We review the sponge fauna of the Mariana Islands based on new and existing collections, and literature records. 124 species of siliceous sponges (Class Demospongiae) and 4 species of calcareous sponges (Class Calcarea) have been identified to date, representing 73 genera, 44 families, within 16 orders. Several species are adventive. Approximately 30% (40) of the species encountered are undescribed, but not all are endemics, as the authors know them from other locations. Approximately 30% (38) of the species are known from diverse locations within the Indo West Pacific, but several well-known, widespread species are absent. The actual diversity of sponge fauna of the Marianas is considerably higher, as many species, especially cryptic and encrusting taxa, remain to be collected and studied.

Detector dog inspection of outbound cargo is one of several control methods applied to deter brown tree snake dispersal from Guam. In the two and a half months following the passage of Supertyphoon Paka over Guam, an increase in brown tree snake discoveries during detector dog inspections was observed. We report here on the circumstances of those discoveries and their management implications.

Sixteen species of reptiles and amphibians are known from Tinian, Mariana Islands and include Bufo marinus, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Gehyra oceanica, G. mutilata, Perochirus ateles, Hemidactylus frenatus, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Nactus pelagicus, Carlia fusca, Emoia caeruleocauda, E. slevini, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus, Lamprolepis smaragdina, Varanus indicus, and Ramphotyphlops braminus. Twelve of these species were found during a field survey in 1984 and 1985. Historic evidence indicates that at least six species have been introduced to the island.

Loss of zooxanthellar symbionts from coral hosts, or “bleaching” has been increasingly noted since the 1980’s, and often attributed to elevated sea water temperatures. Here we document the first bleaching events recorded in Micronesia, one on Majuro Atoll in 1992 and another on Guam in 1994. The first caused up to 99% mortality of Acropora, altering the community structure of affected lagoonal fringing reefs from Acropora-and-Porites-dominated to Porites-dominated. Mortality of other scleractinians was low, but the common soft coral Lobophytum pauciflorum underwent large-scale dieback. Mortality in Majuro lagoon increased from west to east, peaking in the metropolitan area at the east end. The bleaching event on Guam was island-wide, in the warm season but not associated with unusually high temperatures, and associated with little mortality. Fifty-one of 75 surveyed taxa of corals bleached on Guam and 15 of 25 taxa on Majuro. Both scleractinians and alcyonaceans exhibited consistent species-specific sensitivity to bleaching among these and other locations in the tropical Pacific basin. The cause of these bleaching events is unclear, but the pattern on Majuro is suggestive of anthropogenic influence. Lack of bleaching at rural Mili Atoll 25 km from Majuro and lack of above average temperatures on Guam and Majuro suggest that regional ocean warming was not involved in either event.

 

Recent investigations have revealed that reports of the grouper Plectropomus areolatus and the emperor Lethrinus  semicinctus from  the  Marianas are based on misidentifications of other species. 

Recent investigations have revealed that reports of the grouper Plectropomus areolatus and the emperor Lethrinus  semicinctus from  the  Marianas are based on misidentifications of other species. 

The distribution of "Sphenomeris biflora (Kaulf.) Tagawa'' as indicated by Kramer, in Blumea 18:162-163, 1970, seems unusual among Micronesian species, being found in Guam and Alamagan, as well as farther north and west outside Micronesia. Collections from other Micronesian islands (Palau and Saipan) he places in Sphenomeris chinensis (L.) Maxon, an enormously widespread species, said by him to be lacking from the two above-mentioned islands.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

This concludes our report of Palauan hepatics which bas been so ably assisted by Dr. Hiroshi Inoue. A list of specimens examined and of species previously reported follows. Spellings of place names are according to Gressitt (1954) wherever possible. Occasional specimens sent for study are cited in the enumeration but, as most were derived from the Miami University Expeditions, a synopsis of localities is given so that only collection numbers are cited for each species. Micronesian and extra-Micronesian distributional data are derived from diverse sources seen in the Literature Cited and are not individually documented here.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

A critical discussion and taxonomic treatment of the species of Timonius DC. occurring in Palau, Western Caroline Islands, recognizing and describing T. corymbosus Val. with two varieties, corymbosus and takamatsui (new), T. korrensis Kaneh., T. mollis Val. with three varieties, mollis, submollis (new), and villosissimus (new comb.), T. salsedoi (new), T. subauritus Val. with two varieties, subauritus and strigosus (new), and T. timon (Spreng.) Merrill (introduced) is presented.

