ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 223 D'ARROS AND ST. JOSEPH, AMIRAN'TE ISLANDS by D. R. Stoddart, M. J. Coe and F. R. Foeberg Issued by THE SMJTHSONIAN INSTITUTION Washington, D. C., U.S.A. September 1979 C o n t e n t s INTRODUCTION by D. R. Stoddart GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY OF D'ARROS IS- by D. R. Stoddart and M. J. C o e PLANTS OF D'ARROS ISLAND by F. R. Fosberg GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY OF S T JOSEPH A T O U by D. R. Stoddart and M. J. C o e PLANTS OF S T JOSEPH ATOLL by F. R. Fosberg Page 1 C o n t r i b u t o r s D r M. J. C o e , A n i m a l E c o l o g y R e s e a r c h G r o u p , D e p a r t m e n t of Z o o l o g y , U n i v e r s i t y of O x f o r d , South Parks R o a d , O x f o r d , E n g l a n d . D r F. R. Fosberg, S m i t h s o n i a n I n s t i t u t i o n , W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. 2 0 5 6 0 , U.S.A. D r D. R. Stoddart, D e p a r t m e n t of G e o g r a p h y , C a m b r i d g e U n i v e r s i t y , D o w n i n g Place, C a m b r i d g e , E n g l a n d . L i s t of Tables 1. Previous work a t D'Arros Page 4 2 . Monthly r a i n f a l l a t D'Arros, 1950-1962 7 3. Insects collected on D'Arros 13 4. Names of i s l e t s on S t Joseph Atoll 2 8 5. Previous work a t S t Joseph Atoll 29 L i s t of Figures 1. The Amirantes and the Seychelles Bank, western Indian Ocean. Produced from pa r t of Bri t ish Admiralty Chart No 4702 with the sanction of the Controller, H.M. Stationery Office and of the Hydrographer of the Navy Frontispiece 2 . D'Arros Island and S t Joseph Atoll. Produced from pa r t of Br i t i sh Admiralty Chart No 721 with the sanction of the Controller, H.M. Stationery Office and of the Hydrographer of the Navy Following page 2 3. D'Arros Island. Based on a e r i a l photographs with d e t a i l added from Baker (1963) and Piggott (1968) Following page 18 4. Monthly r a i n f a l l a t D'Arros Island, 1950-62 Following page 18 5. S t Joseph Atoll. Based on a e r i a l photographs with d e t a i l added from Baker (1963) and Piggott (1968) Following page 42 List of Plates D'Arros Island aerial photograph. Reproduced by permission of the Chief Surveyor, Survey and Lands Department, Republic of Seychelles Following page 18 Southwest coast of D'Arros, showing Scaevola fringe, coconut woodland, and broadleaf groves Scaevola and Casuarina at the southwest point of D' Arros Scaevola and Casuarina at the northeast point of D' Arros Tall Casuarina on the south coast of D'Arros Island Mature Barringtonia within coconut woodland at D8Arros Island Tall Calophyllum of inland groves at D'Arros Island Neisosperma groves near the south coast of D'Arros Island Coconut plantation near the north coast of D'Arros Island Coconuts with undergrowth of KaZmzchoe, northwestern part of D'Arros Island New airstrip, western part of D'Arros Island North shore of D'Arros Island showing tall Casuarina and the settlement Centre of the settlement at D8Arros Island Labourers' quarters at D'Arros Island Manager's house at D'Arros Island Copra works at D'Arros Island Rainwater reservoir at D'Arros Island Vegetable garden at D'Arros Island Cemetery near the southeast shore at D8Arros Island St Joseph Atoll: vertical air photograph mosaic. Reproduced by permission of the Chief Surveyor, Survey and Lands Department, Republic of Seychelles Following page 42 S t Joseph A t o l l from the nor theas t ; t he i s l a n d i n t h e foreground is S t Joseph Is land Southern ree f of S t Joseph A t o l l , from the e a s t . The i s l e t i n t h e foreground is Chien, and t h e l a r g e i s l and i n t h e background is DtArros Pelican Is land from t h e south, with Fouquet i n t h e background. The southern p a r t of S t Joseph Is land (Cascassaye), from t h e e a s t , with Pelican and o the r i s l e t s behind. Hammerhead sh ing le s p i t a t Banc Coco, S t Joseph Ato l l Banc Sable, S t Joseph A t o l l Scaevo la and Suriana shrubs on Banc Sable, S t Joseph Ato l l Scrub of Pemphis a c i d u l a on I l e Poule, S t Joseph Ato l l Scrub of T o u r n e f o r t i a argen tea on I l e Poule, S t Joseph Ato l l Scaevola scrub, seaward shore of I leFouquet , S t Joseph Ato l l Scaevola scrub, coconuts and Casuarina, seaward shore of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Ato l l Scaevola scrub, northern lagoon shore of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l Pioneer S c a e v o l a , southeast po in t of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l Coastal Guet tarda woodland, eas te rn seaward shore of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Ato l l Guet tarda woodland, west coas t of Pel ican Is land, S t Joseph A t o l l Coastal coconut and Casuarina woodland, lagoon shore of S t Joseph Is land, S t Joseph A t o l l Pemphis scrub and cemented gravel on I l e Ressource, S t Joseph Ato l l Rhizophora i n Pemphis scrub, west shore of Pel ican Is land, S t Joseph A t c l l Mudhole surrounded by Sur iana scrub, with germinating coconuts, e a s t end of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Ato l l Mature coconut woodland, nor th end of S t Joseph Is land, S t Joseph A t o l l 41. Abandonedcoconutplantation with juvenile coconuts, I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Ato l l DEPTHS IN THOUSANDS OF METRES 56' 5 7 O Figure 1. The Amirantes and the Seychelles Bank, westernIndian Ocean. Produced from par t of ~ r i t i s h Admiralty Chart No 4702 with the sanction of the Controller, H.M. Stationery Office and of the Hydrographer of the Navy D'ARROS AND ST. JOSEPH, AMIRANTE ISLANDS INTRODUCTION D.R. Stoddart This report resul t s from a request by the then Governor of the former Colony of Seychelles, H.E. M r . C .H. Allan, for advice on the ecology of D'Arros Island and St. Joseph Atoll i n the Amirantes, recently acquired by H . I . H . Prince Chahram Pahlavi. Stoddart and Coe vis i ted the islands on 5-8 April 1976. In addition to making specific recommendations, the following accounts of D'Arros and St. Joseph were prepared a s summary papers incorporating sc ient i f ic information on the islands previously obtained, mainly by the A l e r t and Sealark (Percy Sladen Trust) Expeditions, together with our own observations. There i s surprisingly l i t t l e information available on most of the Amirante Islands, and the value of much of the published data i s reduced by the lack of detailed loca l i ty records. This applies to early studies, such a s tha t of Dufo (1840) on the marine molluscs, as well a s t o the reports of the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition. There are few recent accounts of the fauna and f lora of islands in the group. This paper completes the coverage of the northern Amirantes - African Banks, Remire, Desroches - i n i t i a t ed i n 1968 (Stoddart and Poore 1970a, 1970b, 1970c; Fosberg and Renvoize 1970a, 1970b, 1 9 7 0 ~ ) . The southern islands of the group - Poivre, Etoile, Boudeuse, Marie-Louise, Desnoeufs, Alphonse, St. F r a n ~ o i s , and Bijoutier - have yet t o be visited. The present investigation was made possible through the assistance of William A. Pomeroy of ~ a h d . We are part icular ly grateful t o M i s s Jenny Furneau for hospitali ty and help on the islands, and t o Capt. Marsh for the opportunity t o see them from the a i r . C.W. Benson, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, kindly commented on the sections on birds, and also made available his notes on Parker's collection of birds now in the National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi. G.E. Watson of the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 223: 1-2, 1979 kindly supplied d e t a i l s of the S t . Joseph pelican. W e a r e g ra te fu l t o the following i n the Br i t i sh Musem (Natural History) f o r determinations of collections: P. Freeman ( in sec t s ) , D. MacFarland (mill ipedes), F.R. Wanless ( sp iders ) , R.W. Ingle (crabs) , and E.N. Arnold ( r e p t i l e s ) ; J.F. Peake a s s i s t ed i n many ways. F.R. Fosberg and M.-H. Sachet, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian In s t i t u t i on , Washington, D.C., undertook the work on the p lan t col lect ions as p a r t of their general project on the f l o r a s of western Indian Ocean cora l islands. J.E. B6hlke, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, supplied information on ichthyological work a t both DIArros and S t . Joseph i n March 1964. W e a r e g ra te fu l to H.I .H. Prince Chahram Pahlavi, through M r . William A. Pomeroy, f o r contributing t o the cos t of publication of this report . REFERENCES Dufo, H. 1840. Observations sur les Mollusques marins, t e r r e s t r e s , e t f l u v i a t i l e s des i les SQchelles e t des Amirantes. A n n . Sci. n a t . (2) 14: 45-80, 166-221. Fosberg, F.R. and Renvoize, S.A. 1970a. Plants of Desroches Island. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 167-170. Fosberg, F.R. and Renvoize, S.A. 1970b. Plants of Remire ( ~ a g l e ) Island, Amirantes. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 183-186. Fosberg, F.R. and Renvoize, S.A. 1970c. Plants of African Banks (Iles Africaines). A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 193-194. Stoddart, D.R. and Poore, M.E.D. 1970a. Geography and ecology of Desroches. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 155-165. Stoddart, D.R. and Poore, M.E.D. 1970b. Geography and ecology of Remire. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 171-181. Stoddart, D.R. and Poore, M.E.D. 1 9 7 0 ~ . Geography and ecology of African Banks. