D'ARROS AND ST. JOSEPH, AMIRAN'TE ISLANDS by D. R. Stoddart, M. J. Coe and F. R. Foeberg

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 O F D'ARROS IS- by D. R. Stoddart and M. J. C o e PLANTS O F D'ARROS ISLAND

by F. R. Fosberg

GEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY O F S T JOSEPH A T O U by D. R. Stoddart and M. J. C o e PLANTS O F 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 P a r k s 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. I n s e c t s c o l l e c t e d on D'Arros 13 4. Names of i s l e t s on S t Joseph A t o l l 2 8

5. Previous work a t S t Joseph A t o l l 29

L i s t of Figures

1. The Amirantes and t h e Seychelles Bank, western Indian Ocean. Produced from p a r t of B r i t i s h Admiralty Chart No 4702 with t h e sanction of t h e C o n t r o l l e r , H.M. S t a t i o n e r y Office and of

t h e Hydrographer of t h e Navy F r o n t i s p i e c e 2 . D'Arros I s l a n d and S t Joseph A t o l l . Produced

from p a r t of B r i t i s h Admiralty Chart No 721 with t h e sanction of t h e C o n t r o l l e r , H.M. S t a t i o n e r y Office and of t h e Hydrographer of t h e 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 P i g g o t t

(1968) Following page 18

4. Monthly r a i n f a l l a t D'Arros I s l a n d , 1950-62

Following page 18 5. S t Joseph A t o l l . Based on a e r i a l photographs

with d e t a i l added from Baker (1963) and P i g g o t t

(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 t h e n o r t h e a s t ; t h e i s l a n d i n t h e foreground i s S t Joseph I s l a n d

Southern r e e f of S t Joseph A t o l l , from t h e e a s t . The i s l e t i n t h e foreground i s Chien, and t h e l a r g e i s l a n d i n t h e background i s DtArros

P e l i c a n I s l a n d from t h e s o u t h , w i t h Fouquet i n t h e background.

The s o u t h e r n p a r t of S t Joseph I s l a n d ( C a s c a s s a y e ) , from t h e e a s t , w i t h P e l i c a n and o t h e r i s l e t s behind.

Hammerhead s h i n g l e s p i t a t Banc Coco, S t Joseph A t o l l Banc S a b l e , S t Joseph A t o l l

S c a e v o l a and S u r i a n a s h r u b s on Banc S a b l e , S t Joseph A t o l l Scrub of Pemphis a c i d u l a on I l e Poule, S t Joseph A t o l l

Scrub o f T o u r n e f o r t i a a r g e n t e a on I l e Poule, S t Joseph A t o l l S c a e v o l a s c r u b , seaward s h o r e o f I l e F o u q u e t , S t Joseph A t o l l S c a e v o l a s c r u b , coconuts and C a s u a r i n a , seaward s h o r e of

I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l

S c a e v o l a s c r u b , n o r t h e r n lagoon s h o r e of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l

P i o n e e r S c a e v o l a , s o u t h e a s t p o i n t of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l C o a s t a l G u e t t a r d a woodland, e a s t e r n seaward s h o r e o f I l e

Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l

G u e t t a r d a woodland, west c o a s t of P e l i c a n I s l a n d , S t Joseph A t o l l C o a s t a l coconut and C a s u a r i n a woodland, lagoon s h o r e of

S t Joseph I s l a n d , S t Joseph A t o l l

Pemphis s c r u b and cemented g r a v e l on I l e Ressource, S t Joseph A t o l l

Rhizophora i n Pemphis s c r u b , west s h o r e of P e l i c a n I s l a n d , S t Joseph A t c l l

Mudhole surrounded by S u r i a n a s c r u b , w i t h germinating coconuts, e a s t end of I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l

Mature coconut woodland, n o r t h end of S t Joseph I s l a n d , S t Joseph A t o l l

41. Abandonedcoconutplantation with j u v e n i l e coconuts, I l e Fouquet, S t Joseph A t o l l

DEPTHS I N THOUSANDS OF METRES

56' 5 7 O

Figure 1. The Amirantes and t h e Seychelles Bank, westernIndian Ocean. Produced from p a r t of

~ r i t i s h Admiralty Chart No 4702 with the sanction of the C o n t r o l l e r , H.M. S t a t i o n e r y Office and of t h e Hydrographer of t h e Navy

D'ARROS AND ST. JOSEPH, AMIRANTE ISLANDS

INTRODUCTION

D.R. Stoddart

This r e p o r t r e s u l t s from a request by t h e then Governor of the former Colony of Seychelles, H.E. M r . C . H . Allan, f o r advice on the ecology of D'Arros Island and S t . Joseph Atoll i n the Amirantes, recently acquired by H . I . H . Prince Chahram Pahlavi. Stoddart and Coe v i s i t e d the i s l a n d s on 5-8 April 1976. In addition t o making s p e c i f i c recommendations, the following accounts of D'Arros and S t . Joseph were prepared a s summary papers incorporating s c i e n t i f i c information on the i s l a n d s previously obtained, mainly by t h e A l e r t and S e a l a r k (Percy Sladen Trust) Expeditions, together with our own observations.

There i s s u r p r i s i n g l y l i t t l e information a v a i l a b l e on most of the Amirante Islands, and t h e value of much of t h e published data i s reduced by the lack of d e t a i l e d l o c a l i t y records. This a p p l i e s t o e a r l y s t u d i e s , such a s t h a t of Dufo (1840) on the marine molluscs, a s well a s t o the r e p o r t s of t h e Percy Sladen Trust Expedition. There a r e few recent accounts of t h e fauna and f l o r a of i s l a n d s i n the group.

This paper completes t h e coverage of t h e northern Amirantes

-

African Banks, Remire, Desroches

-

i n i t i a t e d i n 1968 (Stoddart and Poore 1970a, 1970b, 1970c; Fosberg and Renvoize 1970a, 1970b, 1 9 7 0 ~ ) . The

southern i s l a n d s of the group

-

Poivre, E t o i l e , Boudeuse, Marie-Louise, Desnoeufs, Alphonse, S t . F r a n ~ o i s , and B i j o u t i e r

-

have y e t t o be v i s i t e d .

The present i n v e s t i g a t i o n was made possible through the a s s i s t a n c e of William ^A. Pomeroy of ~ a h d . We a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y g r a t e f u l t o M i s s Jenny Furneau f o r h o s p i t a l i t y and help on t h e i s l a n d s , and t o Capt.

