Tupper seminar
Tuesday, May 11, noon
seminar speaker will be Nancy
Knowlton, STRI
Marine biodiversity: from
corals to microbes
Bambi seminar
Please check GroupWise for
information on the next
Bambi seminar on BCI.
Bocas? talk
Thu, May 13, 7pm, CEFATI
Conference Hall, Bocas
Monthly Talk speaker will be
Carmen Schloeder, Center for
Tropical Marine Ecology,
Bremen, Germany
Influencia de la actividad
humana en arrecifes de
coral y su efecto en la
reproducci?n 
Arrivals 
Paulo Morais, Universidade do
Algarve, Portugal, May 5 -
Sept 1, to work with Helena
Fortunato in artisanal fisheries
and sustainable development,
at Galeta.
Forrest Brem, Southern
Illinois University, May 9 -
Aug 9, to work with Karen
Lips, in Fortuna and El Cop?.
Patrick Jansen, University of
Groeningen, May 10 - Oct 10,
to study tropical seed dispersal
in a multi-trophic context: an
automated radio telemetry
study, in Gamboa.
Kyle Harms, Louisiana State
University, May 10 - Jun 15, to
attend the Soils and Hydrology
Workshop 2004, on BCI and
Gamboa.
Dorothy Tuthill, University of
Wyoming, May 12-26, to study
the endophyte community of
bromeliads, on BCI.
 STRI news
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panam?        www.stri.org     May 7, 2004
Panamanian poison dart frog Dendrobates pumilio from Bocas del Toro: Do not kiss. Some frogs fend
off predators by lacing their skin with toxins concentrated from their food. Panamanian poison dart
frogs defend themselves by loading up on particularly potent compounds called pumilotoxins. STRI
visiting scientists at Bocas del Toro Ralph A. Saporito, Maureen A. Donnelly and Adam L. Edwards
from Florida International University, H. Martin Garraffo and John Daly from the Laboratory of
Bioorganic Chemistry and John T. Longino from  Evergreen State College reported on May 5, in
the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (online) that they have figured out where the frogs get
them--from a species of ant, the first ever found to contain such chemicals. The article ?Formicine
ants: An arthropod source for the pumiliotoxin alkaloids of dendrobatid poison frogs? will be soon
available at calderom@si.edu (Information taken from Science Now).
Rana venenosa paname?a Dendobates pumilio de Bocas del Toro: No besar. Algunas ranas alejan a sus
depredadores envenenado su piel con toxinas obtenidos a trav?s de su alimento. Las ranas
venenosas de Panam? se defienden a s? mismas carg?ndose de componentes particularmente
potentes llamados pumilo-toxinas. Los cient?ficos visitantes de STRI en Bocas del Toro, Ralph A.
Saporito, Maureen A. Donnelly y Adam L. Edwards de la Universidad Internacional de Florida, H.
Martin Garraffo y John Daly del Laboratorio de Qu?mica Bio-org?nica y John T. Longino de
Evergreen State College, reportaron el 5 de mayo, en Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (via
internet) que han descubierto de d?nde las ranas obtienen su veneno?de una especie de hormiga,
la primera que se ha encontrado que contiene estos qu?micos. El art?culo ?Formicine ants: An
arthropod source for the pumiliotoxin alkaloids of dendrobatid poison frogs? estar? disponible en
un futuro pr?ximo en calderom@.si.edu (Informaci?n tomada de Science Now)
Dendrobates pumilio: Do not kiss
More arrivals
Sarah Benfield, Heriot-Watt Uni-
versity, UK, May 12 - Jun 3, to
work with the Darwin Initiative
Project ? Las Perlas Archipelago
assessment of the reef fish in
relation to habitat types, at Naos.
Panagiotis Gardelis, Heriot-Watt
University, May 12 - Jun 19, to
work with the Darwin Initiative
Project, at Naos.
Laura Baxter, Heriot-Watt Uni-
versity, May 12 - Jun 5, to work
with the Darwin Initiative, at
Naos.
Tania Kershaw, Heriot-Watt Uni-
versity, May 12 - Jun 2, to con-
duct a taxonomic study of
Chaetognaths, at Bocas del Toro.