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 187-191. Figure 2. D'Arros Island and St Joseph Atoll. Produced from part of British Admiralty Chart No 721 with the sanction of the Controller, H.M. Stationery Office and of the Hydrographer of the Navy GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY OF DIARROS ISLAND D.R. Stoddart and M . J . Coe Introduction DIArros Island i s s i tuated i n la t i tude 5024Jx1 S, longitude 53Ol8 '~ , i n the Amirante Islands, western Indian Ocean, immediately t o the west of the small a t o l l of St. Joseph. It i s an oval-shaped sand cay (Plate 1) , oriented NE-SW, with i t s major ax is 1.9 km long and minor ax i s 1.0 km long. The is land stands on a patch reef similarly orientated, with maximum dimensions of 2.8 and 1.4 km. The is land stands on the northern sector of the reef ; there are drying reef f l a t s 250-400 m wide on i t s south s ide, but only a narrow fringing reef about 75 m wide on i t s north side. The t o t a l reef area a t low water i s about 270 ha; of t h i s the island occupies 170 ha or 62 per cent; and of the island area (measured from the foot of the beaches) 160 ha a r e vegetated. Previous work Table 1 lists previous sc i en t i f i c v i s i t s t o DIArros. The island was discovered i n 1771 by M. de l a ~ i o l i h e , during a voyage of exploration from Mauritius, and was named a f t e r Baron dlArros, Commandant de l a Marine a t the I l e de France i n 1770-71 (Froberville 1848, 111). The f i r s t hydrographic survey was carr ied out i n 1822 by L t . Russell under the direction of Capt. Fairfax Moresby and was mainly concerned with the establishment of accurate co-ordinates (Moresby 1842). The is land was charted and the f i r s t s c i en t i f i c v i s i t carr ied out during the v i s i t of H.M. S. A l e r t d*ing 20-23 March 1882. The chart by Capt. J.P. Maclear, though much corrected, i s s t i l l the basis of the published chart (Admiralty Chart 724). R.W. Coppinger contributed a general description of the island and also collected marine invertebrates. The Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, with J, Stanley Gardiner and C. Forster Cooper, on board H.M. S. Sealark, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 223: 3-18, 1979 spent 10-11 October 1905 on D'Arros, con t r ibu t ing general desc r ip t ions and c o l l e c t i n g b i r d s , r e p t i l e s and arthropods, e spec ia l ly i n s e c t s . Table 1. Previous work a t D'Arros Year 1771 1822 1882 1892 1905 1950s 1960 1964 1967 1975 1976 Inves t iga to r M. de l a Biol igre F. Moresby R.W. Coppinger J .P . Maclear H.M.S. A l e r t W.L. Abbott J .S . Gardiner C. Fors t e r Cooper H.M.S. Sealark J .L .B . Smith C.J. P iggot t B.H. Baker J.E. Bshlke and o the r s I.S.C. Parker M.D. Gwynne D. Wood M.F.R.V. Manihine R. J. Campbell H.M.S. Hydra D.R. Stoddart M . J . Coe Apart from occasional F ie ld of s tudy Discovery Survey Marine zoology Survey Birds Land and marine animals Marine f i s h S o i l s , coconuts Geology Marine f i s h Birds, p l a n t s Survey Fauna and f l o r a Main publ ica t ion Moresby 1842 Coppinger 1883 Ridgway 1895 Gardiner and Cooper 1907 Smith 1955, 1956 P iggo t t 1968, 1969 Baker 1963 Starck 1969, Ty le r . 1967, McCosker and Randall 1977. Parker 1970 Gwynne and Wood 1969 v i s i t s by Government economic entomologists and a v i s i t by the i ch thyo log i s t J.L.B. Smith, no f u r t h e r information was co l l ec ted u n t i l a survey i n 1960, when C . J . P iggo t t described t h e s o i l s and coconut p l a n t a t i o n and B.H. Baker t h e geology; both were ab le , f o r t h e f i r s t time, t o use an accura te map derived from a e r i a l photographs a t an approximate s c a l e of 1:12,800 flown i n June 1960 (P iggo t t1968 , 55; 1969, 33-34; Baker 1963, 54-56). Subsequently M.F.R.V. Manihine v i s i t e d t h e i s l a n d on 22-24 September 1967, when I .S .C. Parker (1970) s tud ied b i r d s and M.D. Gwynne and D. Wood (1969) co l l ec ted vascular p l a n t s . H.M.S. Hydra, Cdr. R . J . Campbell, charted t h e i s l a n d and adjacent waters , e spec ia l ly t o t h e nor th , during a v i s i t on 20-23 October 1975. O u r own v i s i t took p l a c e on 5-8 Apr i l 1976. Geomorphology The Amirantes (Figure 1) comprise a chain of small reef islands extending from African Banks i n the north t o Desnoeufs i n the south, located on a bank 180 km long and 8-40 km wide; i n addition to the main chain there are also islands on banks separated from the main bank, notably Desroches and Alphonse. Depths on the bank i t s e l f are mostly l e s s than 40 m, with parts of the r i m r i s ing to 10-25 m, with occasional surface reefs. Immediately t o the west of the bank the Amirantes Trench reaches depths of 5 km. The bank probably consists of a coral cap overlying volcanic rocks. Matthews and Davies (1966) suggested a basal t ic foundation a t a depth of 1 km or l e s s from geophysical evidence, while near Alphonse basal ts dredged from depths of 2430-3000 and 2400-2700 m have yielded a radiometric age of 82 !: 16 m yr, i . e . mid-late Cretaceous (Fisher, Engel and Hilde 1968). The DIArros reef i t s e l f (Figure 2) r i s e s from the main bank surface a t 30-60 m, near i ts eastern edge. The reef slopes are f a i r l y gentle t o the west and south, where the 30 m i sobath l ies 1-1.4 k m from the reef edge, but they are more abrupt i n the north and especially the east , where t h i s contour i s 100-300 m from the reef edge. The channel between DIArros and St . Joseph i s about 1100 m wide and 60 m deep. An un-named bank s l ight ly smaller than the DIArros reef is located 5 km due north of it, and has l e a s t depths of 2.7 m. The windward reef f l a t s a re rocky pavements veneered with mobile sand and gravel, and with no living coral. There are no reef blocks on the reef edge, and no well-marked algal r i m . Near the west point there is an accumulationof s l ight ly l i t h i f i e d storm rubble, mostly composed of small whole Acropora colonies, forming a transverse tongue on the reef f l a t , and there are signs elsewhere on the reef f l a t of similar tongues now eroded. The leeward reef i s i rregular , with sea- grass swards and coral colonies. The beaches of the island are a l l sandy (Plates 3 and 4 ) . They are highest between Pave Matin and Bois Blanc, where low coastal dunes are a t present being eroded, leaving several l ines of beachrock on the reef f l a t close inshore (Plate 5 ) . No elevations were measured on the island, but the greatest height is probably not more than 7 m and much of the surface probably stands a t about 2-3 m above sea-level. The in te r io r of the island i s f l a t and featureless; except for areas of phosphate rock the ent i re island is composed of carbonate sand. Piggott (1968, 55) describes the main s o i l a s a well developed Shioya Series with an organic layer 45 cm deep; the phosphate rock he describes as a truncated Jemo Series s o i l with the superf icial guano removed. The approximate area of the phosphate rock as mapped by Baker (1963) is shown i n Figure 3. Most of the local surface i rregular i ty on the island resul ts from the excavation of holes through the rock during the planting of coconuts. The outcrop is ei ther a pavement with an i r r e g u l a r su r face , o r c o n s i s t s of angular i r r e g u l a r blocks; t h e ex ten t t o which t h e broken charac te r of t h e blocks r e s u l t s from human a c t i v i t y i s unknown. The th ickness of t h e rock i s usual ly about 1 m. Climate DIArros i s under t h e inf luence of t h e northwest monsoon from December t o March, and of t h e southeas t t r ades from Apr i l t o November. During t h e t r ades t h e weather is dry , and months completely without r a i n a r e not inf requent . Most r a i n f a l l occurs during December and January (Figure 4 ) . The mean annual r a i n f a l l f o r t h e period 1951-62 was 1497 mm; t he h ighes t annual t o t a l w a s 2486 mm i n 1961, and the lowest 804 mm i n 1958 (Table 2 ) . The mean of 1497 rnm compares w i t h 1350 mm f o r Poivre (1949-62) 43 km t o the south, which i s t h e only o the r Amirantes s t a t i o n w i t h a comparable record. No o t h e r meteorological records a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r D'Arros. Temperatures probably vary from 25 t o 30?c. Humidity i s probably high, being g r e a t e s t during the period of t h e northwest monsoon. Marine fauna The only c o l l e c t i o n s of marine inver t eb ra tes from D'Arros a r e those of t h e A l e r t expedit ion i n 1882. Smith (1884) l ists 25 species of molluscs, mainly gastropods, Be l l (1884) 18 spec ies of echinoderms, including echinoids, ophiuroids and holothurians, Miers (1884) 16 species of crustaceans, mainly crabs , Ridley (1884a, 1884b) 7 species of sponges and a s i n g l e alcyonarian. Monro (1924, 1926) a l s o l i s t e d t h r e e species of polychaete from A l e r t mater ia l . Subsequently J.L.B. Smith (1955, 1956) l i s t e d t h r e e spec ies of marine f i s h , and more spec ies have been c i t e d from J . E . BGhlkets c o l l e c t i o n s i n 1964 (Tyler 1967, Starck 1969, McCosker and Randall 1977). From these very patchy records the shallow water marine fauna appears c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h a t of western Indian Ocean r e e f s genera l ly , and of o the r i s l a n d s i n t h e Amirantes. According t o Rosen (1971) 31 genera of reef-building c o r a l s have been recorded from t h e Amirantes a s a whole b u t he p r e d i c t s t h a t t h e fauna probably comprises 57 genera. Vegetation DtArros i s p resen t ly covered w i t h coconut woodland, bu t t h i s is of comparatively r e c e n t o r i g i n . Coconut o i l was being produced on a t l e a s t some of t h e Amirantes e a r l y i n t h e nineteenth century (Pr io r 1820, 59) , b u t p l a n t a t i o n s came a t a much l a t e r da te . I n 1882 Coppinger (1885, 221) on DtArros noted "a l a r g e p l a n t a t i o n of young cocoa-nuts, which i n f i v e o r s i x yea r s w i l l doubt less be productive". A s l a t e a s 1905, however, Gardiner and Cooper (1907, 153) gave a c l e a r impression Table 2. Monthly r a i n f a l l a t DIArros, 1950-1962 Year 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 19 59 1960 1961 1962 Jan Feb Mar Apr May --- 217 280 161 126 - 157 57 97 170 97 212 252 84 236 111 410 71 193 111 196 194 107 196 84 125 422 245 23 70 203 193 175 259 117 180 366 173 163 164 79 28 118 46 166 112 363 159 79 97 179 194 221 159 194 64 300 348 382 77 30 132 213 127 137 120 Mean 245 186 151 134 124 Jun - 4 3 0 149 0 0 0 36 39 90 56 3 9 83 98 49 Ju l Aug - 69 - 17 58 0 22 11 12 0 109 0 0 51 15 49 19 85 15 36 33 10 7 64 159 51 37 34 40 Oct Nov -- 18 72 290 159 8 13 244 130 0 0 74 89 53 188 Dec Year -- 199 - 288 1476 135 1218 348 1747 211 1050 365 1541 267 1534 299 1674 61 804 64 1610 275 1423 338 2486 103 1398 227 1497 Original da ta i n inches; converted t o rnm and rounded t o neares t mm. of r a t he r sparse coconut growth: "Against t h e sea was a th ick b e l t of the usual scrub with a few small coconuts behind; i n s ide i t had evidently been burnt . 