Over 7,000 pottery sherds have been recently collected from the Nan Madol site on the island of Pohnpei. A formal description of the pottery is presented, and comparisons with the pottery of other Micronesian islands are made. A series of 36 radiocarbon dates provides a wellgrounded chronology for the Nan Madol pottery. Distributional patterns of pottery at Nan Madol are discussed. It is concluded that I) the pottery is likely a Late Lapila Plain Ware variant, 2) an "island hopping" mode of initial settlement in Micronesia is unlikely, 3) the original settlers may have come directly from the Southeast Solomon or New Hebrides areas, and 4) there was little contact between Pohnpei and the various Micronesian islands after initial settlement.

The functions of latte structures in Guam and the Marianas have been treated in two significant perspectives that deserve examination relative to their monumental character. The classic ethnographic and ethnohistoric perspective interpreted latte structures as part of village complexes with both residential and communal functions. Materialistic interpretations have characterized latte structures as chiefly houses with size possibly denoting relative power or rank among villagers and villages in the Marianas. However, examination of paleoenvironmental data, recent migration models depicting dispersal of matrilineal clans from the eastern Caroline Islands westward throughout what is now Micronesia, along with data from site surveys, excavations, and linguistic and ethnographic sources demonstrate that latte period settlement and architecture of the second millennium A.D. shares architectural styles, material culture, and lifeways with Micronesian islands to the east in what may have been a second and diffuse migrational movement through the region. In this model latte architecture expresses shared inter-village identities and mechanisms for conflict resolution rather than competition, warfare, and socio-economic ranking.

 

Four patients with histories of eating seaweed were seen at a hospital  emergency room over a 6 hour period.  They complained of difficulty breathing (3 patients), numbness, particularly of the  lips and extremities (3), sweating (3), abdominal  pain (3), diarrhea (3), vomiting (2), blurred vision (1), and twitching of facial muscles (1). Two patients described  their  paresthesias  as  a  sensation  that  raindrops  were falling on their  skin. Laboratory  tests were unremarkable  except that  one  pa-tient  had  a  slight  increase  in  WBC's  and  one  patient  with  breathing difficulty had  an  elevated  blood  CO₂. The  clinician  treating  these  patients  felt that  the  symptoms  were consistent  with a diagnosis of ciguatera  poisoning. 

It is certain that the life-form of vascular plants characterizes the physiognomy of an island ecosystem. Plant life-form may be a reflection of climatic conditions and/or edaphic factors in ecological character in a given ecosystem, and it may sometimes be considered as a climatic indicator of the ecosystem. To the Micronesian region the writer made explorations 7 times from 1933 to 1941. As one of the results of vegetation studies the writer would illustrate the relation of life-form of vascular plants to the climatic conditions of Micronesian Islands.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

Calcareous algae are important components of the limestone deposits of antiquity. Such deposits are often associated with petroleum reserves and, for this reason, calcareous algae have attracted attention from a broad spectrum of workers that includes geologists, phycologists and paleontologists. While nearly all have agreed that calcifying algae of modern depositional habitats are abundant, diverse and ecologically important, critical quantitative information is scarce and these organisms are in nearly every respect poorly known. Most of our knowledge of biological calcification comes from studies of bone and shell producing animals. Much of the present information on calcareous macroalgae concerns the location, appearance and degree of calcification, but the mechanisms and ultrastructural features are only beginning to be explored (see for examples Marszalek, 1971; Borowitzka, Larkum and Nockolds, 1974). Reasons for this lack of research are varied, but the naive presumption that calcium deposits in plants are fortuitous or by-products of photosynthesis and other metabolic reactions has contributed heavily.

(This is the first paragraph.There is no abstract.)