Marsh f o r the opportunity t o see them from t h e a i r . C.W. Benson, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, kindly commented on the

sections on b i r d s , and a l s o made a v a i l a b l e h i s notes on Parker's c o l l e c t i o n of b i r d s now i n t h e 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 s u p p l i e d d e t a i l s of the S t . Joseph p e l i c a n . W e a r e g r a t e f u l t o t h e following i n t h e B r i t i s h Musem (Natural History) f o r

determinations of c o l l e c t i o n s : P. Freeman ( i n s e c t s ) , D. MacFarland ( m i l l i p e d e s ) , F.R. Wanless ( s p i d e r s ) , R.W. I n g l e ( c r a b s ) , and E.N.

Arnold ( r e p t i l e s ) ; J.F. Peake a s s i s t e d i n many ways. F.R. Fosberg and M.-H. Sachet, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian I n s t i t u t i o n , Washington, D.C., undertook t h e work on t h e p l a n t

c o l l e c t i o n s as p a r t of their g e n e r a l p r o j e c t on t h e f l o r a s of western I n d i a n Ocean c o r a l i s l a n d s . J.E. B6hlke, Academy of Natural Sciences, P h i l a d e l p h i a , s u p p l i e d information on i c h t h y o l o g i c a l work a t both

DIArros and S t . Joseph i n March 1964.

W e a r e g r a t e f u l to H.I.H. P r i n c e Chahram Pahlavi, through M r . William A. Pomeroy, f o r c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e c o s t of p u b l i c a t i o n o f this r e p o r t .

REFERENCES

Dufo, H. 1840. Observations s u r l e s 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 l e s S Q c h e l l e s 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. P l a n t s of Desroches I s l a n d . A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 167-170.

Fosberg, F.R. and Renvoize, S.A. 1970b. P l a n t s of Remire ( ~ a g l e ) I s l a n d , Amirantes. A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 183-186.

Fosberg, F.R. and Renvoize, S.A. 1970c. P l a n t s of African Banks ( I l e s A f r i c a i n e s ) . A t o l l R e s . B u l l . 136: 193-194.

S t o d d a r t , 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.

S t o d d a r t , 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 I s l a n d i s s i t u a t e d i n l a t i t u d e 5024Jx1 S, longitude 5 3 O l 8 ' ~ , i n the Amirante I s l a n d s , western Indian Ocean, immediately t o t h e west of the small a t o l l of St. Joseph. I t i s an oval-shaped sand cay

( P l a t e 1)

,

o r i e n t e d NE-SW, with i t s major a x i s 1.9 km long and minor a x i s 1.0 km long. The i s l a n d s t a n d s on a patch r e e f s i m i l a r l y o r i e n t a t e d , with maximum dimensions of 2.8 and 1.4 km. The i s l a n d stands on t h e northern s e c t o r of t h e r e e f ; t h e r e a r e drying r e e f f l a t s 250-400 m wide on i t s south s i d e , but only a narrow f r i n g i n g r e e f about 75 m wide on i t s n o r t h side. The t o t a l r e e f a r e a a t low water i s about 270 ha; of t h i s t h e i s l a n d occupies 170 ha o r 62 p e r cent; and of the i s l a n d a r e a (measured from t h e f o o t of t h e beaches) 160 ha a r e vegetated.

Previous work

Table 1 l i s t s previous s c i e n t i f i c v i s i t s t o DIArros. The i s l a n d 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 t h e I l e de France i n 1770-71 ( F r o b e r v i l l e 1848, 111). The f i r s t hydrographic survey was c a r r i e d o u t i n 1822 by L t . Russell under t h e d i r e c t i o n of Capt. F a i r f a x Moresby and was mainly concerned with t h e establishment of accurate co-ordinates (Moresby 1842). The i s l a n d was charted and t h e f i r s t s c i e n t i f i c v i s i t c a r r i e d out during t h e v i s i t of H.M. S. A l e r t d*ing 20-23 March 1882. The c h a r t by Capt. J.P. Maclear, though much corrected, i s s t i l l t h e b a s i s of t h e published c h a r t (Admiralty Chart 724). R.W. Coppinger

contributed a general d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e i s l a n d and a l s o c o l l e c t e d marine i n v e r t e b r a t e s . The Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, with J , Stanley Gardiner and C. F o r s t e r Cooper, on board H.M. S. Sealark,

A t o l l Research B u l l e t i n No. 223: 3-18,

1979

s p e n t 10-11 October 1905 on D'Arros, c o n t r i b u t i n g g e n e r a l

d e s c r i p t i o n s 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 a r t h r o p o d s , e s p e c i a l l y 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

I n v e s t i g a t o r M. d e l a B i o l i g r e F. Moresby

R.W. Coppinger J . P . Maclear H.M.S. A l e r t W.L. Abbott J . S . Gardiner C . F o r s t e r Cooper H.M.S. S e a l a r k J . L . B . Smith C.J. P i g g o t t B.H. Baker J . E . Bshlke and

o t h e r s I.S.C. P a r k e r M.D. Gwynne D. Wood

M.F.R.V. Manihine R . J . Campbell H.M.S. Hydra D.R. S t o d d a r t M . J . Coe

Apart from o c c a s i o n a l

F i e l d o f s t u d y 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

B i r d s , p l a n t s

Survey

Fauna and f l o r a

Main p u b l i c a t i o n

Moresby 1842 Coppinger 1883

Ridgway 1895 Gardiner and Cooper 1907 Smith 1955, 1956 P i g g o t t 1968, 1969 Baker 1963

S t a r c k 1969, T y l e r . 1967, McCosker and Randall 1977.

P a r k e r 1970

Gwynne and Wood 1969

v i s i t s by Government economic e n t o m o l o g i s t s and a v i s i t by t h e i c h t h y o l o g i s t J.L.B. Smith, no f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n was c o l l e c t e d u n t i l a survey i n 1960, when C . J . P i g g o t t d e s c r i b e d 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; b o t h were a b l e , f o r t h e f i r s t time, t o u s e a n a c c u r a t e map d e r i v e d from a e r i a l photographs a t a n approximate s c a l e o f 1:12,800 flown i n June 1960

( P i g g o t t 1 9 6 8 , 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. P a r k e r (1970) s t u d i e d b i r d s and M.D. Gwynne and D. Wood (1969) c o l l e c t e d v a s c u l a r p l a n t s . H.M.S. Hydra, Cdr. R . J . Campbell, c h a r t e d t h e i s l a n d and a d j a c e n t w a t e r s , e s p e c i a l l y t o t h e n o r t h , d u r i n g 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 A p r i l 1976.

