Statistical Area, Ponce-Yauco-Coamo Combined Statistical Area. Coamo is a small town nestled in a valley about east of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Ponce (about 25 minutes by car). It was named San Blas Illescas de Coamo by its first settlers. Saint Blaise (''San Blas'') was the Catholic saint who ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Association Of Zoos And Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. AZA is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, and accredits zoos. There were 238 accredited facilities as of 2019, primarily in the US, and also a handful in eleven other countries. History In October 1924 the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums was formed as an affiliate of the American Institute of Park Executives. In 1966, the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums became a professional branch affiliate of the newly formed National Recreation and Park Association, which absorbed the American Institute of Park Executives. In the fall of 1971, the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums membership voted to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puerto Rican Crested Toad
The Puerto Rican crested toad (''Peltophryne lemur''), or simply Puerto Rican toad, is a species of toad found only in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It is the only species of toad native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The species formerly occurred in Virgin Gorda and along the southern and northern karst in Puerto Rico. It is listed as a threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service due to habitat loss and introduced species. At one period of time it was believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1966. The IUCN has the species listed as endangered. Conservation The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums have worked together to create a captive breeding program run by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In 2013, the group released 71,000 tadpoles and 520 toadlets across three locations. The group has released 260,000 tadpoles over the last twenty y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Endemism")
