Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting populations and behaviors in the Republic of Vanuatu are poorly understood. In an effort to evaluate their internesting home range, post-nesting migration and foraging habitat home ranges, 7 post-nesting hawksbill turtles were satellite tagged at Moso Island, Republic of Vanuatu between January 2018 and January 2020. The mean internesting home ranges of two turtles was 0.8 km2 proximal to their nesting beach indicating possible value in establishing a marine protected area along the north coast of Moso Island during the nesting season. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia and New Caledonia were the two major post-nesting destinations. Hawksbill turtles are legally protected by law in both countries. Foraging home ranges for 4 hawksbill turtles in New Caledonia and Aneityum Island, Vanuatu ranged from 1.7 to 28.9 km2. It will be important to continue this study to better determine the total area of habitat utilization of the internesting hawksbills at Moso Island in order to facilitate the implementation of community-based conservation measures and to illuminate home range location and size.

Aguiguan is an uninhabited island in the Mariana archipelago that contains populations of four federally threatened or endangered species or subspecies endemic to the Mariana Islands. Although wildlife populations have been comprehensively surveyed in the past, the island does not receive consistent monitoring effort. We report here incidental observations from two expeditions to Aguiguan in 2021, including mammal, reptile, bird and invertebrate sightings, with a particular focus on cave occupancy by Mariana swiftlets (chachaguak, Aerodramus bartschi) and Pacific sheath-tailed bats (fanihin ganas, Emballonura semicaudata rotensis). In 2021, seven caves were surveyed; five were occupied by Mariana swiftlets and four by Pacific sheath-tailed bats. We counted a total of 322 Pacific sheath-tailed bats at East Black Noddy Cave, with small numbers of bats (n = 2-50) present at three other caves. A total of 111 Mariana swiftlets were counted at Guano Cave, and 29 at Pillar Cave. In addition to sheath-tailed bats and swiftlets, we documented observations of eight other forest bird species, two other mammal species, one lizard species, and three invertebrate species, including a suspected first record of paper wasp (Ropalidia marginata sundaica) on Aguiguan. Our observations can be used to inform future survey effort on this island, and provide evidence of persisting populations of common, threatened, and endangered species in this understudied region. Opportunistic observations of other taxa are included here as historical records of occurrence for an island that has, over time, received only sporadic biological survey effort.

Aguiguan, unu gi ti matåotåoguan na isla giya Marianas, låo guaha kuåttru na klåsin påpulasion gå'ga gi papa' i pruteksion fidiråt na manlåla'la' solamenti guini giya Marianas. Guaha guinadduk kinimprendi manmakondukta put i påpulasion gå'ga' manmachålik gi alatcha na tiempu låo tumaigui i kontinuasion na istudiu gi tanu'. Estagui' i ripót i håfa manmaripåra gi dos na ekspidision (hinanåo) para Aguiguan gi halum 2021 na såkkan. Mañåsåonåo guini na lini'i' siha, chå'ka, fanihi, guali'ik, paluma (påharu), ayuyu, sasata, yan iskopio. Låo i pattikulåt na atinsion gumaigi gi liyang ni maninokukupa nu i chachaguak yan i fanihin Gånas. Gi halum 2021 na såkkan, sietti na liyang manma'eksamina ya masodda' singku maninokukupa nu i chachaguak yan kuåttru maninokukupa nu i fanihin Gånas. In tifung gi put todu 322 na fanihin Gånas gi halum i sanhaya na liyang fåhang åttilung yan unus kuåntus grånu ni manprisenti gi halum ottru tres na liyang. Gi tutåt put todu, 111 na chachaguak manmatufung gi halum Liyang Guåno yan 29 gi halum Liyan Pillar. Engkuenta i Fanihin Gånas yan Chachaguak, in dukumentu otchu difirentis paluman halum tånu', dos klåsin gå'ga' tånu', unu na guali'ik, dikiki' na iskopion håyu, ayuyu, yan lokkui' sasatan påppit, ni masuspetcha na estagui' primet biåhi nai madukumentu giya Aguiguan. I rinipåran-måmi siña ma'usa para u infotma i futtura na istudiu yan u guaha ebidensia para i gumaigin påpulasion todu gå'ga' ni manmaprutetehi guini na lugåt. Todu rinipåran kuatkuet gå'ga' på'gu na tiempu dumanña' guini na tinigi' yan dukumentu ginin mås tatti na tiempu put esti i håssan yan atchagu' ma'istudia na tånu'.

At European Contact (1824), Kosrae was a unified polity (kingdom) and had one of the most hierarchical political organizations in Micronesia, with four hierarchical levels identified by Kosraeans and foreigners – the ruler (the Tokosra, Tokosrah or Tohkohsrah in modern spelling), high chiefs (lwem fulat), low chiefs (mwetsuksuk), and commoners (mwetsriksrik). Its ruling center on the small island of Leluh was somewhat similar to Nan Madol on Pohnpei with some high-walled compounds of prismatic basalt. This polity and its 4-level organization has been hypothesized to extend back to ca. 1400 AD, and possibly into the 1300s, based on extensive archaeological work focused on residential patterns on the main island and Leluh. This paper provides an initial look at mortuary patterns. Oral historical and historical records identify burial patterns from 1750-1850. The rulers’ remains were placed in tombs in special mortuary compounds in the center of Leluh, while high chiefs were buried in graves in their dwelling compounds. Burial rituals included exhumation of the remains of the ruler and high chiefs and their eventual burial in a reef-hole off Leluh. Archaeological data here provide evidence on burials back to the 1300s, including previously unpublished 1982-1984 archaeological work in the royal tombs in Leluh. Burial information more precisely places the formation of Kosrae’s 4-level organization to the mid-1300s-1400 AD.

Our knowledge of the reef fishes of the world can be attributed to the work of thousands of scientists and naturalists who, over the course of hundreds if not thousands of years, have sought to understand the high diversity of tropical and subtropical waters. In the field of taxonomy, no one really knew more than John E. Randall (known to his friends and colleagues as ‘Jack’). While the names Bleeker, Valenciennes, Jordan, Günther, Cuvier, Fowler and other historically prominent ichthyologists come to mind, Randall’s contributions excel above those of others simply because he so often got it right. Randall described or co-described over 834 fish species (a couple of dozen or more remain to be published). Remarkably, 97% of his species descriptions remain valid. This is an astounding accomplishment in and of itself that towers above all others. For a true appreciation of his impact on scientists as well as amateurs interested in fishes and reefs, one must consider his extensive publishing record of over 940 scientific papers, books and book chapters that reveals his knowledge of the biogeography, ecology and behavior of reef fishes as well as his exceptional abilities as an explorer, scuba diver, photographer, writer and teacher. Jack Randall passed away peacefully on 26 April 2020 in his home in Oahu, Hawai’i just a few weeks short of his 96th birthday.