'A t h i r s t y and dry land where no water i s ' . " On the o ther hand f i gu re s of nut production a t t h i s time (see below), which probably der ive j o in t l y from both DIArros and S t . Joseph, suggest a t o t a l planted area (assuming a y i e ld of 2000 nuts/ha) of na t l e s s than 200 ha, o r two-thirds of t he combined land a rea of t he two i s l ands It seems l i k e l y from t h i s evidence t h a t t he present dense p lan ta t ions a r e t he product of t he l a s t 70-100 years. Both vegetat ion and f l o r a have thus been g rea t ly influenced by man. The following vegetat ion un i t s may be dist inguished: Coastal scrub Most of the i s l and is surrounded, espec ia l ly on the south and w e s t s i de s , by a monospecific hedge of Scaevola taccada about 50 m wide, 5-8 m tall, and almost impenetrable (P la tes 2-4). This reaches the upper p a r t of the beach, and consequently t he r e i s very l i t t l e pioneer herbaceous vegetat ion on the beach crest. One o r two small patches of Lepturus repens and clumps of Cyperus l i g u l a r i s were seen. I n addi t ion t o Scaevola , the re a r e very occasional shrubs of Suriana maritima and Tournefort ia argentea . Pemphis ac idula has not been recorded from D ' Arros . Casuarina woodland Casuarina l i t o r e a i s extensive on t h e beach c r e s t along much of t h e north and nor theas t shore, extending round t h e e a s t end of t h e i s l a n d t o ~ a v 6 Matin (P la tes 4 and 11). Coppinger noted "a handsome grove" of t r e e s 25 m t a l l a t t h e p resen t se t t lement i n 1882; they were then s a i d t o be nineteen years o l d and t o have been introduced by a Frenchman named Hoyaew (Cospinger 1885, 221, 226). Many of t h e p resen t t r e e s a r e very l a rge , o f t e n more than 30 m t a l l (P la te 5 ) ; a few a r e being undermined by beach r e t r e a t , and o t h e r s a r e being f e l l e d f o r timber. Neisosperma groves Medium-sized t r e e s of Neisosperma (= Ochrosia) opposi t i f o l i a form a narrow b u t extens ive b e l t between the road and t h e c o a s t a l Scaevola scrub i n t h e southeas tern p a r t of the i s l a n d e a s t of Pav6 Matin ( P l a t e 8 ) . Here, a s w e l l a s elsewhere on t h e in land s i d e of t h e Scaevola , t h e r e a r e mature t r e e s of Guettarda spec iosa . Calophyllum groves Between Dardanelle and Takamaka the re a r e severa l d i s c r e t e groves of t a l l Calophyllum inophyl lum t r e e s (Pla te 71, presumably a r e l i c t of the indigenous woodland of t h e i s l and . These form a dense canopy, and no o the r p l a n t s a r e found i n the heavi ly shaded a r e a beneath. The t r e e s a r e about 25 m t a l l . Other broadleaf groves I n the western p a r t of the i s l and t h e r e a r e occasional small groves, of t en of 2-3 t r e e s , of Cordia subcordata , Barringtonia a s i a t i c a (P la te 6) , Guettarda spec iosa and Pisonia grandis . The Cordia and Barringtonia t r e e s a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y l a rge ; t h e l a t t e r is introduced. Coconut woodland Over most of t h e i s l and t h e woodland canopy is formed by t a l l Cocos n u c i f e r a ( P l a t e 9 ) , i n t e r spe r sed with f requent t a l l b u t i s o l a t e d t r e e s of Casuarina l i t o r e a . An intermediate t r e e s t o r e y comprises t r e e s 5-15 m t a l l of juveni le Casuarina, Morinda c i t r i f o l i a , P ip tu rus a rgen t eus , and Leucaena leucocephala , though these a r e l a r g e l y replaced i n t h e a reas of phosphate rock by Carica papaya. The ground l a y e r of herbs and grasses i s luxur ian t and v a r i a b l e (P la te 10) . Kalanchoe pinnata i s t h e dominant t a l l herb, forming extens ive dense s tands up t o 2 m t a l l . There a r e a l s o f requent clumps of t h e f e r n Nephrolepis b i s e r r a t a 1-2 m t a l l . The most common herbs a r e those t y p i c a l o f Indian Ocean coconut p lan ta t ions : Turnera u l m i f o l i a , P a s s i f l o r a suberosa, Euphorbia cyathophora, Phy l lan thus maderaspatensis , Bidens pi losa , Asystasia bojer i , Boerhavia repens, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, S t r iga a s i a t i ca and Tridax procumbens, with the sedges Fimbristylis cymosa and Cyperus dubius and the grasses Cenchrus echinatus, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Digitaria c i l i a r i s and Eragrostis tenel la . There i s one small area with clumps of Panicum maximum 3-4 m t a l l and of Pennisetum polystachyon reaching 2+m. Achyranthes aspera was curiously not recorded i n 1976, nor has it been collected on D'Arros i n e a r l i e r years, but it is almost cer ta inly present. Other cult ivated and decorative plants I t w i l l be apparent t h a t most of the herbs of the coconut woodland are introduced weedy species. Much of the vegetation near the main settlements i s a l so dominated by introduced species of more res t r ic ted d i s t r ibu t ion . These include massive t rees a t the main settlement of Terminalia catappa and Hernandia sonora, as well a s Casuarina l i t o r ea , together with decorative plants (Catharanthus roseus, Bougainvillea, Canna, Crinum, Hymenocallis) and food plants (Musa sapientum, Solanum nigrum, Moringa o le i fe ra , Ricinus communis, Carica papaya, Vanilla mexicana , Cucurbi t a p e p , Capsicum frutescens . Coppinger (1885, 221 noted t h a t "many introduced plants - such as papaws, cotton, pumpkin, e tc . - were growing i n a neglected s t a t e over the island". Flora Gwynne and Wood (1969) i n the only previously reported col lect ion of plants from D'Arros record 42 species, based on the 53 numbers col lected i n 1967 (these included Cynodon dactylon L. , not l i s t e d i n t h e i r publ icat ion) . 50 numbers were collected i n 1976 and determinations a r e l i s t e d by F.R. Fosberg i n the following section of t h i s report . With s igh t records, the recorded f lo ra of D'Arros i s now 69 species, including two sea-grasses; t h i s compares with 60 species for Desroches and 58 for Remire, the only other is lands of a s imilar nature and with comparable information i n the Amirantes. Ter res t r ia l fauna Birds Birds form the most conspicuous element i n the land fauna of DIArros. They a re l i s t e d here i n systematic order, and some e f f o r t has been made t o incorporate a l l previously published records i n t h i s account. Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacif icus Noted as numerous by Parker (1970), though a s a r e s u l t of the l eve l of human a c t i v i t i e s it i s unlikely t h a t any s t i l l breed on the is land. Audubon's Shearwater P u f f i n u s l h e r m i r i i e r i Seen a t sea 1.6 km north of D'Arros by Parker (1970); not recorded on e i t he r D'Arros o r S t . Joseph. White- t a i l e d Tropicbird Phaethon l e p t u r u s Two b i rds seen f lying round the crown of a coconut palm on 6 April 1976. Brown Booby Sula l e u c o g a s t e r Listed by Ridgway (1895) on t he bas i s of th ree specimens collected by Abbott on 30 August 1892; no subsequent record. Red-footed Booby Sula s u l a Listed a s S . p i s c a t o r by Ridgway (1895); there i s no subsequent record. Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds Frega ta m i n o r , F . a r i e l Frigates a r e recorded i n sightings by Parker (1970). Up t o 500 b i rds were seen over the north end of DIArros on 7 April 1976. These a re undoubtedly non-breeding b i rd s which range widely from t h e i r main nesting s i t e on Aldabra between November and July (Penny 1974). The lack of su i t ab l e nesting s i t e s and the pressure of human a c t i v i t i e s make it unlikely t h a t f r i g a t e s breed on D'Arros. L i t t l e Green Heron ~ u t o r i d e s s t r i a t u s Seen by Parker (1970) and common on D '.Arras i n 1.976. See the comments under t h i s species on S t . Joseph Atoll . Ridgway (1895) lists B . a t r i c a p i l l a . Grey Heron Ardea c i n e r e a Seen roosting along the 'shoreline of D1Arros i n 1976. Ca t t l e Egret Bubulcus ibis Reported by Watson e t a l . (1963), and l i s t e d a s B. bubulaus . by Ridgway (1895) . Grey Francolin Franco l inus p o n d i c e r i a n u s Coppinger (1885, 225) mentions i n h i s account of Desroches Island a "partr idge ... i den t i ca l with t h a t already seen a t Eagle and Darros Islands"; t h i s "small red-legged partr idge", still common a t Desroches, must be t h i s species, introduced on several of the Amirantes. I t was l i s t e d without iden t i f i ca t ion by Ridgway (1895), but there is no other record of i ts occurrence on D'Arros. Turns tone Arenaria i n t e r p r e s Listed by Ridgway (18951. Common on DIArros along the shorel ine and i n coconut plantat ions i n April 1976, b i rds spending the night i n small pa r t i e s i n the coasta l scrub. In the ear ly morning these small groups of up t o 20 b i rds moved about together i n a closed flock, but during the morning they broke up in to small groups of up t o 6 b i rds , regrouping again a t sunset. One male and two females col lected by Parker on 22 September 1967 a r e i n the National Museum of Kenya, r eg i s t e r numbers 20924-20926. Greater Sand Plover Charadri u s 1 eschena u l tii Sight record by Parker (1970) . Grey Plover Squa t a r o l a squa t a r o l a Sight record by Parker (1970). Whimbrel Numeni u s phaeopus Listed by Ridgway (1895) and by Watson e t a l . (1963) . Very common on the shoreline and i n coconut plantat ions i n 1976, ca l l i ng almost continuously. Sanderling C r o c e t h i a a l b a Sight record by Parker (1970) . Bridled Tern S t e r n a a n a e t h e t u s This species, seen by Parker (19701, is not recorded fo r the Amirantes by Watson e t a l . (1963). Penny (1974) records it as occurring i n the Amirantes, and quotes Vesey-FitzGerald a s f inding nesting birds on Recif and Cos.moledo. This may be the species collected on D'Arros by Gardiner i n 1905 and named S t e r n a bernsteini (Gadow and Gardiner 1907) . Common Noddy Anous s t o l i d u s Sight record by Parker (1970). Two b i rds were seen o f f the northern end of DIArros on 7 April 1976. White Tern Gygis a l b a Recorded a s very common by Parker (1970). Very common i n 1976 along the shore, bu t no nesting b i rds seen. Turtledove S t r e p t o p e l i a p i c t u r a t a Collected by Parker (1970). Two birds were observed on DIArros, 7 Apr i l 1976; s e e t h e d iscuss ion under t h i s species i n the account of S t . Joseph Atol l . House Sparrow P a s s e r d o m e s t i c u s Recorded f o r D'Arros by Ridgway (1895), a s P. i n d i c u s , and l i s t e d by Watson e t a l . (1963); recorded a s a breeding spec ies by Penny (19741 . Parker found it very common (Parker 1970) . Very common i n 1976, and breeding f ree ly . I t i s no t c l e a r when this spec ies a r r ived i n the Amirantes, b u t it was probably introduced from the African mainland (Penny 1974) . Madagascar Fody Foudia m a d a g a s c a r i e n s i s This spec ies has been introduced i n t o many of t h e i s l a n d s of the Amirantes, a f t e r an o r i g i n a l in t roduc t ion t o t h e Seychelles about 1800. Parker (19701 found it numerous. Present on D'Arros i n 1976, b u t numbers apparently reduced by t h e presence of the House Sparrow. Seychelles Fody Foudia s e c h e l l a r u m This species was introduced i n t o D'Arros by t h e B r i s t o l Seychelles Expedition i n 1965, and it was recorded again t h e r e i n 1968 (Penny 1974) . Not seen i n 1976. Rep t i l e s Only two r e p t i l e s a r e recorded from D'Arros: the Green Gecko Phelsuma m a d a g a s c a r i e n s i s and the skink Mabuia sechellensis (Boulenger 1909). The skink was common on houses on D'Arros i n 1976. I n s e c t s Only a very small number of i n s e c t s has been recorded from D'Arros, mostly co l l ec ted by the Percy Sladen Trus t Expedition i n 1905 (Table 3 ) . Lepidoptera (8 species) and Coleoptera (6 species) a r e b e s t represented. The mosquito Aedes a e g y p t i (L.) , recorded a s S t e g o m y i a f a s c i a t a by Theobald (1912), is very abundant; it has a l s o been co l l ec ted on t h e i s l a n d by Mattingly and Brown (1955). These i n s e c t s occur i n l a r g e numbers i n a r e a s of overgrown p l a n t a t i o n , b u t r ecen t c l ea r ing opera t ions have reduced