Geomorphology

The Amirantes (Figure 1) comprise a chain of small reef i s l a n d s 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 t o the main chain t h e r e a r e a l s o i s l a n d s 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 p a r t s of t h e r i m r i s i n g t o 10-25 m, with occasional surface r e e f s . Immediately t o the west of the bank the Amirantes Trench reaches depths of 5 km. The bank probably c o n s i s t s of a c o r a l cap overlying volcanic rocks. Matthews and Davies (1966) suggested a b a s a l t i c foundation a t a depth of 1 km o r l e s s from

geophysical evidence, while near Alphonse b a s a l t s dredged from depths of 2430-3000 and 2400-2700 m have yielded a radiometric age of 82 !:

16 m y r , 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 t h e main bank surface a t 30-60 m, near i t s e a s t e r n edge. The reef slopes a r e f a i r l y g e n t l e t o the west and south, where the 30 m i s o b a t h l i e s 1-1.4 k m from the reef edge, b u t they a r e more abrupt i n the north and especially t h e e a s t , where t h i s contour i s 100-300 m from the reef edge. The channel between DIArros and S t . Joseph i s about 1100 m wide and 60 m deep. An un-named bank s l i g h t l y smaller than the DIArros reef i s located 5 km due north of i t , and has l e a s t depths of 2.7 m.

The windward reef f l a t s a r e rocky pavements veneered with mobile sand and gravel, and with no l i v i n g c o r a l . There a r e no reef blocks on t h e reef edge, and no well-marked a l g a l r i m . Near the west point t h e r e i s an accumulationof s l i g h t l y l i t h i f i e d storm rubble, mostly composed of small whole Acropora colonies, forming a t r a n s v e r s e tongue on the reef f l a t , and t h e r e a r e signs elsewhere on the reef f l a t of s i m i l a r tongues now eroded. The leeward reef i s i r r e g u l a r , with sea- grass swards and c o r a l colonies.

The beaches of the i s l a n d a r e a l l sandy ( P l a t e s 3 and 4 ) . They a r e highest between Pave Matin and Bois Blanc, where low c o a s t a l dunes a r e a t present being eroded, leaving s e v e r a l l i n e s of beachrock on the reef f l a t close inshore ( P l a t e 5 ) . No elevations were measured on the i s l a n d , b u t the g r e a t e s t height i s probably not more than 7 m and much of t h e surface probably stands a t about 2-3 m above sea-level. The i n t e r i o r of t h e i s l a n d i s f l a t and f e a t u r e l e s s ; except f o r a r e a s of phosphate rock the e n t i r e i s l a n d i s composed of carbonate sand.

Piggott (1968, 55) describes the main s o i l a s a well developed Shioya S e r i e s with an organic l a y e r 45 cm deep; the phosphate rock he

describes a s a truncated Jemo S e r i e s s o i l with the s u p e r f i c i a l guano removed. The approximate area of t h e phosphate rock as mapped by Baker (1963) i s shown i n Figure 3. Most of t h e l o c a l surface

i r r e g u l a r i t y on the i s l a n d r e s u l t s from t h e excavation of holes through t h e rock during the p l a n t i n g of coconuts. The outcrop i s e i t h e r a

pavement with an i r r e g u l a r s u r f a c e , o r c o n s i s t s o f a n g u l a r i r r e g u l a r b l o c k s ; t h e e x t e n t t o which t h e broken c h a r a c t e r o f t h e b l o c k s r e s u l t s from human a c t i v i t y i s unknown. The t h i c k n e s s o f t h e rock i s u s u a l l y a b o u t 1 m.

Climate

DIArros i s under t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e northwest monsoon from December t o March, and o f t h e s o u t h e a s t t r a d e s from A p r i l t o November.

During t h e t r a d e s t h e weather i s d r y , and months completely without r a i n a r e n o t i n f r e q u e n t . Most r a i n f a l l o c c u r s d u r i n g December and January ( F i g u r e 4 ) . The mean annual r a i n f a l l f o r t h e p e r i o d 1951-62 was 1497 mm; t h e h i g h e s t annual t o t a l w a s 2486 mm i n 1961, and t h e l o w e s t 804 mm i n 1958 (Table 2 ) . The mean o f 1497 rnm compares w i t h 1350 mm f o r P o i v r e (1949-62) 43 km t o t h e s o u t h , which i s t h e o n l y o t h e r Amirantes s t a t i o n w i t h a comparable r e c o r d .

No o t h e r m e t e o r o l o g i c a l r e c o r d s a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r D'Arros.

Temperatures probably v a r y from 25 t o 30°c. Humidity i s probably h i g h , b e i n g g r e a t e s t d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d of t h e northwest monsoon.

Marine f a u n a

The o n l y c o l l e c t i o n s o f marine i n v e r t e b r a t e s from D'Arros a r e t h o s e o f t h e A l e r t e x p e d i t i o n i n 1882. Smith (1884) l i s t s 25 s p e c i e s of m o l l u s c s , mainly g a s t r o p o d s , B e l l (1884) 1 8 s p e c i e s of echinoderms, i n c l u d i n g e c h i n o i d s , o p h i u r o i d s and h o l o t h u r i a n s , Miers (1884) 1 6 s p e c i e s o f c r u s t a c e a n s , mainly c r a b s , R i d l e y (1884a, 1884b) 7 s p e c i e s of sponges and a s i n g l e a l c y o n a r i a n . Monro (1924, 1926) a l s o l i s t e d t h r e e s p e c i e s o f p o l y c h a e t e from A l e r t m a t e r i a l . Subsequently J.L.B.

Smith (1955, 1956) l i s t e d t h r e e s p e c i e s of marine f i s h , and more s p e c i e s 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 ( T y l e r 1967, S t a r c k 1969, McCosker and Randall 1977). From t h e s e v e r y patchy r e c o r d s t h e shallow water marine fauna a p p e a r s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h a t o f western I n d i a n Ocean r e e f s g e n e r a l l y , and of o t h e r i s l a n d s i n t h e Amirantes. According t o Rosen (1971) 31 genera o f r e e f - b u i l d i n g c o r a l s have been r e c o r d e d from t h e Amirantes a s a whole b u t h e p r e d i c t s t h a t t h e fauna probably comprises 57 genera.