Eloisa Lasso, University of Illi-
nois, May 12 - May 30, to explore
carbon allocation to reproduction
within the genus Piper, on BCI.
Mary Jane West-Eberhard,  May
12-18, to consult with colleagues
at STRI.
Departures
Fernando Pascal, May 10-14, to
Washington DC on official
business at SI.
Congratulations
To Dayra Navarro, who just
received a bachelor?s degree in
Business Administration from
Universidad Latina de Panama,
on March 27. 
New publications
Banford, Heidi M., Bermingham,
Eldredge, and Collette, Bruce B.
2004. "Molecular phylogenetics
and biogeography of
transisthmian and amphi-Atlantic
needlefishes (Belonidae:
Strongylura and Tylosurus): perspec-
tives on New World marine
speciation." Molecular Phylogenetics
and Evolution 31: 833-851.
Walk-for-your-health
New STRI book
The book Abejas de orqu?deas de la
Am?rica tropical: Biolog?a y gu?a de campo.
Orchid bees of tropical America: Biology
and feld guide by STRI?s entomologist
David W. Roubik and Paul E.
Hanson from the University of Costa
Rica was just published by Editorial
INBio in Costa Rica. The World
Bank, GEF, the Japanese Science
Foundation and the Inoue
Endowment Fund contributed to the
production of the book making the
price available to everybody. The
book was published in both Spanish
and English. Beautifully illustrated,
has 265 color photographs by
Roubik, Thomas Eltz, Marcos
Guerra, Michael S. Engel, Phil
deVries, Enrique Moreno and
Oxford Scientific Films. It can be
obtained for $17 at
www.inbio.ac.cr/editorial 
El libro Abejas de orqu?deas de la
Am?rica tropical: Biolog?a y gu?a de campo. Orchid bees of tropical America: Biology and feld guide por el
cient?fico de STRI David W. Roubik y Paul E. Hanson de la Universidad de Costa Rica acaba de
ser publicado por Editorial INBio en Costa Rica. El Banco Mundial, GEF, la Fundaci?n para
Ciencias del Jap?n y el Fondo Inoue contribuyeron a la producci?n de este libro, logrando que su
precio estuviera al alcance de todos. El libro fue publicado en espa?ol e ingl?s. Bellamente
ilustrado, cuenta con 265 fotograf?as a color de Roubik, Thomas Eltz, Marcos Guerra, Michael S.
Engel, Phil deVies, Enrique Moreno y Oxford Scientific Films. Puede obtenerse por $17 en
www.inbio.ac.cr/editorial 
STRI?s Safety and
Security
Committee, the
Office of Human
Resources and the
Marine Exhibition
Center at Punta
Culebra organized
an afternoon of
exercise and
relaxation in the
Amador
Causeway that
included a non-
competitive walk
from Culebra in
Naos Island to
Flamenco Island,
and back, on
Friday, May 7. The photo shows the group on their way to Flamenco.
El Comit? de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional de STRI, la Oficina de Recursos Humanos y el
Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas en Punta Culebra organizaron una tarde de ejercicios y
relajamiento en la Calzada de Amador que incluy? una caminata no-competitiva de Culebra en
Isla Naos hasta Isla Flamenco y regreso, el viernes, 7 de mayo. La foto muestra al grupo camino a
Flamenco.
More publications
Duda, Thomas F., Jr., and
Palumbi, Stephen R. 2004.
"Gene expression and feeding
ecology: evolution of piscivory
in the venomous gastropod
genus Conus." Proceedings of the
Royal Society (London) B.
Online.
Piperno, Dolores R. 2004.
"Crop domestication in the
American tropics: Phytolith
analyses." In Robert
Goodman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of
Plant & Crop Science: 326-329:
Dekker, Inc.
Piperno, Dolores P., and
Holst, Irene. 2004. "Crop
domestication in the American
tropics: Starch grain analyses."
In Robert Goodman (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Plant & Crop
Science: 330-332: Dekker, Inc.
Potts, Matthew D., Davies,
Stuart J., Bossert, William H.,
Tan, S., and Nur Supardi,
M.N. 2004. "Habitat
heterogeneity and niche
structure of trees in two
tropical rain forests." Oecologia
139: 139: 446?453.