t h e i r abundance i n some p a r t s . P iggot t (1969, 34) a l s o noted the Long-tailed Mealy Bug Pseudococcus adonidum and the Rhinoceros b e e t l e O r y c t e s rhinoceros a s p e s t s of coconuts. W e co l l ec ted t h e pant ropica l cockroach P y c n o s c e l u s s u r i n a m e n s i s (L. ) a t t h e se t t lement . Table 3. Insec t s co l l ec ted on DtArros Orthoptera Bolivar 1912, 1924 3 species Dermaptera Burr 1910 1 species Neuroptera Needham 1913 1 species Lepidoptera Fle tcher 1910 8 species Coleoptera Arrow 1922 6 species Champion 1914 Gebien 1922 Hymenoptera Cameron 1907 Forel 1907 3 species Diptera Theobald 1912 3 species Lamb 1922 S te in 1910 Other inver tebra tes One species of spider was recorded by H i r s t (1913). Settlement and develo~ment Very l i t t l e is known of t h e h i s t o r y of the i s land. A t t h e time of t h e A l e r t v i s i t i n 1882 t h e populat ion of D'Arros was 11 (Coppinger 1885, 221) . Magistrates ' r e p o r t s i n 1905-6 pu t t h e t o t a l a t 24 i n September 1905, 35 i n November 1905, and 42 i n Ju ly 1906 (A. Tonnet, m s . ) . Census r e p o r t s g ive t o t a l s of 56 i n 1931, 57 i n 1947, and 105 i n 1960, w i t h males exceeding females on each occasion. Piggot t (1969, 33) s t a t e s t h a t guano has been dug from the surface of t h e phosphate rock, though no d e t a i l s have been found of t h i s a c t i v i t y . Baker (1963, 120) puts t h e amount of guano remaining a t 2200 tons , and suggests it i s only of value f o r l o c a l use. A s a l ready s t a t e d , p lan t ing of coconuts began about 1880 on a commercial bas i s . I n September 1905 t h e y i e l d of t h e p lan ta t ions on D'Arros and S t . Joseph was 30,000 nuts pe r month, and i n J u l y 1906 it was 43,000 nuts per month (A. Tonnet, m s . ) . Both copra and o i l ( the l a t t e r 500 v e l t e s , o r ' 3400 l i t r e s ) were exported a t t h i s time. Piggot t (1969) took an op t imis t i c view of t h e p resen t s t a t e of t h e p lanta t ions . I n 1975 t h e l e a s e of t h e i s l a n d was taken over by H . I . H . Prince Chahram Pahlavi , and it is now managed by W . Pomeroy and Co. of Mahe. I n 1976 an a i r s t r i p was constructed across t h e cen t re of t h e i s l and (Plate 11). There is a good anchorage immediately opposite the Settlement on t he north shore (Plates 12-19), and during the northwest monsoon pirogues can he launched from a boathouse on the south shore. References Arrow, G . J . 1922. Coleoptera, Erotylidae and Endomychidae from the Seychelles, Chagos and Amirantes Islands. Ann. Mag. n a t . H i s t . ( 9 ) 10: 73-83. Baker, B.H. 1963. Geology and mineral resources of t he Seychelles Archipelago. Geol . S u r v . Kenya Mem. 3: i - v i i , 1-140. Bell , F.J. 1884. Echinodermata. Repor t on the z o o l o g i c a l collections made i n the I n d o - P a c i f i c Ocean d u r i n g the voyage o f H .M.S. ' A l e r t ' 1881-2 (lbndon: Trustees of the Br i t i sh Museum (Natural History) ) : 509-512. Bolivar, I. 1912. Orthoptera: Acrydiidae, Phasgonuridae, Gryllidae. Trans . L inn . Soc . Lond. 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T h e f ishes o f the f a m i l y Pomacanth idae i n the w e s t e r n I n d i a n Ocean. Ann. Mag. n a t . H i s t . ( 1 2 ) 8 : 377-384. S m i t h , J.L.B. 1956 . T h e f ishes o f A l d a b r a . P a r t V I . Ann. Mag. n a t . H i s t . ( 1 2 ) 9 : 817-829. S t a r c k , W.A. 111. 1969. E c s e n i u s ( A n t h i b l e n n i u s ) m i d a s , a new subgenus and s p e c i e s o f mimic b l e n n y from the w e s t e r n I n d i a n Ocean. N o t u l a e N a t u r a e , 419: 1-9. S t e i n , P . 1910 . D i p t e r a , An thomy idae , m i t d e n G a t t u n g e n R h i n i a und I d i e l l a . T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Zool. 14 ( P e r c y S l a d e n T r u s t E x p e d i t i o n R e p o r t s , 3 ) : 149-163. T e s c h , J . J . 1910 . P te ropoda and Heteropoda. T r a n s . inn. S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Zool. 14 ( P e r c y S l a d e n T r u s t E x p e d i t i o n R e p o r t s , 3 ) : 165-189. T h e o b a l d , F.V. 1912. D i p t e r a , C u l i c i d a e . T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . ~ o n d . ( 2 ) Zool. 1 5 ( P e r c y S l a d e n T r u s t E x p e d i t i o n R e p o r t s , 4 ) : 81-94. T o n n e t , A. 1905-6. R e p o r t s on v i s i t s t o o u t l y i n g i s l a n d s and h i s t o r y o f S e y c h e l l e s . S e y c h e l l e s A r c h i v e s , C / S S / 5 . T y l e r , J.C. 1967. A d i a g n o s i s o f the t w o t r a n s v e r s e l y b a r r e d Indo- P a c i f i c P u f f e r f ishes o f the genus C a n t h i g a s t e r ( v a l e n t i n i and c o r o n a t u s ) . P r o c . Acad. n a t . S c i . P h i l a . 119 : 53-73. Watson, G.E., Zus i , R.L. and S t o r e r , R.E. 1963 . P r e l i m i n a r y f i e l d g u i d e to the b i r d s o f the I n d i a n Ocean. W a s h i n g t o n : S m i t h s o n i a n I n s t i t u t i o n . 214 pp . Casuarina woodland [III13' Coconut woodland Calophyllurn grove 10,0,0) Scaevola hedge Neisosperrna grove - Clearing Phosphate rock - Road -- Reef edge pigure 3 . D'Arros Is land. Based on a e r i a l photographs with d e t a i l added from Baker (1963) and ? iggo t t (1968) L ~ L - 1. D'Arros Island aerial photograph. Reproduced by permission of the Chief Surveyor, lrvey and Lands Department, Republic of Seychelles Plate 4. Scaevola and Casuarina at the northeast point of D'Arros Plate 5 . Tall Casuarina on the south coast of D'Arros Island )UBTPOOM qnuo Plate 8. Neisosperma groves near the south coast of D'Arros Island Plate 9. Coconut plantation near the north coast of D'Arros Island Plate 10. Coconuts with undergrowth of K n h h o e , northwestern part of D'Arros Island Plate 11. New airstrip, western part of D'Arros Island Plate 12. North shore of D'Arros Island showing tall Casuarina and the settlement Plate 13. Centre of the settlement at D'Arros Island P l a t e 14. Labourers ' q u a r t e r s a t D I A r r o s I s l a n d P l a t e 15. Manager's house a t D1Arro3,1sland Plate 16. Copra works at D'Arros Island Plate 17. Rainwater reservoir at D'Arros Island PLANTS OF D'ARROS ISLAND F.R. Fosberg POLYPODIACEAE Nephro lep i s b i s e r r a t a (Sw. Schott Stoddart 7215 (US) POTAMOGETONACEAE Syringodiurn i s o e t i f o l i urn (Aschers . ) Dandy Gwynne and Wood 1007 (EA) Thalassodendron c i l i a t u r n (Forsk.) den Hartog Cymodocea c i l i a t a (Forsk.) Ehrenb. ex Aschers Gwynne and Wood 940 (EA) - Cenchrus e c h i n a t u s L . Gwynne and Wood 936 (EA) ; Stoddart 7157 (US) - - Cynodon d a c t y lon (L. Pers . Gwynne and Wood 1011 (EA) Dacty loc ten ium aegyp t ium (L. Willd. Gwynne and Wood 934 (EA) ; Stoddart 7161 (US) - - ~ i g i t a r i a c i l i a r i s ( R e t z . ) Koel. Stoddart 7162 (US), 7203 (US) D i g i t a r i a h o r i z o n t a l i s Willd. Gwynne and Wood 946 (EA), 1025 (EA) A t o l l Research B u l l e t i n N o . 223: 19-26, 1979 Eleus ine i n d i c a (L. ) Gaertn. Gwynne and Wood 925 B (EA) , 1024 (EA) Eragros t i s t e n e l l a var . i n s u l a r i s Hubb . Gwynne and Wood 925 A (EA) , 928 (EA) Lepturus r epens R. B r . Gwynne and Wood 926 (EA) - Lepturus r epens R. B r . var. subula tus Fosb .? Stoddart 7188 (US) Panicurn maximum Jacq. Stoddart 7223 (US) Pennisetum polys tach ion (L . ) Schult . Stoddart 7222 (US) CYPERACEAE Cyperus dubius Rottb. Mariscus dubi us (Rottb . ) Fischer w n n e and Wood 1013 ( E A ) ; Stoddart 7158 (US) Cyperus l i g u l a r i s L. Mariscus l i g u l a r i s (L. Urb. Gwynne and Wood 960 (EA) ; Stoddart 7191 (US) - F i m b r i s t y l i s cymosa R. B r . (s.1.) F i m b r i s t y l i s o b t u s i f o l i a sensu auct . Gwynne and Wood 924, 1004, 1008, 1009, 1010 ( a l l EA); ----- Stoddart 7226 (US), 7163 (US) PALMAE Cocas n u c i f e r a L. Gwynne and Wood, s i g h t ; S toddar t , s i g h t ARACEAE Alocasia macrorrhiza (L.) Schott Stoddart 7206 (US) - AMARYLLIDACEAE Crinum sp. Stoddart 7190 (US) Musa sap ien tum L . S t o d d a r t , s i g h t ORCHIDACEAE V a n i l l a mexicana M i l l . V a n i l l a p l a n i f o l i a A n d r . Gwynne and Wood 9 4 5 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t , s i g h t - CASUARINACEAE c a s u a r i n a l i t o r e a L. Casuarina e q u i s e t i f o l i a L . Gwynne and Wood 1 0 2 6 (EA) URTICACEAE Laportea a e s t u a n s ( L . Chew Fleurya a e s t u a n s (L . ) M i q . Gwynne and Wood 9 4 2 (EA); S t o d d a r t 7 2 2 0 (US) - P i p t u r u s a r g e n t e u s ( F o r s t . Wedd. S t o d d a r t 7197 (US) NYCTAG INACEAE ~ o e r h a v i a r e p e n s L . var. S t o d d a r t 7 2 1 9 ( U S ) ; Gwynne and Wood, s i gh t - M i r a b i l i s ja lapa L. Gwynne and Wood 9 4 4 A (EA) , 1 0 2 9 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 2 0 8 (US) - P i s o n i a g r a n d i s R. B r . Gwynne and Wood 931 (EA) , 9 4 1 (EA) , 9 4 7 B (EA) - - - PORTULACACEAE Por tu laca 01 eracea L . Stoddart 7 2 0 0 (US) LAURACEAE Cassy tha filiformis L. Gwynne and Wood 943 (FA) , 948 (EA) - Hernandia sonora L. Gwynne and Wood - 9 2 2 (EA); S t o d d a r t 7195 (US) MORINGACEAE Mori nga 01 e i f e r a Lam. S t o d d a r t 7 2 2 4 (US) - CRASSULACEAE Kalanchoe p i n n a t a (Lam. ) P e r s . Bryophyl lum pinnatum Lam. Gwynne and Wood 1014 (FA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 1 8 7 (US) LEGUMINOSAE Adenanthera pavonina L . Gwynne and Wood 1031 (FA) Leucaena l e u c o c e p h a l a (Lam. ) dewit Leucaena glauca sensu auct. Gwynne and Wood 919 (FA), 1016 (FA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 2 1 0 (US) - Sesban ia s e r i c e a ( W i l l d . 1 L i n k Gwynne and Wood 1 0 0 2 (FA) SURIANACFAE Suriana mar i t ima L. Gwynne and Wood - 937 (EA); S t o d d a r t 7186 (US) EUPHORBIACEAE Euphorbia c ya thophora M u r r . Gwynne and Wood 1 0 2 2 (FA); S t o d d a r t 7 2 0 9 (US) - - Euphorbia h i r t a L. Gwynne and Wood 1 0 2 3 (FA) Euphorbia p ros t ra ta A i t . S t o d d a r t 7207 (US1 Phyllanthus maderaspatensis L. Gwynne and Wood 1030 (EAI Ric inus communis L. S t o d d a r t 7212 (US) ; Gwynne and Wood, s i g h t TILIACEAE T r i umfet t a procumbens R . Br . S t o d d a r t 7194 (US) MALVACEAE ~ o s s ypi I.