Cayos Cochinos Research Articles

The Spaces of Social Capital: Livelihood Geographies and Marine Conservation in the Cayos Cochinos Marine Protected Area, Honduras

En este artículo se estudia la relación existente entre el capital social del hogar y la utilización de los recursos marinos en la Área Marina Protegida de Cayos Cochinos. En recientes trabajos sobre la función del capital social para facilitar los esfuerzos comunitarios de conservación se han destacado las distintas maneras en que un nivel sólido de este activo puede dar lugar a resultados conservacionistas positivos. En contraste, en este escrito se sostiene que la formación del capital social y su utilización en el nivel del hogar pueden dar lugar a una geografía de utilización de recursos que discrepa con las restricciones zonales de recursos que suelen tipificar las áreas de cogestión de la conservación. A partir de estudios etnográficos y de encuestas sobre la Reserva Marina de Cayos Cochinos, en este trabajo se muestra cómo los recursos marinos contribuyen a que las familias de pescadores de la comunidad Garifuna consoliden relaciones de confianza y reciprocidad que a su vez les permiten acceder a los recursos marinos y a movilizarlos espacialmente de manera discrepante con la geografía del plan expuesto para la gestión de la Reserva.

Genetic and morphometric differentiation among island populations of two Norops lizards (Reptilia: Sauria: Polychrotidae) on independently colonized islands of the Islas de Bahia (Honduras)

AbstractAim Anole lizards (Reptilia: Sauria: Polychrotidae) display remarkable morphological and genetic differentiation between island populations. Morphological differences between islands are probably due to both adaptive (e.g. differential resource exploitation and intra‐ or interspecific competition) and non‐adaptive differentiation in allopatry. Anoles are well known for their extreme diversity and rapid adaptive speciation on islands. The main aim of this study was to use tests of morphological and genetic differentiation to investigate the population structure and colonization history of islands of the Islas de Bahia, off the coast of Honduras.Location Five populations of Norops bicaorum and Norops lemurinus were sampled, four from islands of the Islas de Bahia and one from the mainland of Honduras.Methods Body size and weight differentiation were measured in order to test for significant differences between sexes and populations. In addition, individuals were genotyped using the amplified fragment length polymorphism technique. Bayesian model‐based and assignment/exclusion methods were used to study genetic differentiation between island and mainland populations and to test colonization hypotheses.Results Assignment tests suggested migration from the mainland to the Cayos Cochinos, and from there independently to both Utila and Roatán, whereas migration between Utila and Roatán was lacking. Migration from the mainland to Utila was inferred, but was much less frequent. Morphologically, individuals from Utila appeared to be significantly different in comparison with all other localities. Significant differentiation between males of Roatán and the mainland was found in body size, whereas no significant difference was detected between the mainland and the Cayos Cochinos.Main conclusions Significant genetic and morphological differentiation was found among populations. A stepping‐stone model for colonization, in combination with an independent migration to Utila and Roatán, was suggested by assignment tests and was compatible with the observed morphological differentiation.

DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT, SIZE, AND COLOR PATTERN OF CNEMIDOPHORUS LEMNISCATUS (SAURIA: TEIIDAE) ON CAYO COCHINO PEQUEñO, HONDURAS

Cayo Cochino Pequeno is a 0.64-km2 Caribbean island in the Cayos Cochinos archipelago, Department of Islas de la Baho ´a, Honduras. One published report noted the presence of the rainbow whiptail (Cnemidophorus lemniscatus) on Cayo Cochino Pequeno, but nothing is known about the biology of this insular population. During a part of the dry season in July and August 2004, we used drift fences, pitfall traps, and separate observational transects to elucidate the distribution and habitat use of C. lemniscatus on the island. The only population of this species was located in a narrow coastal zone (width to 60 m and length to 450 m) on the southern half of the eastern windward side of the island. We analyzed the percentage of the canopy cover and the percentage of 4 ground coverage types along 2 transects 200 m long in this area to understand the basis of the suitability of the habitat for C. lemniscatus. Descriptively, the area harboring this species on Cayo Cochino Pequeno consisted of the remnants of a coconut palm grove with low-lying herbaceous vegetation and grasses, in which a mosaic of small, open areas of sandy soil and coral fragments, with or without accumulations of debris, were the foci of lizard activities. Also observed in this habitat were 2 individuals of the brown racer (Dryadophis melanolomus), an actively foraging snake and likely predator on C. lemniscatus. Data obtained on rainbow whiptails captured in pitfall traps and subsequently released were used to determine the size and color patterns of hatchlings and adult males and females.

Evidence for the Specific Status of the Honduran Lizards Formerly Referred to Ctenosaura palearis (Reptilia: Squamata: Iguanidae)

Ctenosaura melanosterna, a new species of spiny-tailed iguana, is described from the Aguan Valley and the Cayos Cochinos in Honduras. Its closest phylogenetic affinities are with C. palearis from the Motagua Valley in Guatemala with which it has previously been considered conspecific. Previous work on relationships within