V e g e t a t i o n

DtArros i s p r e s e n t l y covered w i t h coconut woodland, b u t t h i s i s of comparatively r e c e n t o r i g i n . Coconut o i l was b e i n g 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 n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y ( P r i o r 1820, 5 9 ) , b u t p l a n t a t i o n s came a t a much l a t e r d a t e . 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 o f young cocoa-nuts, which i n f i v e o r s i x y e a r s w i l l d o u b t l e s s b e p r o d u c t i v e " . A s l a t e a s 1905, however, Gardiner and Cooper (1907, 153) gave a c l e a r i m p r e s s i o n

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

J a n 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

J u l

Aug

-

69

-

17 58

0 22

11 12

0 109

0 0

51 1 5

49 19

85 1 5 36 33

10 7

64 159 51 37 34 40

Oct Nov

- -

1 8 72 290 159 8 1 3 244 130

0 0

74 89 53 188

Dec Year

- -

199

-

288 1476 135 1218 348 1747 211 1050 365 1541 267 1534 299 1674 6 1 804 64 1610 275 1423 338 2486 103 1398 227 1497 O r i g i n a l d a t a i n i n c h e s ; converted t o rnm and rounded t o n e a r e s t mm.

of r a t h e r s p a r s e coconut growth: "Against t h e s e a was a t h i c k b e l t of t h e usual s c r u b with a few small coconuts behind; i n s i d e i t had e v i d e n t l y been b u r n t . 'A t h i r s t y and d r y l a n d where no water i s ' . "

On t h e o t h e r hand f i g u r e s o f n u t p r o d u c t i o n a t t h i s time (see below), which probably d e r i v e j o i n t l y from both DIArros and S t . Joseph, s u g g e s t a t o t a l p l a n t e d a r e a (assuming a y i e l d o f 2000 nuts/ha) of n a t l e s s t h a n 200 ha, o r two-thirds o f t h e combined l a n d a r e a of t h e two i s l a n d s I t seems l i k e l y from t h i s evidence t h a t t h e p r e s e n t dense p l a n t a t i o n s a r e t h e product of t h e l a s t 70-100 y e a r s . Both v e g e t a t i o n and f l o r a have t h u s been g r e a t l y i n f l u e n c e d by man.

The following v e g e t a t i o n u n i t s may be d i s t i n g u i s h e d : C o a s t a l s c r u b

Most o f t h e i s l a n d i s surrounded, e s p e c i a l l y on t h e s o u t h and w e s t s i d e s , by a monospecific hedge o f S c a e v o l a t a c c a d a about 50 m wide, 5-8 m tall, and almost impenetrable ( P l a t e s 2-4). This r e a c h e s t h e upper p a r t o f t h e beach, and consequently t h e r e i s very l i t t l e pioneer herbaceous v e g e t a t i o n on t h e beach crest. One o r two s m a l l p a t c h e s of Lepturus r e p e n s and clumps o f Cyperus l i g u l a r i s were seen. I n a d d i t i o n t o S c a e v o l a , t h e r e a r e very o c c a s i o n a l shrubs of Suriana maritima and T o u r n e f o r t i a a r g e n t e a

.

Pemphis a c i d u l a h a s n o t been recorded from D

'

Arros

.

Casuarina woodland

Casuarina l i t o r e a i s e x t e n s i v e on t h e beach c r e s t along much of t h e n o r t h and n o r t h e a s t s h o r e , 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 l a t e s 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 r e s e n t s e t t l e m e n t i n 1882; t h e y were t h e n s a i d t o be n i n e t e e n y e a r s o l d and t o have been i n t r o d u c e d by a Frenchman named Hoyaew (Cospinger 1885, 221, 226). Many of t h e p r e s e n t t r e e s a r e v e r y l a r g e , o f t e n more t h a n 30 m t a l l ( P l a t e 5 ) ; a few a r e b e i n g undermined by beach r e t r e a t , and o t h e r s a r e b e i n g f e l l e d f o r timber.

Neisosperma groves

Medium-sized t r e e s of Neisosperma (= O c h r o s i a ) o p p o s i t i f o l i a form a narrow b u t e x t e n s i v e b e l t between t h e road and t h e c o a s t a l S c a e v o l a s c r u b i n t h e s o u t h e a s t e r n p a r t o f t h e i s l a n d e a s t o f Pav6 Matin ( P l a t e 8 ) . Here, a s w e l l a s elsewhere on t h e i n l a n d s i d e of t h e S c a e v o l a , t h e r e a r e mature t r e e s of G u e t t a r d a s p e c i o s a .

Calophyllum groves

Between Dardanelle and Takamaka t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l d i s c r e t e groves of t a l l C a l o p h y l l u m i n o p h y l l u m t r e e s ( P l a t e 71, presumably a r e l i c t o f t h e indigenous woodland of t h e i s l a n d . These form a dense canopy, and no o t h e r p l a n t s a r e found i n t h e h e a v i l y shaded a r e a beneath.

The t r e e s a r e a b o u t 25 m t a l l . Other b r o a d l e a f g r o v e s

I n t h e western p a r t o f t h e i s l a n d t h e r e a r e o c c a s i o n a l s m a l l groves, o f t e n o f 2-3 t r e e s , o f C o r d i a subcordata

,

B a r r i n g t o n i a a s i a t i c a ( P l a t e 6)

,

G u e t t a r d a s p e c i o s a and P i s o n i a g r a n d i s . The Cordia and B a r r i n g t o n i a t r e e s a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y l a r g e ; t h e l a t t e r i s i n t r o d u c e d .

Coconut woodland

Over most o f t h e i s l a n d t h e woodland canopy i s 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 s p e r s e d w i t h f r e q u e n t t a l l b u t i s o l a t e d

t r e e s o f Casuarina l i t o r e a . An i n t e r m e d i a t e t r e e s t o r e y comprises t r e e s 5-15 m t a l l of j u v e n i l e C a s u a r i n a , Morinda c i t r i f o l i a , P i p t u r u s a r g e n t e u s , and Leucaena l e u c o c e p h a l a , though t h e s e a r e l a r g e l y r e p l a c e d i n t h e a r e a s of phosphate rock by Carica papaya.

The ground l a y e r of h e r b s and g r a s s e s i s l u x u r i a n t and v a r i a b l e ( P l a t e 1 0 ) . Kalanchoe p i n n a t a i s t h e dominant t a l l h e r b , forming e x t e n s i v e dense s t a n d s up t o 2 m t a l l . There a r e a l s o f r e q u e n t clumps o f t h e f e r n N e p h r o l e p i s b i s e r r a t a 1-2 m t a l l . The most common h e r b s a r e t h o s e t y p i c a l o f I n d i a n Ocean coconut p l a n t a t i o n s : Turnera u l m i f o l i a , P a s s i f l o r a s u b e r o s a , Euphorbia c y a t h o p h o r 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 ,

Bidens p i l o s a , Asystasia b o j e r i , Boerhavia repens, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, S t r i g a a s i a t i c a and Tridax procumbens, with t h e sedges F i m b r i s t y l i s cymosa and Cyperus dubius and t h e g r a s s e s Cenchrus echinatus, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, D i g i t a r i a c i l i a r i s and

E r a g r o s t i s t e n e l l a . There i s one small a r e a with clumps of Panicum maximum 3-4 m t a l l and of Pennisetum polystachyon reaching 2+m.