& hirsu tum L . Gwynne and Wood 935 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7202 (US) - Sida p a r v i f l o r a DC. S t o d d a r t 7192 (US) - Sida rhombi fo l ia L . Gwynne and Wood 1027 (.EA) GUTTIFERAE Calophyllum inophy l l urn L . v a r . t a k a m k a Fosb . S t o d d a r t 7221 (US) TURNERACEAE PASSIFLORAE P a s s i f l o r a suberosa L . Gwyme and Wood 962 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7216 (US) CARICACEAE Carica papaya L . S t o d d a r t 7214 (US) CUCURBITACEAE C u c u r b i t a pep0 L. S t o d d a r t 7 2 0 1 (US) COMBRETACEAE T e r m i n a l i a c a t appa L. S t o d d a r t , s i g h t LECYTHIDACEAE B a r r i n g t o n i a a s i a t i c a (L. ) K u r z Gwynne a n d Wood 9 2 0 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 1 9 8 (US) - APOCYNACEAE C a t h a r a n t h u s r o s e u s (L. G. Don V i n c a r o s e a L . Gwynne a n d Wood 1 0 2 8 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 2 0 4 (US) Neisosperma o p p o s i t i f o l i a (Lam. Fosb . a n d S a c h e t O c h r o s i a o p p o s i t i f o l i a Lam. Gwynne and Wood 9 2 3 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 1 9 3 (US) CONVOLVULACEAE I p o m e a macran tha R. & S . Ipomoea t u b a (Don) S c h l e c h t . w n n e and Wood 9 2 9 (EA) , 932 @A). - BORAG II$W EAE Cord ia s u b c o r d a t a Lam. a y n n e and Wood 9 2 1 (EA) , 947A ( E A ) ; S t o d d a r t 7 1 9 9 (US) - ~ o u r n e f o r t i a a r g e n t e a 4 . f . ~ e s s e r s c h m i d i a a r g e n t e a (L. f . J o h n s t . Gwynne and Wood 1019 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 1 8 9 (US) VERBENACEAE L i p p i a n o d i f l o r a L . Gwynne and Wood 1 0 0 3 (EA); S t o d d a r t 7 1 5 9 (US) S t a c h y tarphe ta jamaicens i s (L. Vahl S t o d d a r t 7160 (US); Gwynne and Wood, s i g h t SOLANACEAE Capsicum f r u t e s c e n s L . S t o d d a r t 7225 (US) Solanurn nigrum L. ( sensu la to) Gwynne and Wood 1018 (EA) - SCROPHULARIACEAE S t r i g a a s i a t i c a (L.) 0. Ktze. Gwynne and Wood - 939 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7217 (US) ACANTHACEAE A s y s t a s i a b o j e r i N e e s Gwynne and Wood 1021 (EA); S t o d d a r t 7205 (US) - RUBIACEAE Guet tarda s p e c i o s a L . Gwynne and Wood - 930 (EA) , 944B (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7196 (US) - - Morinda c i t r i f o l i a L. Gwynne and Wood 1020 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7218 (US) - GOODENIACEAE Scaevola taccada (Gaertn . ) Roxb . Scaevola seri c e a Vahl Scaevola f r u t e s c e n s s ensu a u c t . S t o d d a r t 7165 (US) - Bidens p i l o s a L . Gwynne a n d Wood 1005 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7211 (US) - - T a g e t e s p a t u l a L. S t o d d a r t , s i g h t T r i d a x procumbens L . S t o d d a r t 7164 (US) - GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY OF ST. JOSEPH ATOLL D.R. Stoddart and M.J. Coe INTRODUCTION St . Joseph i s an a t o l l located i n l a t i t ude S025's, longitude 53?201~, i n the Amirante Islands, immediately t o the e a s t of D'Arros Island (Figure 2 ) . The a t o l l i s roughly oval-shaped, and measures 7 km i n longer and 4.4 km i n shorter dimensions (Plate 20, Figure 5 ) . The windward (eastern) reef f l a t i s exceptionally wide, reaching 2.8 km a t the eastern point; the northern reef f l a t i s 1-1.5 km wide, the southern 1 km, and the western 600-800 m. The main is land, a t the eastern end, i s St. Joseph; Fouquet and Ressource a r e larger i s l e t s on the northern r i m ; and there a r e several small i s l e t s i n the south. There i s some confusion over the names of these i s l e t s , and Table 4 gives the names recorded on recent ly published maps. Previous work Table 5 l ists the main invest igat ions carr ied out a t St . Joseph. I t was discovered by M. de l a ~ i o l i s r e , aboard the E to i l e du Matin, i n 1771, and named St . Joseph. Moresby (1842) f ixed i t s posi t ion i n 1822. Though charted by Capt. J.P. Maclear of H.M.S. Aler t i n 1882, it was by-passed by the s c i e n t i s t s of t h a t expedition. Abbott col lected b i rds i n 1892, but the f i r s t general s c i e n t i f i c s tudies were those of J. Stanley Gardiner and C. Forster Cooper of the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition on 10-11 October 1905. Later Vesey-Fitzgerald worked there , and more recently it has been v i s i t ed by C.J. Piggott and B.H. Baker i n 1960, and by the Manihine expedition (with I.S.C. Parker, M.D. Gwynne and D. Wood) i n 1967. The present char t (Admiralty Chart 724) i s based on the 1882 survey by the Aler t , but it was again charted by H.M.S. Hydra i n October 1975. It was v i s i t ed by the present authors on 5-8 April 1976. A i r photograph cover a t a scale of 1: 12,800 was flown i n 1960. Atol l Research Bullet in No. 223: 27-42, 1979 Table 4. Names of i s l e t s on S t . Joseph Atoll Alert 1882 Hydra 1885 S t . Joseph S t . Joseph Cascassaye Cascassaye - - Ben j amen Ben j amen Pelican Pelican Chien Chien - Sand bar Poule Poule Ressource Re ssource Fouquet Fouquet Baker 1963 S t . Joseph - Bane Ferrari Chien Benjamin Paul, Pelican Banc Sable Banc Coco Ressource Fouquet S t . Joseph l i e s on the eastern edge of the Amirantes Bank (Figure 1). To the west, on the bank surface, bottom depths are l e s s than 50 m, except in the narrow channel between the a t o l l and D'Arros, where they reach 60-62 m. To the eas t depths of 500 m are found 1.5 km from the reef edge, and of 1000 m about 2.5 km from the reef. The t o t a l area of the a t o l l i s 2253 ha. Of t h i s , 79 per cent or 1774 ha comprises peripheral reef f l a t , and 2 1 per cent or 480 ha the in ter ior lagoon. I s l e t s occupy 8 per cent of the peripheral reef f l a t s , or 139 ha. The lagoon i s completely enclosed by the surrounding reef; a t low water it drains over a narrow s i l l , Passe Lerein Fin, a t i t s western end. The greatest depth sounded by H.M.S. A l e r t within the lagoon was 6.4 m; other soundings ranged from 2.1 t o 3.7 m. The peripheral reefs, i n addition t o being exceptionally wide, a re covered (except on the west side) with mobile sand. In ter t ida l sand sheets are encroaching on the margins of the lagoon on i t s windward side, which is marked for much of i ts extent by a discontinuous l inear sandbar. There are no flourishing reefs i n the lagoon. Transverse reef ridges, especially i n the centre and west, mark the location of former flourishing reefs; but these are now sediment-capped ridges topped with sea-grasses, with massive por i t id and faviid corals on the i r sides. A t l eas t a t the time of our v i s i t i n 1976 the lagoon water was turbid and v i s i b i l i t y poor, i n marked contrast t o the sea outside the a t o l l reefs. Table 5. Previous work a t S t . Joseph Ato l l Year - 1771 (1882) 1892 1905 c a 1940 1960 1964 1964 1967 1975 19 76 Inves t iga to r M. de l a ~ i o l i s r e F. Moresby W.L. Abbott J.S. Gardiner C. Fors t e r Cooper H.M.S. S e a l a r k L.D.E.F. Vesey-FitzGerald C . J . P iggot t B.H. B a k e r A . J . Bruce R.V. Anton Bruun J.E. Bahlke and o t h e r s I.S.C. Parker M.D. Gwynne D. Wood M.F.R.V. Manihine R.J . Campbell H.M.S. Hydra D.R. Stoddart M . J . Coe F i e l d of study D i scover y Survey Birds Land & marine animals Birds S o i l s , coconuts Geology Marine fauna Marine f i s h Birds, p l a n t s Survey Fauna and f l o r a The reef i s l e t s a r e of two types: long i tud ina l Main pub l i ca t ion Moresby 1842 Ridgway 1895 Gardiner and Cooper 1907 Vesey-FitzGerald 1941 Piggot t 1968, 1969 Baker 1963 Bruce 1971 Tyler 1966, 1967; McCosker and Randall 1977 Parker 1970 Gwynne and Wood 1969 and t ransverse (P la tes 21-24). The longi tudinal i s l e t s a r e a l igned p a r a l l e l t o t h e r ee f edge, e.g. S t . Joseph and Fouquet. They a r e sandy i s l ands , and because of t h e amount of sediment on t h e reef f l a t s it i s o f t e n d i f f i c u l t c l e a r l y t o de l imi t t h e f o o t of t h e i s l a n d beaches. These i s l a n d s probably do not r i s e more than 2.5 m above t h e l e v e l of t h e r ee f f l a t s . The t ransverse i s l a n d s have a foundation of t r ansverse rubble bars , a s a t I l e Poule and I l e Chien ( P l a t e s 25-27). These comprise narrow tongues of storm d e b r i s s tanding about 1 m above t h e l e v e l of t h e f l a t s , and o f t e n widening seawards. Such b a r s a r e very common on t h e southern r e e f , and not a l l of them have sand s p i t s o r vegetated i s l e t s on them. They appear t o be of s imi la r age, and may represent a s i n g l e phase of storminess. There i s some ind ica t ion of considerable topographic change over t h e l a s t century i n t h e form of some of t h e smaller i s l e t s . Thus i n 1882 Chien was char ted a s much l a r g e r than a t p resen t ; Benjamen has apparently s i m i l a r l y decreased from a s i n g l e l a r g e i s l e t t o a group of small ones; Cascassaye, t he southernmost section of S t . Joseph, was then a separate i s l e t . These in te rpre ta t ions r e l y on the accuracy of the survey during the br ie f v i s i t by the A l e r t , but they a r e not inconsis tent with the impression of considerable mobility of large amounts of sediment on the reef f l a t s . Gardiner (1906, 457, 461; Gardiner and Cooper 1907, 154) gives photographs of beaches and beach rock on the eastern s ide of the a t o l l , and a l s o speculates on topographic change. Piggott (1968, 1969) emphasised t he apparent recency of the is lands , indicated by the absence of phosphatic Jemo Ser ies s o i l s and the dominance of immature sandy and gravelly Shioya Ser ies s o i l s . Baker (1963, 17 ) , however, noted the existence of an area of phosphatic sandstone near Mare Frggate i n the southern p a r t of St . Joseph, but t h i s area was not v i s i t ed by us. Marine fauna There appear t o be no records i n the l i t e r a t u r e of marine animals from St. Joseph a t o l l , other than s ingle species of pontoniinid shrimp recorded by Bruce (19711, and some species of f i s h col lected by J . E . Bahlke i n 1964 (Tyler 1966, 1967; McCosker and Randall 1977). Vegetation The la rger i s lands of St . Joseph, notably St. Joseph i t s e l f , Fouquet and Ressource, a r e covered with coconut plantat ions which a re a t l e a s t a s old a s those of DIArros. Probably because of the more i so la ted s t a t e of t he a t o l l , r esu l t ing from the absence of a passage i n t o the lagoon, the introduced weed f l o r a i s much more r e s t r i c t ed than on D'Arros, and the whole aspect of the vegetation i n the plantat ions i s therefore very dif ferent . This paucity i n the herb and grass f l o r a a l so extends, however, t o pioneer habi ta ts , which a re charac te r i s t i ca l ly occupied by shrubs, and where much ground remains bare. Athough there can be l i t t l e cl imatic difference between DIArros and St. Joseph, the former therefore gives an impression of damp luxuriance, and the l a t t e r i n many areas of much greater a r i d i t y ; these differences undoubtedly r e f l e c t the dif ferences i n the nature and leve l of human a c t i v i t y on the two places. Pioneer shrub community A mixed community of shrubs on t he sand i s l e t of Poule includes Pemphis acidula up t o 5 m t a l l (Plate 28), Suriana maritima, Tournefortia argentea (Plate 29 ) and Scaevola taccada . The ground surface i s completely bare, except f o r a s ing le tussock of Lepturus repens, one small patch of Boerhavia, and a pa i r of germinating coconuts. Similar areas of low shrubs with bare ground beneath a r e found on the is lands south of S t . Joseph. Coastal scrub Scaevo la taccada is the typical shrub species of seaward beaches on the larger is lands , a s on D'Arros, together with occasional shrubs of T o u r n e f o r t