Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

To confirm the presence of the pollinating wasp of Ficus religiosa in the Dominican Republic, five syconia were collected from four trees located in an equal number of localities in the city of Santo Domingo. The wasp Platyscapa quadraticeps Mayr, 1885 was found in all of them. This finding constitutes the first record of an introduced species of the family Agaonidae for the Dominican Republic and increases the known diversity of this family in Hispaniola to three genera and four species.

In the backyard of an urban residence in San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa Province, Cuba, an adult Leiocephalus c. carinatus Gray, 1827 was observed performing necrophagy over a two-week period. The lizard consumed domestic cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and a ground beetle (Carabidae), both of which were fully dehydrated and had been dead for at least three weeks. This behavior is the first instance of necrophagy recorded in Cuba for a Leiocephalus species. Additionally, a list of all the recorded cases of necrophagy in this genus is provided.

A new species of deep-sea amphipod of the genus Rhachotropis is described. The material was collected in different sites of the Florida strait and the Caribbean Sea by the research vessels R/V Pillsbury and R/V Gerda in 1968 and 1969. The most relevant differences between the new species and the other species in the genus are also presented. A dichotomous key to identifying the species known up to now at the Tropical Atlantic, is also presented.

Within the framework of the activities of the 50th anniversary of the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural “Prof. Eugenio de Jesús Marcano”, a bibliometric analysis of all articles published in the journal Novitates Caribaea between 2009 and 2024 was carried out using the Dimensions database. The study covered productivity indicators, as well as an analysis of the thematic and geographical areas of research. In addition, collaboration between authors and institutions, scholarly impact and alignment of publications with the Sustainable Development Goals were examined. The results reveal a growing internationalization of the journal and highlight areas of opportunity to enhance its impact on the scientific community and its global recognition.

A new species of deep-sea amphipod of the genus Tepidopleustes is described. The studied material was collected in localities in the north of the Yucatan peninsula by the R/V Gerda and R/V Pillsbury in 1967. This is the first record up today from the Caribbean Sea of one species of the family Pleustidae.

This study confirmed the presence and distribution of the eriophyoid mite Acalitus simplex Flechtmann & Etienne (Acari: Eriophyidae), known as the ruellia erinose mite, in multiple locations across the Cibao region of the Dominican Republic. Acalitus simplex is an oligophagous mite feeding exclusively on Ruellia species, particularly the widely cultivated ornamental Ruellia simplex, which is valued for its diverse and colorful blooms. Leaves exhibiting characteristic erinea symptoms were collected from 11 outdoor sites including parks, university campuses, and streets throughout the region. Morphological examination of mites extracted from all samples confirmed A. simplex presence across all surveyed locations, representing the first documented record of this species on Hispaniola. This detection extends the mite’s known distribution in the Caribbean, previously reported only from Anguilla, Brazil, Cuba, Florida, Guadeloupe, Hawaii and Thailand. This report enhances understanding of the distribution and potential impact of A. simplex in the Caribbean Basin and highlights the need for further surveys and molecular studies to clarify its invasion history and develop effective management.

The Yucatan neotropical rattlesnake (Crotalus tzabcan) is a crotalid endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula. Although it is widely distributed in this region, it is considered a highly elusive species, thus knowledge about its natural history is scarce, including observations on feeding ecology. Here, we report the first documented observation of a predation event of a wild C. tzabcan on a rat in a rural area in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico.

The use of artificial lures for Maya octopus fishing in the Celestún area of Yucatan is described for the first time. These lures are constructed from various materials, including wood, various plastics (PET or PVC), epoxy resin, and ethylene vinyl acetate foam. The lures are used by a large portion of commercial fishermen in the area, as they reduce fishing costs and maintain fishing yields. Studies are needed to evaluate the efficiency of each type of artificial lure and the effects of their use on the octopus population and its environment.

The presence of the genus Ammotrecha Banks, 1900 is recorded for the first time in Honduras, Central America, based on several specimens of A. stolli (Pocock, 1895) collected on the island of Útila, in the department of Islas de la Bahía. Both sexes are illustrated, and data on their morphometry and habitat are provided.

The objective of this study is to present data pertaining to the figure of María de Estrada Medinilla. She is an author who has been well-known for a long while in the world of literary and historical studies; however, almost nothing is known about her private life. This article presents new information about her, demonstrating that she was born in Guatemala into a family with illustrious roots that go back to conquistadores such as Pedro de Estrada, and even to Bernal Díaz del Castillo. It also shows that she played an outstanding role in the literary revolution that led to the introduction of Gongorism in America. Finally, mention is made of several works of hers which have come to light for the first time.