Achyranthes aspera was c u r i o u s l y n o t recorded i n 1976, nor has it been c o l l e c t e d on D'Arros i n e a r l i e r y e a r s , b u t i t i s almost c e r t a i n l y p r e s e n t .

Other c u l t i v a t e d and decorative p l a n t s

I t w i l l be apparent t h a t most of t h e herbs of t h e coconut woodland a r e introduced weedy s p e c i e s . Much of t h e v e g e t a t i o n near t h e main s e t t l e m e n t s i s a l s o dominated by introduced s p e c i e s of more r e s t r i c t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n . These include massive t r e e s a t the main s e t t l e m e n t of Terminalia catappa and Hernandia sonora, a s well a s Casuarina l i t o r e a , t o g e t h e r with d e c o r a t i v e p l a n t s (Catharanthus roseus, Bougainvillea, Canna, Crinum, Hymenocallis) and food p l a n t s (Musa sapientum, Solanum nigrum, Moringa o l e i f e r a , Ricinus communis, Carica papaya, Vanilla mexicana

,

Cucurbi t a p e p , Capsicum f r u t e s c e n s

.

Coppinger (1885, 221 noted t h a t "many introduced p l a n t s

-

such a s papaws, c o t t o n , pumpkin, e t c .

-

were growing i n a neglected s t a t e over t h e i s l a n d " .

Flora

Gwynne and Wood (1969) i n t h e only previously r e p o r t e d c o l l e c t i o n of p l a n t s from D'Arros record 42 s p e c i e s , based on t h e 53 numbers c o l l e c t e d i n 1967 ( t h e s e included Cynodon dactylon L . , n o t l i s t e d i n t h e i r p u b l i c a t i o n ) . 50 numbers were c o l l e c t e d i n 1976 and

determinations a r e l i s t e d by F.R. Fosberg i n the following s e c t i o n of t h i s r e p o r t . With s i g h t records, t h e recorded f l o r a of D'Arros i s now 69 s p e c i e s , including two sea-grasses; t h i s compares with 60 s p e c i e s f o r Desroches and 58 f o r Remire, t h e only o t h e r i s l a n d s of a s i m i l a r n a t u r e and with comparable information i n t h e Amirantes.

T e r r e s t r i a l fauna Birds

Birds form t h e most conspicuous element i n t h e land fauna of DIArros. They a r e l i s t e d here i n systematic o r d e r , and some e f f o r t has been made t o i n c o r p o r a t e a l l previously published records i n t h i s account.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus p a c i f i c u s

Noted a s numerous by Parker (1970), though a s a r e s u l t of t h e l e v e l of human a c t i v i t i e s i t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t any s t i l l breed on t h e i s l a n d .

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 s e a 1.6 km north o f D'Arros by Parker (1970); not recorded on e i t h e r D'Arros o r S t . Joseph.

White- t a i l e d Tropicbird P h a e t h o n l e p t u r u s Two b i r d s seen f l y i n g round t h e crown of a coconut palm on 6 A p r i l 1976.

Brown Booby S u l a l e u c o g a s t e r

L i s t e d by Ridgway (1895) on t h e b a s i s of t h r e e specimens c o l l e c t e d by Abbott on 30 August 1892; no subsequent record.

Red-footed Booby S u l a s u l a

L i s t e d a s S . p i s c a t o r by Ridgway (1895); t h e r e i s no subsequent record.

Greater and Lesser F r i g a t e b i r d s F r e g a t a m i n o r , F . a r i e l F r i g a t e s a r e recorded i n s i g h t i n g s by Parker (1970). Up t o 500 b i r d s were seen over t h e north end of DIArros on 7 A p r i l 1976. These a r e undoubtedly non-breeding b i r d s which range widely from t h e i r main n e s t i n g s i t e on Aldabra between November and J u l y (Penny 1974). The l a c k o f s u i t a b l e n e s t i n g s i t e s and t h e p r e s s u r e of human a c t i v i t i e s make it u n l i k e l y 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 t h e comments under t h i s s p e c i e s on S t . Joseph A t o l l . Ridgway (1895) l i s t s B . a t r i c a p i l l a .

Grey Heron A r d e a c i n e r e a

Seen r o o s t i n g along t h e ' s h o r e l i n e of D1Arros i n 1976.

C a t t l e Egret Bubulcus i b i s

Reported by Watson e t a l . (1963), and l i s t e d a s B. b u b u l a u s . by Ridgway (1895)

.

Grey F r a n c o l i n F r a n c o l i n u s 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 I s l a n d a " p a r t r i d g e

...

i d e n t i c a l with t h a t a l r e a d y s e e n a t Eagle and Darros Islands"; t h i s "small red-legged p a r t r i d g e " , s t i l l common a t Desroches, must b e t h i s s p e c i e s , introduced on s e v e r a l of t h e Amirantes. I t was l i s t e d without i d e n t i f i c a t i o n by Ridgway (1895), b u t t h e r e is no o t h e r record of i t s occurrence on D'Arros.

Turns tone

A r e n a r i a i n t e r p r e s

L i s t e d by Ridgway (18951. Common on DIArros along t h e s h o r e l i n e and i n coconut p l a n t a t i o n s i n A p r i l 1976, b i r d s spending t h e n i g h t i n small p a r t i e s i n t h e c o a s t a l scrub. I n t h e e a r l y morning t h e s e small groups of up t o 20 b i r d s moved about t o g e t h e r i n a closed f l o c k , b u t during t h e morning they broke up i n t o small groups of up t o 6 b i r d s , regrouping a g a i n a t sunset. One male and two females c o l l e c t e d by Parker on 22 September 1967 a r e i n t h e National Museum of Kenya, r e g i s t e r numbers 20924-20926.

Greater Sand Plover

C h a r a d r i u s

1

eschena u l tii

S i g h t record by Parker (1970)

.

Grey Plover

Squa t a r o l a squa t a r o l a

S i g h t record by Parker (1970).

Whimbrel

Numeni u s phaeopus

L i s t e d by Ridgway (1895) and by Watson e t a l . (1963)

.

^Very

common on t h e s h o r e l i n e and i n coconut p l a n t a t i o n s i n 1976, c a l l i n g almost continuously.

Sanderling

C r o c e t h i a a l b a

S i g h t record by Parker (1970)

.

Bridled Tern

S t e r n a a n a e t h e t u s

This s p e c i e s , seen by Parker (19701, i s n o t recorded f o r t h e Amirantes by Watson e t a l . (1963). Penny (1974) r e c o r d s it a s occurring i n t h e Amirantes, and quotes Vesey-FitzGerald a s f i n d i n g n e s t i n g b i r d s on Recif and Cos.moledo. This may be t h e s p e c i e s c o l l e c t e d 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

S i g h t record by Parker (1970). Two b i r d s were seen o f f t h e northern end of DIArros on 7 A p r i l 1976.