i a a r g e n t e a (Plates 30-33) . Coastal woodland Guet tarda s p e c i o s a is a very common beach c r e s t t r ee , especial ly on lagoon shores (Plates 34-35), a s on Fouquet and Chien. Both is lands , and a l so Ressource, have coasta l Casuarina l i t o r e a (Plate 36), both a s individual t r ee s and a s groves. There is a s ingle coasta l t r e e of Hernandia sonora on Ressource. Pemphis th icke t Most of the larger i s lands have extensive beach-foot th icke ts of Pemphis a c i d u l a on t h e i r lagoon shores, occupying locations where mangroves might be expected; these th icke ts a r e par t i cu la r ly extensive i n the area of mud and sand f l a t s a t Cascassaye (Plates 28 and 37). A s ingle t r e e of Rhizophora mucronata, f r u i t i n g abundantly, was found on the lagoon shore of Pelican (Plate 38), and it i s not c lear why mangroves a r e not much more common along lagoon shores. Suriana th icke t A small pool a t the eastern end of Fouquet i s surrounded by a low scrub of Sur iana mari t ima (Plate 39). Coconut plantat ions The coconut plantat ions a r e in tensively managed on S t . Joseph (Plate 401, but on the other i s lands they form a th icke t with t a l l herbs and juvenile palms (Plate 41). Kalanchoe p inna ta up t o 1 m t a l l i s common i n these l a t t e r s i tua t ions . Other common herbs i n the plantat ions include Achyran thes a s p e r a , Boerhavia r e p e n s , Cassy tha f i l i formis , Euphorbia h i r t a , Ipomoea macrantha, P a s s i f l o r a s u b e r o s a , P h y l l a n t h u s m a d e r a s p a t e n s i s , Por tu laca o l e r a c e a , S i d a p a r v i f o l i a , S t a c h y t a r p h e t a j a m a i c e n s i s , S t r i g a a s i a t i c a , T r i d a x procumbens, Turnera u l m i f o l i a and Vernonia c i n e r e a ; the grasses L e p t u r u s r e p e n s , E r a g r o s t i s c i l i a r i s , S tenotaphrum micranthum, Sporobol u s v i r g i n i c u s , and Dacty loc ten ium aegypt ium; and the sedges Cyperus l i g u l a r i s and F i m b r i s t y l i s cymosa . Settlement vegetation The small settlement a t the western end of St . Joseph has a . c lus t e r of i troduced t rees : B a r r i n g t o n i a a s i a t i c a and T e r m i n a l i a catappa 15 m t a l l , Hernandia sonora 10 m t a l l , and Leucaena l eucocepha la . There. a r e cu l , 1 ivated t r e e s of Moringa o l e i f e r a , Car ica papaya, shrubs of Capsicum f r u t e s c e n s , and decorative Hymenoca l l i s , Crinum and Catharan thus . Flora The f i r s t col lect ion of vascular p l an t s from S t . Joseph was t h a t made by Gwynne and Wood (1969). Their 40 numbers comprised 28 species (including Pi thecellobi um ungui s-cati , omitted from t h e i r published l i s t ) . The 44 numbers col lected i n 1976 comprise 39 species, bring the t o t a l number of p lan ts recorded t o 47 species, including two sea- grasses, l i s t e d i n the following paper by F.R. Fosberg. The f l o r a i s noteworthy i n comparison with t h a t of neighbouring DIArros by the presence of Pemphis and Rhizophora, and the absence of Cordia and of many of the common introduced weedy species of DIArros. Te r r e s t r i a l fauna Birds Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacif icus Recorded a s P. t enu i ros t r i s , breeding i n large numbers, by Gadow and Gardiner (1907). Gardiner and Cooper (1907, 153) a l so mention a "vast number1' on Fouquet, a s well a s burrows on Pelican ( ibid . , p.154). It was recorded a s breeding by Vesey-FitzGerald (1941),-and a s numerous, and breeding on Fouquet, by Parker (1970). One male and two females col lected by Parker a r e i n the National Museum of Kenya, regis tered numbers 20937-20940. Fouquet was s t i l l covered with large numbers of burrows i n 1976, and loca l workers assured us t h a t the b i rds were s t i l l common. No burrows were seen on Ressource, bu t they were sa id t o be s t i l l found a t the southern end of S t . Joseph. They were a l so found on the southern end of Pelican. The r e s t r i c t i o n of c lear ing on Fouquetwould doubtless ensure the survival of the nesting area on t h a t island. White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lep turus Six were seen a t Ressource by Parker (1970). Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens W.L. Abbott col lected a specimen of t h i s species on 29 August 1892 and it was l i s t e d by Ridgway (1895, 516), with a note by Abbott re fe r r ing t o "a small colony - perhaps one hundred individuals ... the only colony of pelicans i n these seas". The colony was again seen by Gardiner i n 1905. "These large b i rds were found breeding i n a colony i n the coconut and other large t r ee s of t he eastern is land of St . Joseph Atoll , Amirante Group. Young b i rds were seen i n October 1905" (Gadow and Gardiner 1907, 110). No specimens were taken but t he b i rds were iden t i f i ed a s Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus. Gardiner and Cooper (1907, 154) s t a t e : "St. Joseph is covered with t a l l coconuts, some of which were weighted down and k i l l e d by the large nes t s of Pelecanus c r i spus , of which the re was a numerous colony. How f a r t h i s b i r d is a wanderer we do not know". Both Be t t s (1940, 504) and Watson e t a l . (1963, 1801 follow Gardiner i n l i s t i n g t h e species a s t h e Dalmation Pelican, even though t h i s is a ground-nesting species. P. c r i spus does no t breed c lose r t o t h e Amirantes than t h e Pers ian Gulf. D r . G.E. Watson has located Abbott 's o r i g i n a l specimen and has confirmed i ts overlooked i d e n t i f i c a t i o n by Ridgway a s P. rufescens (Stoddart 1977); t h e specimen i s i n t h e National Museum of Natural History, Washington. There a r e severa l records of t h i s species from Madagascar and one from t h e Dahlak Archipelago, Red Sea, b u t otherwise none ou t s ide mainland Africa; i t s occurrence on S t . Joseph is thus of some i n t e r e s t . Loustau-Lalanne (1963, 23) g ives a hearsay r e p o r t of two individuals of P. c r i spus on Bi jou t i e r , Alphonse, southern Amirantes; i f t h e presence of these b i r d s i s confirmed they may a l s o be P. rufescens. The colony was not seen by Vesey-FitzGerald i n t h e 1930s, has not been subsequently reported, and was no t present i n 1976. The f a c t t h a t one of t h e i s l e t s on S t . Joseph was charted a s 'Pe l ican ' by H.M.S. A l e r t i n 1882 may i n d i c a t e e i t h e r t h a t t h e species was p resen t then, o r t h a t it had nested t h e r e s u f f i c i e n t l y recent ly f o r t h e name t o be recognised. Brown Booby Sula leucogaster Lis ted by Ridgway (1895) on t h e b a s i s of Abbot t l s r epor t . A n e s t with two eggs was recorded i n November by Vesey-FitzGerald (1941). This species was not seen i n 1976. Red-footed Booby Sula su la Abbott co l l ec ted a s i n g l e specimen of t h i s species i n 1892 (Ridgway 1895). Gardiner and Cooper (1907, 153-154) r e f e r t o "another common b i r d , l ikewise breeding, - t h e booby (Sula p i sca to r ) , found s o abundantly before a t S t . P i e r r e , and wandering d a i l y from S t . Joseph over every reef i n t h e group". There i s no l a t e r record of t h i s species on t h e a t o l l . Great F r iga teb i rd Fregata minor One immature was co l l ec ted by Parker (1970). Up t o 500 b i r d s , e i t h e r Great o r Lesser F r iga tes , were seen over Fouquet on 6 Apr i l 1976. A s on DIArros, it i s unl ikely t h a t they breed because of t h e lack of s u i t a b l e nes t ing sites. Lesser F r iga teb i rd Fregata a r i e l S ight record by Parker (1970). A male was taken by Abbott i n August 1892 (USNM 128775) (Ridgway 1895). Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Recorded by Watson e t a l . (1963). F i f t een were seen by Parker (1970). Common on a l l t h e i s l a n d s and t h e ree f f l a t s . L i t t l e Green Heron B u t o r i d e s s t r i a t u s Listed a s B. a t r i c a p i l l a by Ridgway (1895) . Noted a s res ident by Watson e t a l . (19631, and as common on a l l the i s l e t s by Parker (1970). The National Museum of Kenya has a female col lected on the "reef between D'Arros and S t . Joseph", 23 September 1967, by Parker, regis tered number 20931. Abundant i n 1976 on a l l the islands. During the heat of the day and evening the b i rd s commonly roost on palm fronds, landing and creeping close t o the she l t e r of the crown with the body held horizontal . This b i rd is the subspecies B . s. c r a w f o r d i which i s common from Aldabra t o the Amirantes, being replaced i n the Seychelles by B. s. degens . Although the l a t t e r subspecies may occur i n the Amirantes (Penny, 19741, it was the former which was observed on the is lands v i s i t ed i n 1976. Ca t t l e Egret Bubulcus ibis Recorded by Ridgway (1895) (as B. b u b u l c u s ) and by Watson e t a l . (1963, 180) . Turnstone Arenar ia i n t e r p r e s Listed by Ridgway (1895) and a s a non-breeding migrant by Watson e t a l . (1963) ; seen by Parker (1970) . Common i n 1976 along shorelines and i n plantat ions . Grey Plover S q u a t a r o l a s q u a t a r o l a Seen by Parker (1970). A s ing le b i rd was seen on the reef f l a t on 7 April 1976. Greater Sand Plover C h a r a d r i u s l e s c h e n a u l tii Seen by Parker (1970) . Whimbrel Numeni u s phaeopus Listed by Ridgway (1895) and a s a non-breeding migrant by Watson e t a l . (1963). Very common on the shoreline and i n plantat ions i n 1976. Greenshank Tr inga n e b u l a r i a Six seen by Parker (1970). Common Sand Piper Tr inga h y p o l e u c o s Seen on the shorelines of St . Joseph and Ressource, 6-7 April 1976. Sanderling Croce th ia a lba One male col lected on Ressource, 23 September 1967, by Parker, and now i n the National Museum of Kenya, regis tered number 20923. Crab Plover Dronns ardeo la Twelve seen by Parker (19701, who col lected one female and two juveniles on 23 September 1967, now i n the National Museum of Kenya, regis tered numbers 20932-20934. Three b i rds observed on S t . Joseph and two on Ressource, 7 April 1976. Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana Recorded a s nesting, without precise l oca l i t y , by Vesey- FitzGerald (1941, 256), and noted a s breeding i n September-November by Watson e t a l . (1963, 181) . One seen by Parker (1970) on Ressource. Several seen over the reef f l a t s off Ressource and S t . Joseph on 7 April 1976. Both Ressource and several of the small i s l e t s south of S t . Joseph would seem t o have su i tab le beaches fo r t e rns t o nest . Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus This species, seen by Parker (1970), i s not recorded from the Amirantes by Watson e t a l . (1963) . Penny (1974) records it a s occurring i n the group. Sooty Tern Sterna fusca ta There i s no previous record of t h i s species from St . Joseph Atol l . A group of a dozen was seen on Ressource, 7 April 1976, s e t t l i n g on vegetation on the beach c r e s t and f ishing over the reef f l a t margin. Crested Tern Thalasseus b e r g i i Two b i rds seen on the reef f l a t off Ressource, 7 April 1976. Common Noddy Anous s t o l i d u s Seen by Parker (1970). A small group f ly ing with Sooty Terns seen on Ressource, 7 April 1976. White Tern Gygis a lba Recorded a s breeding by Vesey-FitzGerald (1941, 529-530), and noted a s very common by Parker (1970). Very common along the shores of a l l i s lands i n 1976, but no nesting b i rds seen. Turtledove S t r e p t o p e l i a p i c t u r a t a The endemic subspecies of the Madagascar Turtledove i n the Amirantes is the vinous-headed S . p . s a t u r a t a . Parker collected two grey-headed females on 23 September 1967 on St. Joseph Island, and these are i n the National Museum of Kenya, registered numbers 20927- 20928. Benson (1970) has suggested tha t these specimens are hybrids resulting from an introduction of S. p. p i c t u r a t a from the Seychelles. Two birds were observed on DtArros, 7 April 1976, and one on St. Joseph, 7 April 1976; a l l had typical grey heads and deep purple mantles. House Sparrow Passer d o m e s t i c u s F i r s t recorded a s introduced by Abbott i n 1892 (Ridgway 1895). Noted a s very common on Ressource and St. Joseph by Parker (1970). He collected one female on Ressource on 23 September 1967, now i n the National Museum of Kenya, registered number 20901. Very common i n 1976 on St. Joseph Island, but not seen on Fouquet or Ressource. Madagascar Fody Foudia madagascariens i s Noted as numerous on Ressource and St. Joseph by Parker (1970). One male collected on Ressource on 23 September 1967, now i n the National Museum of Kenya, registered number 20900. Present on a l l the larger islands of the a t o l l , but the presence of the House Sparrow on St. Joseph Island seems t o reduce i ts numbers there. Only seen i n large par t ies on Ressource where the House Sparrow is apparently absent. Reptiles Madagascar Green Gecko P h e l suma madagascari ensi s This species was common on a l l four main islands of the a t o l l . The presence of palm t rees seems t o favour the i r presence, and up to four animals were commonly seen on the i r trunks. Aggressive displays were observed i n which the combatants faced each other and the bright red tongue was flashed across the face, having the appearance of a small red balloon momentarily inflated. This display was in i t i a t ed usually by one of a pair afteriwhich the other gave way and retreated. Previously recorded from the a t o l l by the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition (Boulenger 1909 . House Gecko Hemidacty lus f r e n a t u s A specimen collected on St . Joseph is now i n the Bri t ish Museum (Natural History); t h i s species has not previously been recorded from the a t o l l . Seychelles Skink Mabuia sechell ensi s Very common on a l l islands of the a t o l l . It occurs on t r ee trunks l i k e Phelsuma, but it i s also observed on the ground, unlike the Gecko. This species is res t r ic ted t o the Seychelles and the Amirantes, although it is quite c'losely related t o the widely distributed African species M. m a c u l i l a t r i s . Insects We have found only a s ingle species of insec t previously recorded from St . Joseph Atol l , the Rhinoceros Beetle (Scott 1912). The ca t e rp i l l a r s of the small a r c t i i d moth Ute the i sa p. p u l c h e l l o i d e s Hampson were found defol ia t ing Scaevola on Ressource, 8 April 1976. Also collected were specimens of Euconocephalus sp. (Tettigonioidea); Icerya seychel larum (Westwood) ; Cardiophorus sp . (Elateridae) ; Dact ylosternum sp . ? (Hydrophilidae ; Aedes (Stegomyia) a1 b o p i c t u s Skuse (Culicidael; and the following Staphylinidae: Phi lon thus b i s i g n a t u s Boh. , Phi lon thus r e i n e k i s Schab. , Phi lon thus species (four not determined and one possibly new), Gabronthus sp., Oxyte lus var ipenn i s ssp. Pharaohnum Koch . , and Aleochara t r i v a l i s . Other Arthropods H i r s t (1913) records two spiders, including Nephila madagascariensis , from St . Joseph. We collected a specimen of a young huntsman spider (Heteropodidae) from Fouquet. The orb weaver Tetragnatha sp. is very common on a l l i s lands where it spins i ts golden webs i n grea t numbers. Local children co l l ec t the thicker strands of these webs fo r f ishing. Three millipedes were collected from a ro t ten palm trunk, and have been ident i f ied a s follows: Mysta l ides b i v i r g a t u s (Karsh) , recorded from Tanzania, Pemba, Comoros, Aldabra, Madagascar. Spiros t rophos n a r e s i i (Pocock), recorded from Madagascar and Seychelles and widely d i s t r ibu ted i n the East and West Indies. Orthomorpha coarc ta ta (Sauss), cosmotropical d i s t r ibu t ion . Recent clearing operations i n the coconut plantations have removed many f a l l en trunks from the surface. However it i s possible t o measure the r a t e of decomposition of f a l l en palm trunks remaining. The dead trunks examined were probably not more than s i x years old, ye t during t h i s time the whole i n t e r i o r had been reduced t o a broken powder comprised mainly of arthropod f rass . In addit ion t o the very large numbers of millipedes present there were a l so huge numbers of a small Entomobryoid-like Collembolan. A t the time of our v i s i t t o the a t o l l recent r a in had probably accelerated decomposer microorganism and de t r i t i vo re ac t iv i ty , which must for much of the year be water-limited. Borradaile (1907) records the land hermit crab Coenobita rugosus H. Milne-Edwards from St. Joseph. We did not, however, f ind these crustaceans t o be common. One male and one female were col lected on Ressource, together with three individuals of Coenobita p e r l a t u s H. Milne-Edwards. Only a s ingle colony was found of the large crab Card iosom c a r n i f e x (Herbst), and t h i s too was on Ressource, under Pernphis scrub on the west shore. One female of t h i s species and the specimens of Coenobita are i n the Br i t i sh Museum (Natural History). Ocypodid crabs were abundant on vir tual ly a l l the beaches vis i ted. Their excavations for the small bivalve mollusc Donax faba were especially prominent on the lagoonward shores of St . Joseph, where a female Ocypode ceratophthalmus (Pallas) was collected. These crabs play an important ro le i n adding to and reworking the sediments of the beaches, i n some of which Donax shel l s form a dominant component. The Lagoon The lagoon, which has general maximum depths of about 3 m, i s divided into a ser ies of basins by para l le l flat-topped reef ridges trending northeast t o southwest and concentrated i n i ts western half . The upper surfaces and edges of these ridges are emergent during lowest t ides and do not support l iving corals. They are covered with thick growths of marine angiosperms, mainly Thalassodendron ciliatum and Thalassia hemprichii, with a molluscan infauna characterised by Pinna. Syringodium isoetifolium has been collected on the reef f l a t a t D'Arros but not a t S t . Joseph, though it is common i n shallow water on the north s ide of the lagoon. Massive faviid and por i t id corals grow on the flanks of the ridges, especially on the i r eastern (windward) sides; but they are clearly adversely affected by s i l t a t ion , and the coralla are heavily bored and deformed. Presumably because of the absence of any open channel t o the sea, the lagoon acts as a sediment sink. Wide fans of sediment are advancing into the lagoon from the peripheral reefs, especially on the south and southeast sides, and during our v i s i t the lagoon water was extremely turbid, in marked contrast t o tha t outside the seaward reef margins. Shallow surfaces i n the lagoon are covered with thick s i l t y sand sheets up t o 30 cm deep. Large rays are extremely common on shallow sandy reef f l a t s . In several cases they were seen swimming in pairs , raising the i r pectoral f ins above the water and diving one above the other, and it seems probable tha t they were courting. Seychellois on the a t o l l say tha t rays a re always common i n the lagoon. Black-tipped and White-tipped sharks (Carcharinus melanopterus , Triaenodon abesus) are seen i n a l l parts of the lagoon. No Green Turtles Chelonia mydas were seen, but up to a dozen Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata were seen on the D'Arros aspect of the a t o l l and around the i s l e t s south of St. Joseph. The shallow nature of the lagoon and the low ra te of water turnover leads us to suspect tha t it is i n a low s t a t e of productivity. Thus suggestion would seem to be supported by the f a c t tha t few f i sh shoals were observed i n the lagoon during our v i s i t . The presence of storm beaches and the width of the reef f l a t s may well inhib i t the transport of reef-generated nitrogenous particulate matter into the lagoon. Settlement The only settlement on the a t o l l a t present i s on St . Joseph is land, though there are remains of huts some years old on both Fouquet and Ressource. The plantations were well established by 1905,. when Tomet reported t h a t there were more t rees on S t . Joseph than on D'Arros. A t t h a t time there were 4000 coconut t r ee s on Fouquet and 2500 on Ressource, as well as the main plantation on S t . Joseph; together with small plantations on Benjamen and Cascassaye. The population i n September 1905 was 26, including 3 each on Fouquet and Ressource. References Baker, B.H. 1963. Geology and mineral resources of the Seychelles Archipelago. G e o l . S u r v . Kenya Mem. 3: i -v i i , 1-140. Benson, C.W. 1970. An introduction of S t r e p t o p e l i a p i c t u r a t a i n to the Amirantes. A t o l l Res . B u l l . 136: 195-196. Betts, F.N. 1940. The birds of the Seychelles. 11 The sea-birds - more par t icu la r ly those of Aride Island. ~ b i s , (14) 4: 489-504. Borradaile, L.A. 1907. Land and freshwater Decapoda. Trans . inn. Soc. Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1) : 63-68. Boulenger, G.A. 1909. A l is t of t he freshwater f ishes , batrachians, and r e p t i l e s obtained by M r . J. Stanley Gardiner's expedition t o the Indian Ocean. Trans . L inn . Soc . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 1 2 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1): 291-300. Bruce, A . J . 1971. Pontoniinid shrimps from the ninth cruise of R/V Anton Bruun, I I O E , 1964: Palaemonella Dana and P e r i c l i m e n e s Costa. Smi thson . contr. 2001. 82: 1-13. Coppinger, R.W. 1883. C r u i s e o f the " A l e r t " . Four years i n Patagon ian , P o l y n e s i a n and Mascarene w a t e r s (1878-82). London: W. Swan Sonnenschein. xvi , 256 pp. Frobervil le, E. de. 1848. Rodrigues, ~ a l & g a , Les S&helles, Les Almirantes, e tc . I n M.A.P. dlAvezac, ed. : Iles d e 1 ' A f r i q u e , 3me p a r t i e , I les A f r i c a i n e s d e l a Mer d e s I n d e s (Paris: Firmin Didot Frs res ) : 65-114. Gadow, H. and Gardiner, J.S. 1907. Aves, with some notes on the d i s t r ibu t ion of the land-birds of t he Seychelles. Trans . L inn . Soc . