Dominican Species List - Recently Updated Pages

Pseudopterogorgia

BABryan — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:42:16 CDT

Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.
Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.
Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.

Physalia physalis

seaworldgirl08 — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:14:20 CDT

The Portuguese Man O' War (Physalia physalis), also known as the bluebubble, bluebottle or the man-of-war or the portuguese man of war, is commonly thought of as a jellyfish but is actually a siphonophore—a colony of specialized polyps and medusoids.The sting from the tentacles is dangerous to humans. These stings usually cause excruciating pain, and have even been the cause of several deaths. Detached tentacles and specimens which wash up on shore can sting just as painfully as the intact creature in the water for weeks after their detachment. The venom can travel up to the lymph nodes and may cause, depending on the amount of venom, more intense pain. Medical attention is usually necessary, especially in extreme cases.

Orthorhyncus cristatus

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:07:41 CDT

The Antillean Crested Hummingbird was a striking beauty. I had never heard of, or even seen a picture of this species until encountering real ones on the island. They feed on the nectar of flowers like other hummingbirds, and are slightly larger than the ruby throated that we're used to here in the states. This animal is an iridescent black with a fabulous teal crest over the head. Pictures and descriptions cannot do much justice to the striking effect the black and teal have. The most common place we spotted this species was at ITME, feeding on the hibiscus right outside our rooms.

Bubulcus ibis

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:04:14 CDT

Because of the culture of Dominica, the cattle egret fits right in. Cows are common on the island tied out and grazing. We observed the mutualistic relationship between these two species while on the island. The egret hangs out near the cows, picking off ticks and other parasites. The bird ends up with a full belly, and the cow ends up with less pests! Predominantly white, this beautiful species displays buff colored plumes during breeding season. Their eyes are striking and intelligent looking (at least I think so!). Feeding in more dry grassy areas is unique compared to most heron birds. These animals nest in colonies, and surprisingly have few predators.

Loxigilla noctis

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:59:09 CDT

The Lesser Antillean Bullfinch was definetly one of my favorite birds I saw on the island. I saw this species in pair a lot--the males a deep black with a ruby colored throat, and the females more drab. They are busy little birds, being a member of the finch family, and can be seen foraging for seeds. Their preferred habitat consists of subtropical or tropical dry forests, although they do very well near people in more developed areas.

Coereba flaveola

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:55:50 CDT

This species is called a Bananaquit!! They were known as passerines until the species was reclassified as the only member of genus, Coereba. This is another smaller species reaching only 11 cm. They are a slate gray with a white stripe over the eye and a bright yellow breast. Their bills are slender and curved because they feed on nectar from flowers, and because of this diet, they are also known as sugar birds. Their nests are unique in that they are spherical with an entrance off to the side.

Falco sparverius

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:51:20 CDT

This animal is a small falcon also known as a "sparrow hawk". Also sexually dimorphic, the males have blue grey wings with a brilliant, rusty red color on the tail and down the back. Their other name "sparrow hawk" can be a little misleading because the Eurasian sparrow hawk has no relation to them. These guys can be found in Canada and America as well as the Caribbean, although the Caribbean species does not typically migrate. We could spot this kestrel species in the palms as we drove along the roads in Dominica.

Fregata magnificens

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:47:44 CDT

This marvelous species used to be referred to as "Man O' War" because of its agility in the air, speed, and tendancy to steal from other birds in the sky. Males are all black with a scarlet throat pouch which is inflated like a balloon in the breeding season. Although the feathers are black, the scapular feathers are iridescent and produce a purple colour when they refract sunlight. Females are black, but have a white breast and lower neck sides, a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring. They feed mainly on fish, and attack other seabirds until they give up their meal. Frigatebirds never land on water, and always take their food items in flight. They have an incredible wingspan, and it was very exciting spotting them overhead at Cannon Beach. You could definetly tell their wings are designed for soaring, speed, and agility. Their beaks are very long and curved down at the end, and they have an elegant head. They were joy to spot--absolutely beautiful!

Taris bicolor

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:42:36 CDT

The common name of this species is the black-faced Grassquit. This bird is a small, finch like species, and is actually now recognized as a tanager related to Darwins finches. Their habitat consists of long grass or scrub areas, and they primarily feed on seeds. This species is sexually dimorphic, and the male is a much deeper coal grey than the female. Together, the male and female create a domed grass nest and raise young. The male has a display flight in which he vibrates his wings and sends out a call. I definetly noticed these guys a lot in Dominica. I saw pairs building their nests, and heard the males calling.