White Tern

G y g i s a l b a

Recorded a s very common by Parker (1970). Very common i n 1976 along t h e shore, b u t no n e s t i n g b i r d s 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 b i r d s were observed on DIArros,

7 A p r i l 1976; s e e t h e d i s c u s s i o n under t h i s s p e c i e s i n t h e account of S t . Joseph A t o l 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); r e c o r d e d a s a b r e e d i n g s p e c i e s by Penny

(19741

.

P a r k e r found i t v e r y common ( P a r k e r 1970)

.

Very common i n 1976, and b r e e d i n g f r e e l y . I t i s n o t c l e a r when this s p e c i e s a r r i v e d i n t h e Amirantes, b u t i t was probably i n t r o d u c e d from t h e A f r i c a n mainland (Penny 1974)

.

Madagascar Fody F o u d i a m a d a g a s c a r i e n s i s T h i s s p e c i e s h a s been i n t r o d u c e d i n t o many of t h e i s l a n d s of t h e Amirantes, a f t e r an o r i g i n a l i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e S e y c h e l l e s about 1800.

Parker (19701 found it numerous. P r e s e n t on D'Arros i n 1976, b u t numbers a p p a r e n t l y reduced by t h e p r e s e n c e of t h e House Sparrow.

S e y c h e l l e s Fody F o u d i a s e c h e l l a r u m T h i s s p e c i e s was i n t r o d u c e d i n t o D'Arros by t h e B r i s t o l S e y c h e l l e s Expedition i n 1965, and i t was r e c o r d e d a g a i n t h e r e i n 1968 (Penny 1974)

.

Not seen i n 1976.

R e p t i l e s

Only two r e p t i l e s a r e recorded from D'Arros: t h e Green Gecko Phelsuma m a d a g a s c a r i e n s i s and the s k i n k Mabuia sechellensis (Boulenger 1 9 0 9 ) . The s k i n k was common on houses on D'Arros i n 1976.

I n s e c t s

Only a v e r y s m a l l number of i n s e c t s h a s been r e c o r d e d from D'Arros, mostly c o l l e c t e d by the Percy Sladen T r u s t E x p e d i t i o n i n 1905 (Table 3 ) . Lepidoptera ( 8 s p e c i e s ) and C o l e o p t e r a (6 s p e c i e s ) a r e b e s t

r e p r e s e n t e d . The mosquito A e d e s a e g y p t i ( L . ) , r e c o r d e d a s S t e g o m y i a f a s c i a t a by Theobald (1912), i s v e r y abundant; i t h a s a l s o been

c o l l e c t e d on t h e i s l a n d by M a t t i n g l y 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 e c e n t c l e a r i n g o p e r a t i o n s have reduced t h e i r abundance i n some p a r t s . P i g g o t t (1969, 34) a l s o noted the Long-tailed Mealy Bug P s e u d o c o c c u s a d o n i d u m and the Rhinoceros b e e t l e O r y c t e s

rhinoceros

a s p e s t s o f coconuts. W e c o l l e c t e d t h e p a n t r o p i c a 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 s e t t l e m e n t .

Table 3. I n s e c t s c o l l e c t e d on DtArros

O r t h o p t e r a B o l i v a r 1912, 1924 3 s p e c i e s

Dermaptera Burr 1910 1 s p e c i e s

Neuroptera Needham 1913 1 s p e c i e s

Lepidoptera F l e t c h e r 1910 8 s p e c i e s

Coleoptera Arrow 1922 6 s p e c i e s

Champion 1914 Gebien 1922

Hymenoptera Cameron 1907

F o r e l 1907

3 s p e c i e s D i p t e r a Theobald 1912 3 s p e c i e s

Lamb 1922 S t e i n 1910

Other i n v e r t e b r a t e s

One s p e c i e s o f s p i d e r was recorded by H i r s t (1913).

S e t t l e m e n t and d e v e l o ~ m e n t

Very l i t t l e i s known o f t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e i s l a n d . 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 p o p u l a t i o n o f D'Arros was 11 (Coppinger 1885, 221)

.

M a g i s t r a t e s ' r e p o r t s i n 1905-6 p u 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 J u l y 1906 (A. Tonnet, m s . ) . Census r e p o r t s g i v e t o t a l s o f 56 i n 1931, 57 i n 1947, and 105

i n 1960, w i t h males exceeding females on each occasion.

P i g g o t t (1969, 33) s t a t e s t h a t guano h a s been dug from t h e s u r f a c e of t h e phosphate r o c k , 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) p u t s t h e amount o f guano remaining a t 2200 t o n s , and s u g g e s t s it i s o n l y o f v a l u e f o r l o c a l u s e .

A s a l r e a d y s t a t e d , p l a n t i n g o f coconuts began about 1880 on a commercial b a s i s . I n September 1905 t h e y i e l d o f t h e p l a n t a t i o n s on D'Arros and S t . Joseph was 30,000 n u t s p e r month, and i n J u l y 1906 it was 43,000 n u t s p e r month (A. Tonnet, m s . ) . Both copra and o i l ( t h e 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.

P i g g o t t (1969) took a n o p t i m i s t i c view o f t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e of t h e p l a n t a t i o n s .

I n 1975 t h e l e a s e of t h e i s l a n d was t a k e n o v e r by H . I . H . P r i n c e Chahram P a h l a v i , and it i s now managed by W . Pomeroy and Co. of Mahe.

I n 1976 a n a i r s t r i p was c o n s t r u c t e d a c r o s s t h e c e n t r e o f t h e i s l a n d

( P l a t e 11). There i s

a

good anchorage immediately o p p o s i t e t h e Settlement on t h e n o r t h shore ( P l a t e s 12-19), and during t h e

northwest monsoon p i r o g u e s can he launched from a boathouse on t h e south shore.

References

Arrow, G . J . 1922. Coleoptera, E r o t y l i d a e and Endomychidae from t h e Seychelles, Chagos and Amirantes I s l a n d s . Ann. Mag. n a t . H i s t .

( 9 ) 10: 73-83.

Baker, B.H. 1963. Geology and mineral r e s o u r c e s of t h e Seychelles Archipelago. G e o l . S u r v . Kenya Mem. 3: i - v i i , 1-140.

B e l l , F.J. 1884. Echinodermata. R e p o r 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 v o y a g e o f H .M.S. ' A l e r t ' 1881-2 (lbndon: Trustees of t h e B r i t i s h Museum

(Natural History) ) : 509-512.

Bolivar, I. 1912. Orthoptera: Acrydiidae, Phasgonuridae, G r y l l i d a e . T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 15 (Percy Sladen T r u s t

Expedition Reports, 4 ) : 263-292.

