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| North coast of Trinidad. |
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| Peter's Tent Making Bat, Uroderma bilobatum (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Photographed in Central Trinidad. The tent-making bat constructs a tent by cutting the side of a leaf's main rib, causing the leaf to droop. The bats then roost hanging from the rib. Up to 50 bats may use one tent, but usually the number is much less. The style of tent depends on the leaf type and its size. Peter's Tent Making Bat is widespread in the Neotropics and can use disturbed as well as mature rainforest, and cultivated areas such as plantations and gardens. |
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| Fiddleheads of ferns are new fronds or new leaves. This one belonged to a tree fern growing in the elfin woodland of Mt. Tucuche. |
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| Tree Hole Nesting Mosquito, Trichoprosopon digitatum (Culicinae). Photographed in the Arima Valley. Females guard eggs for about 48 hours, until they hatch. The guarding behavior may protect the eggs from being eaten by older larvae of this species, or washed away by rain. |
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| A bottle with barnacles, washed up on the beach. |
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The Velvet Worm is a member of an ancient group of animals. |
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| Charlotteville, Tobago is one of my most favorite places. This quite fishing village is surrounded by forest and close to Tobago's Main Ridge, an area loaded with interesting plants and animals. |
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| The Peanut Head Bug, Fulgora laternaria (Homoptera, Fulgoridae). This homopteran is widespread in the Neotropics and may reach 90 mm in length. It feeds on plant juices with sucking mouth parts. It is active at night. |
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| Trinidad Cheveron Tarantula, Psalmopoeus cambridgei. Photographed in the Arima Valley. This is an arboreal species that makes sheet-like webs of a filmy silk extending from retreats in crevices on cliffs and road cuts, on exposed roots, and in abandoned buildings. This photo was taken on a building wall. This spider can bite when threatened bites may cause severe pain and inflammation, apparently due to a capsaicin (chili pepper) receptor agonists in the venom (Siemens et al 2006 Nature 444: 208-212) |
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| Some areas of Trinidad, Tobago, and nearby islands have dry microhabitats that support xeric plant communities, which include cactus and agave species. |
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| Little Tobago holds Deciduous Seasonal Forest with Bursera simaruba, Lonchocarpus domingensis, Piscidia carthagensis being the most common trees. The ground cover is dominated by the aroid, Anthurium jenmanii. This island has been a nature sanctuary since 1926, when the Greater Bird of Paradise was introduced by Sir William Ingram. Ingram brought the birds from New Guinea in 1919. Upon Sir William's death the family gave the island to the country on condition that it remain a sanctuary for all time. In 1963 Hurricane Flora struck, wiping out the Birds of Paradise population. Little Tobago has 45 species of birds, including breeding seabird colonies of Boobies, Terns, Magnificent Frigate Birds and Red-billed Tropicbirds. |