Three samples from each of two microhabitat types (one was sand/rubble under dead coral rocks, the other was solid limestone with a thin layer of algal-bound sand) were collected from Heron reef  crest (23°27'S, 151°55'E), southern Great Barrier Reef. In  total, 931 polychaetes representing 20 families were recovered by seiving through an 0.1 mm mesh. Mean polychaete density for the 3 loose sand samples was 28 individuals/liter whereas it was 480 individuals/liter for the 3 solid limestone samples. For the solid substratum this is approximately 24, I 00 polychaetes/m2. Of the 6 samples, 2 were sorted to species level and four to family level only. The loose sand sample sorted to species level contained 26 individuals, 16 species and species diversity H' =2.65. The single solid limestone sample sorted to species level contained 239 individuals, 41 species and H' = 2.85. The 3 solid limestone samples were more similar to each other than to the three loose sand samples, which were also more variable. The 3 loose sand samples shared only 2  families, Syllidae and  Eunicidae, while the 3 solid limestone samples shared 8 families-Syllidae, Eunicidae, Nereidae, Chaetopteridae, Capitellidae, Amphinomidae, Terebellidae and Maldanidae. The Heron reef limestone samples were very similar in general characteristics to the polychaete assemblages in  truncated reef limestone s'amples from East Indian Ocean and  Guam with respect to the mean density, the numerical predominance of Syllidae and the abundance of Eunicidae. 

Four primary fruit piercing moths (Noctuidae) are currently found in Micronesia. They are Othereis fullonia (Marianas, Palau, Pohn­pei and Kosrae), Ercheia dubia (Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan), Per­icyma cruegeri (Guam, Rota and Palau) and Platyja umminia (Guam). All inflict moderate to severe damage on a variety of citrus and soft fruits at  certain times of the year and, in  this regard, O. fullonia is considered to be the most important species throughout the region. This species is native to Asia where the larvae feed on various vines (Men­ispermaceae) in contrast to the Pacific region where they feed almost exclusively on certain Erythrina spp. (Fabaceae). Although both groups of plants are unrelated taxonomically, they contain similarly structured tetracyclic erythrina-type alkaloids which, we believe, provide the chem­ical stimulus for host plant selection and thus play a key role in the successful shift from primary to secondary host species. The larval host plants of P.  cruegeri are well known (Delonix regia and Peltophorum pterocarpum), whereas those of E.  dubia and P.  umminia remain to be determined.
Several natural enemies of O. fullonia are known and the micro­hymenopteran egg parasitoids, Telenomus sp., Ooencyrtus sp. (both den­sity  dependent) and  Trichogramma sp.  (density independent) rank among the most successful biological control agents. Trichogramma sp. also parasitize the eggs of P.  cruegeri and the pupae of this species are attacked by two other parasitoids, Exorista civiloides and Brachymeria sp. 

The Asian black twig borer (Xylosandrus compactus Eichhoff 1875) became naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands in the 1960s. It attacks economically important plants (e.g. coffee) as well as endangered endemic trees. This study examined the impact of the black twig borer on koa (Acacia koa), an economically important native tree that is harvested for its fine wood. The black twig borer tunnels into healthy branches, inoculating the wood with a fungus, Fusarium solani. We tested whether F. solani is pathogenic to koa by inoculating seedlings and saplings with the fungus. We found that F. solani was not pathogenic to koa. Nevertheless, in both natural and plantation settings the beetle caused significant mortality in koa seedlings and small saplings. Mortality was associated with boring into the stem, which often caused the main stem to break. The beetles also attacked live twigs on larger saplings and trees, causing flagging, but this damage was not correlated with tree mortality and did not appear to affect koa growth rates. The main source of mortality among older saplings was infection by the vascular wilt fungus, F. oxysporum. This fungus did not appear to be spread by the black twig borer. The main economic and ecological impact of the black twig borer on koa is in the seedling and small sapling stages. In a plantation setting, these impacts could be reduced by outplanting larger saplings and/or genetic selection for resistance. We found significant genetic variation among koa maternal families in rates of black twig borer attack.