Bolivar, I. 1924. Orthoptera Dictyoptera ( B l a t t i d a e and Mantidae)

,

and supplement t o G r y l l i d a e , of t h e Seychelles and a d j a c e n t i s l a n d s . Ann. Mag.

n a t .

H i s t . (9) 13: 313-359.

Boulenger, G.A. 1909. A l i s t of t h e freshwater f i s h e s , b a t r a c h i a n s , and r e p t i l e s obtained by M r . J. S t a n l e y G a r d i n e r ' s expedition t o t h e Indian Ocean. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 12 (Percy Sladen T r u s t Expedition Reports, 1): 291-300.

Burr, D. 1910. Dermaptera. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 1 4 (Percy Sladen T r u s t Expedition Reports, 3 ) : 123-133.

Cameron, P. 1907. Hymenoptera. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001.

12 (Percy Sladen T r u s t Expedition Reports, 1) : 69-86.

Champion, G.C. 1914. Coleoptera, Curculionidae. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) 2001. 16 (Percy Sladen T r u s t Expedition Reports, 5) :

393-497.

Coppinger, R.W. 1883. C r u i s e o f the " A l e r t " . Four Y e a r s i n

P a t a g o n i a n , P o l y n e s i a n , and Mascarene w a t e r s ( 1 878-82)

.

^London:

W. Swan Sonnenschein. x v i , 256 pp.

F i s h e r , R.L., Engel, C.G. and Hilde, T.W.C. 1968. B a s a l t s dredged from t h e Amirante Ridge, western Indian Ocean. Deep S e a R e s . 15: 521-534.

Fletcher, T.B. 1910. Lepidoptera, exclusive of the Tortricidae and Tineidae, with some remarks on their distribution and means of dispersal amongst the islands of the Indian Ocean. T r a n s . L i n n . s o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Z o o l . 13 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 2) : 265-324.

Forel, A. 1907. Fourmis des Seychelles, Amirantes, Farquhar et Chagos. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Z o o l . 12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1): 91-94.

Froberville, E. de. 1848. Rodrigues, Galega, Les SQchelles, Les Almirantes, etc. In M.A.P. dlAvezac, ed. : I l e s d e 1 ' A f r i q u e ,

3me p a r t i e , I l e s 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 Frsres): 65-114.

Gadow, H. and Gardiner, J.S. 1907. Aves, with some notes on the distribution of the land-birds of the Seychelles. T r a n s . Linn.

S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Z o o l . 12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1) : 103-110.

Gardiner, J.S. and Cooper, C. Forster. 1907. Description of the expedition. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Zool

.

12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1): 1-56, 111-175.

Gebien, H. 1922. Coleoptera, Heteromera: Tenebrionidae. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Z o o l . 18 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 7) : 261-324.

Green, E.E. 1907. Notes on the Coccidae collected by the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to the Indian Ocean: supplemented by a collection received from Mr. R. Dupont, Director of Agriculture, Seychelles. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Zool

.

12 (Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 1) : 197-207.

Gwynne, M.D. and Wood, D. 1969. Plants collected on islands in 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.

Hirst, S. 1913. Second report on the Arachnida

-

the Scorpions, Pedipalpi, and supplementary notes on the Opiliones and

Pseudoscorpiones. T r a n s . L i m . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Zool

.

^{16 (Percy}

Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 5) : 31-37.

Lamb, C.G. 1922. Diptera: Asilidae, Scenopinidae, Dolichopodidae, Pipunculidae, Syrphidae. T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . Lond. ( 2 ) Z o o l . 18

(Percy Sladen Trust Expedition Reports, 7): 326-416.

Matthews, D.H. and Davies, D. 1966. Geophysical studies of the Seychelles Bank. P h i l . T r a n s . R . S o c . Lond. A 259: 227-239.

M a t t i n g l y , P.F. and Brown, E.S. 1955. The mosquitos ( D i p t e r a : C u l i c i d a e ) o f t h e S e y c h e l l e s . B u l l . e n t . R e s . 46: 69-110.

McCosker, J.E. and R a n d a l l , J.E. 1977. Three new s p e c i e s o f Indo- P a c i f i c moray e e l s ( P i s c e s : ~ u r a e n i d a e ) . P r o c . C a l i f . A c a d . S c i .

( 4 ) 41: 161-168.

Miers, E.J. 1884. C r u s t a c e a . R e p o r t on the z o o l o g i c a l collections made i n the ~ n d o - p a c i f i c O c e a n d u r i n g the v o y a g e o f H.M.S.

' A l e r t r 1 8 8 1 - 2 (London: T r u s t e e s o f t h e B r i t i s h Museum ( N a t u r a l History)):: 513-575.

Monro, C.C.A. 1924. On t h e Polychaeta c o l l e c t e d by H.M.S. ' A l e r t ' , 1881-1882. F a m i l i e s Polynoidae, S i g a l i o n i d a e , and Eunicidae.

J . L i n n . S o c . L o n d . , 2001. 36: 37-64.

Monro, C.C.A. 1926. Polychaeta o f t h e ' A l e r t ' Expedition. F a m i l i e s Hesionidae and Nereidae. J . L i n n . S o c . L o n d . , 2001. 36: 311-323.

Moresby, F. 1842. On t h e S e y c h e l l e I s l a n d s . N a u t . Mag. 11: 585-590, 676-682, 739-746.

Needham, J . G . 1913. Neuroptera, Myrmeleonidae from t h e I n d i a n Ocean.

T r a n s . L i n n . S o c . L o n d . ( 2 ) 2001. 1 6 (Percy Sladen T r u s t E x p e d i t i o n R e p o r t s , 5 ) : 243-246.

P a r k e r , I.S.C. 1970. Some o r n i t h o l o g i c a l o b s e r v a t i o n s from t h e western I n d i a n Ocean. A t o l l . R e s . B u l l . 136: 211-220.

Penny, M. 1974. T h e b i r d s o f S e y c h e l l e s a n d t h e o u t l y i n g i s l a n d s . London: C o l l i n s . 160 pp.

P i g g o t t , C . J . 1968. A s o i l survey o f S e y c h e l l e s . 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.

P i g g o t t , C . J . 1969. A r e p o r t on a v i s i t 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:

D i r e c t o r a t e o f Overseas Surveys, M i n i s t r y o f Overseas Development.

v i , 122 pp.

P r i o r , J. 1820. V o y a g e i n the I n d i a n S e a s , i n the N i s u s f r i g a t e , t o the C a p e o f Good Hope, I s l e s o f B o u r b o n , F r a n c e , a n d S e y c h e l l e s ; t o Madras; a n d the I s l e s o f J a v a , S t . P a u l , a n d A m s t e r d a m . D u r i n g the y e a r s 1 8 1 0 a n d 1 8 1 1 . London: S i r R. P h i l l i p . i v , 114 pp.