Chromis cyanae- Blue Chromis

Tirzah3 — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:35:30 CDT

This species is in the family Pomacentridae and order Perciformes. They reach a small 15 cm typically, and sixty meters is their maximum depth. They are found from Bermuda to Gulf of Mexico in the Western Atlantic. They are seen schooling, the light reflecting off of them causing quite an underwater show! I saw a HUGE school of these guys at Scotts Head!
Photo taken from: http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/izaquarium/imgs/f/e/fe970c03.jpg

Pilot Whale

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:27:05 CDT

There are actually two different species of pilot whales: Globicephala melas, which are long-finned and Globicephala macrorhynchu, short-finned. Adult males measure up to 6.1 m in length and weigh up to 2,722 kg. Adult females measure up to 4.9 m in length and weigh up to 1,361 kg. Pilot whales have a round head with a small beak and a typical dolphin-like up-curved mouth line. The rounded head of the male extends over the lower jaw. Pilot whales are dark gray to black in color with a lighter colored patch on the ventral surface. Short-finned pilot whales may also have a light colored patch behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is curved with a long base, and the flippers are also curved. Pilot whales can be found in the northern and southern hemispheres in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. Short-finned pilot whales tend to live in warmer waters, while long-finned pilot whales are more commonly found in more temperate waters. Pilot whales are often seen off the coast of Dominica in pods of 50-60.

Spotted Dolphin

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:23:57 CDT

The Spotted Dolphin, Stella attenuata is a difficult species to describe because their appearance differs according to their geographic location. The species most commonly seen in Dominican waters is the pantropical spotted dolphin, Stella attenuata . This species of dolphin reaches sexual maturity between 6 and 8 years old, or when the animal is about 2 m (6.5 ft) in length. Mating and calving occur throughout the year. The calving interval is about every two years, but when a population is stressed mating takes place at an earlier age and calving happens at shorter intervals. This is a natural response to the large amount of mortalities from being entangled in nets by the tuna fishery. Gestation period is 11 1/2 months and calves are nursed for 11 months. Whale Watching on the island of Dominica is not difficult. With the numerous species of cetaceans that travel through the warm waters of the Caribbean, some even using it as their breeding grounds, visitors to the island are often lucky enough to spot these magnificent creatures. Whale watching is becoming a more increasingly successful business in Dominica, due to the high success rate of cetaceans seen. Dominica is a beautiful island with even more spectacular gentle giants living beneath the ocean’s surface.

Orca (Killer Whale)

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:20:24 CDT

The Orca has a sleek, fusiform shape from head to tail. They are easily recognized due to their prominent black and white coloration. The dorsal surface and pectoral flippers are black, except for the area below and behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal surface and pectoral flippers are black, except for the gray saddle area located just behind the dorsal fin. The ventral (bottom) surface, lower jaw, and undersides of the tail flukes are mostly white. The undersides of the tail flukes are fringed with black. A white 'eyespot' is located just above and slightly behind each eye. The coloration of orcas may assist in their hunting. Orcas are counter-shaded; which means that they are dark on their dorsal surface and white on their ventral surface. The dark side blends in with the deep, murky ocean when viewed from above. The light ventral side blends in with the lighter surface of the sea when seen from below. This makes it so the prey has a difficult time seeing a contrast between the counter-shaded orca and the environment. Also, orcas have disruptive coloration, a camouflage in which the color pattern of an animal contradicts the animal's body shape. In the unclear, filtered sunlight of the sea, other animals may not recognize a killer whale as a potential threat. Rarely, albinism occurs in orcas. There are 74 recorded documentations of this. Male orcas, known as bulls, average 5.8 to 6.7 m (19-22 ft.) and usually weigh between 3,628 and 5,442 kg (8,000-12,000 lb.). Females, or cows, average 4.9 to 5.8 m (16-19 ft.) and usually weigh between 1,361 and 3,628 kg (3,000-8,000 lb.). Orcas are active and opportunistic when it comes to hunting their prey. Fish, squids, seals, sea lions, walruses, birds, sea turtles, otters, penguins, cetaceans, polar bears, reptiles, and even a moose have all been found in the stomach contents of orcas. The remains of other orcas have also been found in the stomachs of orcas. Biologists are uncertain about why they are cannibalistic.
The diets of orcas vary from one region to another. In the Antarctic, orcas eat about 67% fish, 27% marine mammals and 6% squid. In the Bering Sea near Alaska, they eat about 65% fish, 20% squids and 15% marine mammals. The diets of resident and transient orcas also differ. Resident pods eat a large variety of fish and do not usually hunt marine mammals. Transient groups mainly eat marine mammals and only occasionally eat fish. Adult orcas eat approximately 3% to 4% of their body weight in food per day. Orcas habitually hunt cooperatively in their pods for food. The pod works together to herd their prey into a small area before attacking. When hunting a large whale, a pod of orcas may attack from several different angles.