A survey of terrestrial wildlife in the Ngerukewid Islands Wildlife Preserve of southwestern Palau detected one species of frog, 13 species of reptiles, 28 species of birds, and two species of bats. Fifteen species of native forest birds probably breed in the preserve, but eight other species known from adjacent limestone islands in Palau are absent. The preserve supports relatively dense populations of Micronesian megapodes, Micronesian pigeons, Nicobar pigeons, and Micronesian fruit bats, all of which are hunted extensively elsewhere in Palau. Four active nesting mounds of megapodes were found in the preserve, with an additional two mounds present in the nearby Kmekumer Islands. Six species of seabirds are present, with brown noddies, black noddies, and bridled terns breeding in moderate numbers. Hawksbill sea turtles appear to nest regularly in the area, but illegal egg collecting is a problem. Densities of skinks and geckos are low throughout the preserve. Only one introduced species of vertebrate, the greater sulfur-crested cockatoo, was recorded in the preserve, suggesting that the island group's original fauna is still largely intact.

Change is part and parcel of human history; it is affecting the whole world including American society, the so-called model of democracy. Change in Micronesian society is being sculptured both intentionally and unconsciously, to fit American society. When Americans talk about development in Micronesia, they are quick to point out that the United States, despite its shortcomings in the administration of Micronesia, has done much.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

A concept test was conducted to assess local awareness of traditional root crops and to study the market potential for value-added products made from taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam). and cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). The test design was a self-evaluating survey that was used to explore (1) the level of consumption of chips and baked/fried foods, (2) the interest level of foods made from root crops, and (3) the level of interest of “Made in Guam” products. One hundred thirty respondents between the ages of 18–54 representing Guam’s consumer population were analyzed in a survey that was conducted from March to May 2000. The most popular type of value-added product was sweetpotato chips, followed by sweetpotato bread, cassava cake, cassava pudding and cassava tamales. Of the 130 persons surveyed, 72% had consumed sweetpotato within the past three months, while more than 60% had eaten cassava and 55% had eaten taro. Results suggest that there is a market potential for value-added foods made from these tropical root crops. The survey also shows that there is interest in “Made in Guam” foods.

The introduced shrew, Suncus murinus, was discovered on Guam in May 1953. Its spread was rapid and probably facilitated by the transport of goods. The shrew was discovered on Saipan in August 1962 and spread from an area of about four square miles around the harbor to cover the rest of the island in about 18 months. Subsequent successful invasions have been reported for Rota (1966) and Moen, Truk Atoll (1967). The shrew has had no observable impact on ground-nesting birds. A marked decline in trap success for Mus musculus on Guam from 1958 to 1969 is the only measured change in the vertebrate fauna that can be attributed to the shrew, although changes in densities of skinks may have occurred.

The Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, was known to be present in Saipan and certain other islands for many years, but the first record for Guam was not obtained until 1962, apparently a few years after its introduction. In contrast to the shrew, the spread of the Norway rat has been slow-the spotty records covered no more than 20 square miles by 1969. The first record for the Norway rat on Babelthaup, Palau, is noteworthy because of the apparent feral status of the species. Reasons for the different levels of success shown by the shrew and the Norway rat in Micronesia are not known.

Over 50 new reports of plant diseases were included in the Guam Agricultural Experiment Station Annual report of 1988. Some have evidently been here for some time  but  have escaped detection previously; others are recent introductions. Bacterial blight of cassava (Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis) was  first detected in  1986. Fruit blotch of watermelon (Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes subsp. ci­trulli) was first seen in 1987; several damaging blotch epidemics have resulted in serious economic losses to watermelon growers. A sample of a lanzones tree (Lansium domesticum) with stem galls was found to have plant parasitic nematodes. Leaf scald of cabbage was  found in 1988; it is caused by a strain of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, the same bacterium causing black rot. More recently, Bacterial leaf blight (Pseudomonas avenae) and  leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis) have been found on com. Some control measures are suggested that can slow the rate of pest importation. 