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R i d l e y , S.O. 1 8 8 4 a . A l c y o n a r i a . R e p o r t o n 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 v o y a g e o f H.M.S. ' A l e r t ' 1881-2 ( L o n d o n : T r u s t e e s o f t h e B r i t i s h Museum

( N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ) : 578-581.

R i d l e y , S.O. 1 8 8 4 b . S p o n g i i d a . R e p o r t on the z o o l o g i c a l c o l l e c t i o n s n n d e i n the I n d o - P a c i f i c Ocean d u r i n g t h e v o y a g e o f H .M.S. ' A l e r t 1881-2 ( L o n d o n : T r u s t e e s o f t h e B r i t i s h Museum ( N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ) ) :

582-630.

S m i t h , E.A. 1 8 8 4 . Molluscs. R e p o r t on t h e z o o l o g i c a l c o l l e c t i o n s n n d e i n the ~ n d o - P a c i f i c Ocean d u r i n g t h e v o y a g e o f H.M.S. ' A l e r t ' 1 8 8 1 - 2 ( L o n d o n : T r u s t e e s o f t h e B r i t i s h Museum ( N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ) :

4 8 7 - 5 0 8 .

S m i t h , J.L.B. 1 9 5 5 . T h e f i s h e s o f t h e f a m i l y P o m a c a n t h i d a e i n t h e w e s t e r n I n d i a n O c e a n . Ann. Mag. n a t . H i s t . ( 1 2 ) 8 : 377-384.

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S t a r c k , W.A. 111. 1 9 6 9 . 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 s u b g e n u s and s p e c i e s o f m i m i c b l e n n y from the w e s t e r n I n d i a n O c e a n . N o t u l a e N a t u r a e , 4 1 9 : 1 - 9 .

S t e i n , P . 1 9 1 0 . D i p t e r a , A n t h o m y i d a e , 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. 1 4 ( 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 ) : 1 4 9 - 1 6 3 .

T e s c h , J . J . 1 9 1 0 . P t e r o p o d a and H e t e r o p o d a . T r a n s .

inn.

S o c . Lond.

( 2 ) Zool. 1 4 ( 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. 1 9 1 2 . 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. 1 9 6 7 . 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 I n d o - P a c i f i c P u f f e r f ishes o f the g e n u s 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 . A c a d . n a t . S c i . P h i l a . 1 1 9 : 5 3 - 7 3 .

Watson, G.E., Z u s i , R.L. and S t o r e r , R.E. 1 9 6 3 . P r e l i m i n a r y f i e l d g u i d e t o the b i r d s o f the I n d i a n O c e a n . 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 I s l a n d . Based on a e r i a l photographs with d e t a i l added from Baker (1963) and

? i g g o 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 a t the northeast point of D'Arros

Plate 5 . Tall Casuarina on the south coast of D'Arros Island

)UBTPOOM q n u o

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 1 4 . L a b o u r e r s ' 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 N e p h r o l e p i s b i s e r r a t a (Sw. S c h o t t

S t o d d a r t 7215 (US)

POTAMOGETONACEAE Syringodiurn i s o e t i f o l i urn (Aschers

.

^{) Dandy}

Gwynne and Wood 1007 (EA)

T h a l a s s o d e n d r o n 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)

C e n c h r u s e c h i n a t u s L

.

Gwynne and Wood 936 (EA)

-

; S t o d d a r t 7157 (US)

-

Cynodon d a c t y l o n (L. P e r s . Gwynne and Wood 1011 (EA)

D a c t y l o c t e n i u m a e g y p t i u m (L. Willd.

Gwynne and Wood 934

-

(EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7161 (US)

-

~ i g i t a r i a c i l i a r i s ( R e t z . ) Koel.

S t o d d a r t 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

E l e u s i n e i n d i c a (L. ) Gaertn.

Gwynne and Wood 925 B (EA)

,

1024 (EA) E r a g r o s t i s t e n e l l a v a r

.

i n s u l a r i s Hubb

.

Gwynne and Wood 925 A (EA)

, 928

^(EA)

L e p t u r u s r e p e n s R. B r .

Gwynne and Wood 926 (EA)

-

L e p t u r u s r e p e n s R . B r

.

^{v a r .} s u b u l a t u s Fosb .?

S t o d d a r t 7188 (US) Panicurn maximum J a c q .

S t o d d a r t 7223 (US)

Pennisetum p o l y s t a c h i o n ( L . ) S c h u l t . S t o d d a r t 7222 (US)

CYPERACEAE Cyperus d u b i u s R o t t b .

M a r i s c u s d u b i u s ( R o t t b

.

⁾ F i s c h e r

w n n e and Wood 1013 ( E A ) ; S t o d d a r t 7158 (US) Cyperus l i g u l a r i s L.

M a r i s c u s l i g u l a r i s (L. Urb.

Gwynne and Wood 960 (EA)

-

; S t o d d a r t 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 s e n s u a u c t .

Gwynne and Wood 924, 1004, 1008, 1009, 1010 ( a l l EA);

- - -

S t o d d a r t 7226 (US), 7163 (US)

PALMAE Cocas n u c i f e r a L.

Gwynne and Wood, s i g h t ; S t o d d a r t , s i g h t

ARACEAE A l o c a s i a m a c r o r r h i z a (L.) S c h o t t

S t o d d a r t 7206 (US)

-

AMARYLLIDACEAE Crinum sp.

S t o d d a r t 7190 (US)

Musa s a p i e n t u m ^{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 .

G w y n n e and Wood 9 4 5 ( E A ) ; 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 .

C a s u a r i n a e q u i s e t i fo l i a L

.

G w y n n e and Wood 1 0 2 6 (EA)

URTICACEAE

L a p o r t e a a e s t u a n s ( L

.

^{C h e w}

F l e u r y a a e s t u a n s ( L . ) M i q .

G w y n n e and Wood

-

9 4 2 ( E A ) ; 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 ) ; G w y n n e

-

and Wood, s i g h t M i r a b i l i s j a l a p a L .

G w y n n e and Wood 9 4 4 A (EA)

- ,

1 0 2 9 (EA) ; S t o d d a r t 7 2 0 8 ( U S )

P i s o n i a g r a n d i s R . B r

.

G w y n n e a n d Wood 931

-

(EA)

, -

9 4 1 (EA)

,

^{9 4 7 B}

-

(EA)

PORTULACACEAE

P o r t u l a c a 01 e r a c e a L

.

Stoddart 7 2 0 0 (US)