Saporito, Ralph A., Garraffo,
H.  Martin, Donnelly,
Maureen A., Edwards, Adam
L., Longino, John T., and
Daly, John W. 2004.
"Formicine ants: An
arthropod source for the
pumiliotoxin alkaloids of
dendrobatid poison frogs."
Proceedigns of the National
Academy of Sciences (Online)
May 5.
Summers, Kyle, Cronin,
Thomas W., and Kennedy,
Timothy. 2004. "Cross-
breeding of distinct color
morphs of the Strawberry
Poison Frog (Dendrobates
pumilio) from the Bocas del
Toro Archipelago, Panama."
Journal of Herpetology 38(1): 1-8.
New STRI's attorney
Rodrigo Ram?rez-Blazquez has been selected to join the STRI staff as the new attorney, effective
May 24. Ramirez obtained his bachelor's degree in Law and Political Sciences from the Universidad
Cat?lica Santa Mar?a La Antigua (USMA) and a master's degree in International, Commercial and
Financial Law at Tulane University. Recently, he received another master's degree in Business
Administration and Finance from Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencias y Tecnolog?a
Rodrigo Ram?rez-Blazquez fue seleccionado para unirse al personal de STRI como nuevo asesor
legal, a partir del 24 de mayo. Ram?rez obtuvo su licenciatura en Derecho y Ciencias Pol?ticas de la
Universidad Cat?lica Santa Mar?a La Antigua (USMA) y una mestr?a en Derecho Internacional,
Comercial y de Finanzas de la Universidad de Tulane. Recientemente, obtuvo otra mestr?a en
Administraci?n de Empresas con ?nfasis en Finanzas de la Universidad Latinoamericana de
Ciencias y Tecnolog?a, con honores. Le damos la bienvenida a la comunidad de STRI.
Watering hole at
Culebra
A watering hole resembling a small
jungle waterfall was completed in
Culebra by the side of the dry forest
trail. The lack of fresh water during
the dry season used to be severe for
the local fauna. The watering hole
was build by STRI personnel in
Culebra Jonas Jim?nez and Juan
Martinez with the help of students
Josu? Flores and Jon?s Jim?nez Jr.,
who used their dry season holidays to
help with the project. Carlos Grael
contributed with plumbing and
pumps. Thanks to all.
Se ha construido un bebedero que semeja un manantial natural a la vera del sendero del bosque seco
en Culebra. La falta de agua dulce en la estaci?n seca era un problema severo para la fauna del ?rea.
El bebedero fue construido por personal de STRI en Culebra, Jon?s Jim?nez y Juan Mart?nez junto
con dos estudiantes, Josu? Flores y Jon?s Jim?nez hijo, quienes utilizaron sus d?as libres en la
estaci?n seca para ayudar al proyecto. Carlos Grael contribuy? con la plomer?a y bombas de agua.
Nuestros agradecimientos a todos.
News from Galeta
Thanks to the Smithsonian Libraries a computer has been placed in the Library of the Galeta
Marine Laboratory, located at the entrance to the Panama Canal. The computer provide access to
the following services: 
? the STRI Library website at http://www.sil.si.edu/libraries/stri-hp.htm
? the list of STRI journals at  http://www.sil.si.edu/libraries/STRI-Serial-list/pdf
? Tools for the Researcher at http://www.sil.si.edu/research/index.htm
? the on line catalog  at http://siris-libraries.si.edu/#focus
? databases  http://www.sil.si.edu/research/online/databases/index.htm, especially
Biological Abstracts and Zoological Record, widely used by biological researchers
? over 1,100 electronic journals http://web4.si.edu/sil/ejournal/tfr_index.cfm
? digitized publications
? and many reference and Internet resources
Using this workstation readers can ask for book loans within SI, using the "My Account" feature. 
Books arrive at the Library in Acon and patrons receive them in the interoffice mail, via the Library.
The STRI Libray is cataloguing all the books at Galeta cataloged. Training, searching assistance, and
aid in the protection and conservation of the collection at the site, are other responsibilities of the
library staff at the research station. On behalf of STRI's crew at Galeta and  library users in Colon,
our warmest thanks to: Mary Augusta Thomas, Vielka Chang-Yau, Angel Aguirre and Elizabeth
S?nchez.