False Killer Whale

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:18:11 CDT

False killer whales, Pseudorca crassidens also have been seen off the coast of Dominica on several occasions. Their distribution is thought to inhabit all tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate seas. There have also been sightings reported off the Atlantic coast of Maryland, north Argentina, and also the northern coasts of the British Isles. They are commonly found in deep, off-shore waters. False killer whales are members of the toothed whale family delphinidae, which is the dolphin family. When seen by humans from a distance, false killer whales may look like its close relative, the orca, or killer whale. Unlike the orca however, false killer whales are a more solid, black color on the dorsal surface, fins, flanks, and flippers with a small patch of light gray or even beige to white on the ventral surface between the flippers. Adults measure between 4.3-6 ms and weigh a maximum of 1,360 kg. The longest adult male on record measured 6 m long, and the longest female on record measured 5 m. The flippers are tapered with a distinguishing hump on the foremost edge and the dorsal fin is falcate (curved back) and tall. The teeth are large, conical, and oval when looked at in cross section. The teeth are 15-25 mm in diameter, with the largest ones projecting 30 mm or so above the gums (40 mm above jawbone). There are 8-11 teeth in each tooth row.

Sperm Whale

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:15:12 CDT

The Sperm whale: largest of the toothed whales, Physeter catodon, found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Male sperm whales may grow to more than 70 ft (21 m) long and females to 30 ft (9 m). It has a huge brain that weighs about 20 pounds (9 kg); it is the largest brain of any animal. Sperm whales travel extremely long distances, following the migration patterns of their prey. Sperm whales mainly feed on mid and deep-water squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. A gray, cheese-like substance called ambergris forms in the whale's intestine around the irritating, undigested beaks of squids. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the whale's intestine produces this substance as a way of facilitating the passage of hard, sharp objects so that it does not injure the whale or make it ill. It is often expelled by vomiting and can be seen floating in chunks on the surface of the water. The anatomy of the sperm whale suggests that they use powerful suction to feed.

Marine Mammals

nicole429m — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:07:09 CDT

The Island of Dominica has been dubbed as “The Whale Watching Capital of the Caribbean”. The island offers sightings of both resident and visiting cetaceans. While six different species of cetaceans are commonly seen off the coasts of Dominica, 22 of the 33 species of whales known of in the Caribbean have been spotted in Dominican waters. The same whales which are sighted off of Dominica can also be seen off the west coast of the Windward Islands from Dominica to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The most common areas that whales are spotted off of are; Scotts Head, Roseau, Layou and Point Round. It is believed that the West Coast of the island which is completely sheltered has deep enough water for an ideal calving and breeding ground for the earth’s largest toothed animal, the Sperm Whale.

Bothus lunatus- Peacock flounder

tegulover — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:34:46 CDT

This is Bothus lunatus; common name: Peacock Flounder. This was seen both in Douglas Bay and Cannon Beach on the west coast of Dominica. Both of it's eyes are found on the left side of it's head with a wide space between them, and the lower eye is farther forward than the upper one. They can grow up to 45cm but are typically 35cm long. They are found on the western part of the Atlantic ocean from Bermuda to Brazil. They live in shallow water near the shore on sandy bottoms, on coral reefs, among sea grass, and in mangrove forests. They typically feed on small fish, crustaceans and octopuses. As of right now the Peacock Flounder is not listed as endangered or threatened.

Caranx ruber- Bar Jack

tegulover — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:24:08 CDT

The Bar Jack usually lives in water that is clear and above coral reefs. Typically they are found in schools but every once in a while one will be spotted alone. They can reach a size of 15 lbs. or so. A large portion of this fishes diet consits of fish, shrimp and other invertebrates. Occasionally they will be seen following bottom feeders such as stingrays eating whatever is stirred up. This is not ideal for the bar jack due to lack of nutrients with what is eaten. When feeding they rely on sight making them diurnal.

Dominican Ameiva- Ameiva fuscata

tegulover — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:14:50 CDT

Dominica Ameiva an absolutely gorgeous large lizard. So far we have seen several of these amazing animals. So far they have avoided capture. But it's only a matter of when, and where, muahahaha.

These lizards are found in the family Teiidae. Also found in this family are the whiptails which can be found here in the southwest U.S. and The Tegus which are lizards found in South America. As young lizards they mainly feed on insects. As they get older they they may attemp to eat some larger animals but will also enjoy some of they fruits Dominica has to offer.

Diadema Antillarum

tegulover — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:11:15 CDT

Diadema antillarum were abundant on the west coast of Dominica. Everyone wanted to touch it but refrained due to the fact that its poisonous spines will break off in your hand!

It is a sea urchin of the family Diatematidae. As you can see from the picture above it has long spines and is considered one of most abundant and important herbivore on the coral reefs of the western Atlantic and Caribbean basin. They are typically found at a depth of 1-10 meters on coral reefs. They like to settle in on crevices with only their spines being revealed. When choosing crevices they base their choice on how much shade is there due to their sensitivity of light. At night they will come out to feed on mostly algae and sometimes seagrass.