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1) : 103-110. Gardiner, J.S. 1906. The Indian Ocean, being r e su l t s largely based on the work of the Percy Sladen Expedition i n H.M.S. "Sealark", Comm. B.T. Samerville, 1905. G e o g r l . J. 28: 313-332, 454-465; discussion, 465-471. Gardiner, J.S. and Cooper, C. Fors ter . 1907. Description of the expedition. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond . ( 2 ) 2001. 12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1): 1-56, 111-175. Gwynne, M.D. and Wood D.,1969. Plants collected on i s lands i n the western Indian Ocean during a cruise of the M.F.R.V. "Manihine", Sept.-Oct. 1967. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 134: 1-15. H i r s t , S. 1913. Second report on the Arachnids - the Scorpions, Pedipalpi, and supplementary notes on the Opiliones and Pseudoscorpiones. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 16 (P,ercy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 5 ) : 31-37. Loustau-Lalanne, P. 1963. Sea and shore b i rds of the Seychelles. O c c a s . P u b l s S e y c h e l l e s S o c . 2: 1-26. McCosker, J . M . and Randall, J.E. 1977. Three new species of Indo- Pac i f ic moray e e l s (Pisces: Muraenidae) . P r o c . C a l i f . A c a d . S c i . (4) 41: 161-168. Moresby, F. 1842. On the Seychelle Islands. N a u t . Mag. 11: 585-590, 676-682, 739-746. Parker, I.S.C. 1970. Some ornithological observations from the western Indian Ocean. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 211-220. Piggott , C.J . 1968. A s o i l survey of Seychelles. T e c h . B u l l . Land R e s . D i v . , D i r . O v e r s e a s S u r v . , M i n i s t r y o f O v e r s e a s D e v . 2: i - v i i , 1-89. Piggott , C.J. 1969. A r e p o r t on a visit t o .the O u t e r I s l a n d s o f S e y c h e l l e s b e t w e e n O c t o b e r a n d November 1 9 6 0 . Tolworth: Directorate of Overseas Surveys. v i , 122 pp. Ridgway, R. 1895. On b i rd s col lected by Doctor W.L. Abbott on the Seychelles, Amirantes, Gloriosa, Assumption, Aldabra and adjacent i s lands , w i t h notes on habi ts , e t c . , by the co l lec tor . P r o c . U . S . natn. Mus. 18: 509-546. Scot t , H. 1912. Coleoptera, Lamellicornia and Adephaga. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond . ( 2 ) 2001. 15 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 4) : 215-262. Stoddart, D.R. 1977. Iden t i ty of pelicans on S t . Joseph Atol l , Amirantes. B u l l . B r . orn. C l u b , 97: 94-95. Tonnet, A. 1905-6. Reports on visits to o u t l y i n g i s l a n d s and h i s t o r y o f S e y c h e l l e s . Seychelles Archives, C/SS/5. Tyler, J.C. 1966. A new species of serranoid fish of the family Anthiidae from the Indian Ocean. Notulae Naturae, 389: 1-6. Tyler, J.C. 1967. A diagnosis of the two transversely barred Indo- Pacific Pufferfishes of the genus Canthigas ter ( v a l e n t i n i and coronatus) . Proc. Acad. n a t . S c i . Phi la . 119: 53-73. Vesey-FitzGerald, L.D.E.F. 1941. Further contributions to the ornithology of the Seychelles Islands. Ibis, (14) 5: 518-531. Watson, G.E., Zusi, R.L. and Storer, R.E. 1963. Prel iminary f i e l d guide to t h e b i r d s o f t h e Indian Ocean. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. 214 pp. Plate 20. St Joseph Atoll: vertical air photograph mosaic. Reproduced by permission of the Chief Surveyor, Survey and Lands Department, Republic of Seychelles P l a t e 21. S t Joseph Atol l from the nor theas t ; t h e i s l and i n t h e foreground is S t Joseph Is land P l a t e 22. Southern ree f of S t Joseph Ato l l , from the e a s t . The i s l e t i n t h e foreground is Chien, and the l a rge i s l and i n t h e background is D ' Arros P l a t e 23. Pe l i can I s l and from t h e south , with Fouquet i n t h e background P l a t e 24. The southern p a r t of S t Joseph I s l and (Cascassaye), from t h e east, wi th Pe l i can and o t h e r islets behind Plate 25. Hammerhead shingle spit at Banc Coco, St Joseph Atoll Plate 26. Banc Sable, St Joseph Atoll P l a t e 27. S c a e v o l a and Sur iana sh rubs on Banc Sab l e , S t Joseph A t o l l P l a t e 28. Scrub o f Pemphis a c i d u l a on I l e Poule , S t Joseph A t o l l Plate 29. Scrub of Tournefortia argentea on Ile Poule, St Joseph Atoll Plate 30. Scaevola scrub, seaward shore of Ile Fouquet, St Joseph Atoll Plate 31. Scaevola scrub, coconutsand Casuarina, seaward shore of I l e Fouquet, St Joseph Atoll Plate 32. Scaevola scrub, northern lagoon shore of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Atoll Pla te 33. Pioneer Scaevola, southeast point of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph Atol l P la te 34. Fouque t , Coastal Guettarda woodland, eastern seaward shore of I l e S t Joseph Atoll Plate 35. Guettarda woodland, west coast of Pelican Island, St Joseph Atoll . -. .- Plate 36. Coastal coconut and Casuarina woodland, lagoon shore of St Joseph Island, St Joseph Atoll Plate 37. Pemphis scrub and cemented gravel on Ile Ressource, St Joseph Atoll Plate 38. Rhizophora in Pemphis scrub, west shore of Pelican Island, St Joseph Atoll P l a t e 39. Mudhole surrounded by Suriana scrub, with germinating coconuts, e a s t end of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l P l a t e 40. Mature coconut woodland, no r th end of S t Joseph I s l and , S t Joseph A t o l l P l a t e 41. Abandoned coconut p l a n t a t i o n w i th j uven i l e coconuts , I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l I Passe I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure 5. S t Joseph Atol l . Based on a e r i a l photographs with d e t a i l added from ~ a k e r (1963) =mi4 , D i ~ ~ n t t 119&R\ PLANTS OF ST. JOSEPH ATOLL F.R. Fosberg ~ h a l a s s o d e n d r o n c i l i a t um (Forsk . ) den Hartog Cymodocea c i l i a t a (Forsk . ) Ehrenb. ex Aschers . Gwynne and Wood 1057 (EA) (Fouquet) ; Stodda r t 7167 (US) , - - 7170 (US) (S t . Joseph) . HYDROCHARITACEAE ~ h a l a s s i a h e m p r i c h i i (Ehrenb. Aschers. Gwynne and Wood 1056 (EA) (Fouquet) ; S todda r t 7168 (US), - 7169 (US) ; (S t . Joseph) . - GRAMINEAE Dacty loc ten ium aegyp t ium (L.) Willd. Gwynne and Wood - 966 ( E A ) , 987 (EA) (S t . Joseph) ; - 1059 (Fouquet) ~ a c t y l o c t e n i u m sp. S t o d d a r t 7147 (US) (Fouquet) - E r a g r o s t i s c i l i a r i s (L. ) R. & S. Gwynne and Wood 967 (EA) - E r a g r o s t i s t e n e l l a var. i n s u l a r i s H u b b . Gwynne and Wood - 981 (EA) (S t . Joseph) L e p t u r u s r e p e n s R. Br. Gwynne and Wood - 982 (EA) (S t . Joseph) A t o l l Research B u l l e t i n No. 223: 43-48, 1979 Lepturus r e p e n s R. Br. var. s u b u l a t u s Fosb. S toddar t 7140 (US] - Sporobolus v i r g i n i c u s (L.) Kunth Stoddar t - 7155 (US) (St . Joseph) Stenotaphrum micranthum (Desv. ) Hubb. Stenotaphrum subulatum Tr in . m n n e and Wood 973 (EA), 985 (EA) (S t . Joseph), 1061 (a) - - (Fouquet) ; Stoddar t 7145 (US) (Fouquet) - CYPERACEAE Cyperus l i g u l a r i s L . Mariscus l i g u l a r i s (L . ) U r b . Stoddar t 7141 (US) (Fouquet) F i m b r i s t y l i s cymosa R. Br. F i m b r i s t y l i s o b t u s i f o l i a sensu auc t . m n n e and Wood 958 (EA), 959 (EA), 983 (EA) (S t . Joseph); - - Stoddar t 7139 (US) (Fouquet) PALMAE Cocos n u c i f e r a L. Gwynne and Wood, s i g h t ; S toddar t , s i g h t Crinum angustum Roxb . Gwynne and Wood - 957 (EA) (St. Joseph) Hymenocal l i s l i t t o r a l i s (Jacq. ) S a l i s b . Stoddar t 7176 (US) (St . Joseph) - CA SUAR INACEAE Casuarina l i t o r e a L. Casuarina e q u i s e t i f o l i a L . w n n e and Wood 963 (EA) (S t . Joseph) ; Stoddar t 7150 (Fouquet) - - Achyran thes a s p e r a L. var. m o l l i s (Moq. 1 Townsend Gwynne and Wood 1060 (EA) (Fouquet) ; Stoddar t 7148 (US) - - (Fouquet) NYCTAGI NACEAE Boerhavia repens L . var . Stoddart 7146 (US) (Fouquet) - ~ i s o n i a grandis R. B r . Gwynne and Wood 986 (EA) (St. Joseph) - PORTULACACEAE Portulaca oleracea L. Stoddart 7177 (US) (St. ~oseph) - Cassytha f i l i fo rmis L. mynne and Wood 965 (EA) (St. Joseph) ; stoddart 7136 (US) - - (~ouque t ) Hernandia sonora L. Gwynne and Wood 954 (EA) (St. Joseph) ; Stoddart 7154 (US) - - (St. Joseph) , 7227 (US) (Ressource) . - MORINAGACEAE Moringa 01 ei fe ra Lam. Stoddart 7174 (US) (St. ~ o s e p h ) - CRASSULACEAE Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam. ) Pers . ~r yophyll urn pinna turn Lam. Stoddart 7135 (US) (Fouquet) - LEGUMINOSAE Leucaena leucocephala s am. ) dewit Leucaena glauca sensu auct . Stoddart 7173 (US) (St. Joseph) - Pi thecellobi urn unguis-cati (L . ) Benth. Gwynne and Wood - 953 (St. Joseph) Suriana mari t ima L. Gwynne and Wood 979 (EA) (St. Joseph); Stoddart 7138 (US) - (Fouque t ) EUPHORBIACEAE Euphorbia h i r t a L. Stoddart 7172 (US) (St . Joseph) P h y l l a n t h u s maderaspa tens i s L. Gwynne and Wood 975 ( E A ) , 989 (EA) (St. Joseph); Stoddart - 7178 (US) (St . Joseph) . - MALVACEAE H i b i s c u s t i l i a c e u s L . Stoddart 7181 (US) (St . ~ o s e p h ) - Sida p a r v i f o l i a DC. W n n e and Wood 972 (EA) (St . Joseph); Stoddart 7185 ( I l e - Paul) (US) Turnera u l d f o l i a L. Stoddart - 7180 (US) (St. Joseph) PASSIFLORAE P a s s i f l o r a suberosa L . Gwynne and Wood - 968 (EA), 984 (EA) (St . Joseph) - 1062 (EA) (Fouquet) ; Stoddart 7144 (US) (Fouquet) LYTHRACEAE Pemphis a c i d u l a R. B r . Gwynne and Wood 955 (EA) , 980 (EA) (St . Joseph), 1058 (EA) - - (Fouquet) ; Stoddart 7143 (US) (Fouquet) . -- RHIZOPHORACEAE R h i zophora mucrona t a Lam. Stoddart 7182 (US) ( I le Benjamin) COMBRETACEAE ~ e r m i n a l i a catappa L. S todda r t 7152 (US) (St. Joseph) LECYTHIDACEAE Barringtonia a s i a t i c a (L. ) Kurz Stoddar t - 7153 (US), - 7166 (US) (St . Joseph) Catharanthus ro seus (L . ) G . Don Vinca ro sea L. Gwynne and Wood 951 (EA) (S t . Joseph) ; Stoddar t 7171 (US) - (St. Joseph) CONVOLWLACEAE Ipomoea macrantha R. & S. Ipom>ea tuba (Don) Schlecht . S todda r t 7184 (US) ( I l e Benjamin), 7228 (US) (Ressource) - BORAGINACEAE Tournefor t ia argentea L. f . Messerschmidia argentea (L. f . ) Johns t . s t o d d a r t 71 37 (US) (Fouque t) - Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L . Vahl S todda r t 7142 (US) (Fouquet) - SOLANACEAE Capsicum f ru t e scens L. S todda r t 7175 (US) (St . Joseph) S t r i g a a s i a t i c a (L.) 0. K t z e . Gwynne and Wood 969 (EA) (S t . Joseph) ; Stoddar t 7156 (US) - (S t . Joseph) , 7183 (US) ( I le enj jam in) RUBIACEAE Guettarda spec iosa L. Gwynne and Wood 964 (FA) , 978 (FA) (St . Joseph) ; Stoddar t - - 7151 CUS) Pouquetl - Scaevola taccada (Gaertn . Roxb . Scaevola s e r i c e a Vahl Scaevola f ru tescens sensu a u c t . Gwynne and Wood - 977 (FA) (St . Joseph) ; Stoddar t - 7149 (US) (Fouque t ) COMPOSITAE Bidens p i l o s a L. Gwynne and Wood 956 (FA) (St . Joseph) - Tridax procumbens L , Gwynne and Wood - 974 (FA) (St . Joseph) Vernonia c inerea (L. ) Less. var . p a r v i f l o r a DC. W n n e and Wood 970 (FA) (St . Joseph); S todda r t 7179 - - (S t . ~ o s e p h )