Quantitative analyses of epifaunal and infaunal polychaete assemblages from an intertidal windward reef bench at Enewetak Atoll revealed increases in species richness and abundance along a shoreward to seaward transect. The importance of refuges (shallow pools and algal turf) to the polychaete fauna was examined. Species diversity and richness and polychaete abundance were lower near shore where shallow pools, lined with sand, were the only refuges for soft-bodied invertebrates during periods of environmental harshness. Towards the ocean the bench was almost entirely covered by a thick algal turf which harbored a sizeable standing crop of polychaetes (up to 8.2 g dry wt./m²). Tube dwelling, suspension feeders and detritivores of the Sabellidae and Spionidae are most abundant in the shoreward pools while cirratulids, opheliids, errant amphinomids, and nereids, dominated the seaward samples. Thirty-one syllid species were recognized, contributing 35% of the polychaetes from epifaunal samples and the family was well represented in all algal turf and bench rock samples. Boring and burrowing polychaetes were more abundant as infauna in reef rock and coralline ridge samples as compared to samples of filamentous and turf-forming algae, and fine sediments scraped from the reef rock substratum where they were relatively few in number. The carbonate rock offered a third habitat dimension for cryptic and boring species including Dodecaceria laddi, eunicids and the spionid Polydora armata. Overall polychaete abundance and standing crop was approximately eight times greater in the algal mat habitat than in nearshore areas lacking macrothalloid algae. Shoreward refuges (shallow pools) harbored a richer polychaete fauna than the surrounding bench. Despite the harsh environmental conditions that exist nearshore during low tides, polychaete abundance was rather high (400-24,200 worms/m²). Algal turf scraped from the seaward section of bench contained an estimated 32,700 worms/m² in one of these samples, while blocks of reef rock including the overlying turf had 82,000-100,300 worms/m². These estimates indicate an increase in polychaetes with increasing macrothalloid algal cover and additionally with inclusion of the underlying hard substratum. Reef rock samples from the crest had a less abundant polychaete fauna composed of different species than those from the algal-covered section of bench. Data show that refuges affect the distribution, abundance, and composition of polychaete assemblages on an intertidal, tropical bench.

Forty three resident islanders contributed their knowledge on the status of sea turtles on Pohnpei, Micronesia during an island-wide survey in 1999. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) are the two most common turtles in Pohnpei. Local islanders hunt turtles regularly and take them opportunistically while fishing, often disregarding size limits, closed seasons, and other restrictions. Nesting occurs rarely (more frequently in the past than now), and is limited to a few beaches on some of the lagoon islands; the main island is surrounded by mangroves. The leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) has been recorded from time to time, mainly outside the reef. The Pohnpeian name oarkalahp is used for putative green turtle/hawksbill hybrids.

The cryptogamic flora of Guam and northern Micronesia has received less attention than the vascular flora although it is not less interesting either taxonomically or phytogeographically. Reports of collections date back to Gaudichaud (1828), but the bryophyte flora has remained little known. Merrill (1914) listed ten liverworts and thirteen mosses from Guam. During the period of Japanese control after World War I, several Japanese botanists collected in Micronesia at Ponape, Palau, and Yap. In the 1930's Yoshiwo Horikawa of Hiroshima began a series of field trips to northern Micronesia. His several contributions (see Miller, 1960) added new records to the flora as well as several new species and the genus Boninoleptocolea. Some smaller unreported Japanese collections are known and these will be studied as they become available. Following World War II with the establishment of Micronesia as a United Nations protectorate, entry for valid scientific purposes was possible and American biologists undertook the study of the flora and fauna. In 1960, I was able to make collections on Guam enroute to and from the Carolines and in 1965 I collected on Guam, Rota, and Saipan. Study of these collections is just begun so the following lists are also somewhat incomplete. Even so, at least 85% of any general bryophyte collection from Guam and northern Micronesia should be placed to genus accurately with the following keys. The chance of finding a species still unreported is greater than that for locating an unreported genus.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

The Yap Group has been the least known of all the major Micronesian island groups in terms of the bird fauna. Baker's (1951) treatise on the birds of Micronesia contains little information regarding the Yapese avifauna. Fisher (1950) reported on a month's ornithological observation and collecting on Yap in 1946. For a discussion of the topography and vegetation of Yap, the reader is referred to that paper. Virtually nothing has been written in the subsequent quarter century concerning Yapese birds.

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)