Cuba: Camagüey, Sierra de Cubitas - The Field Museum

Méndez et al. (1986) reported 173 species of
flowering plants for Cerro Tuabaquey. Rapid ecological
monitoring expeditions, conducted between 1994 and
2002, reported the presence of 150 taxa, 120 of which
had been previously noted by Méndez et al., and 30 that
had not been seen before. This suggests that the plant
formations of this specific location are well conserved
due to adequate management for biodiversity.
USEFUL PLANTS
Some of the plants in the Sierra have a single
recognized use by humans, but most plants have two
or more uses and several species have up to six uses.
There are 241 taxa useful to humans for distinct purposes
(Table 3 and Appendix 2). A management strategy is
needed to conserve this diversity in the area.
Table 3. Economic potential of flowering plants in
Sierra de Cubitas.
Uses Number of taxa
Medicinal 212
Nectar, pollen for bees, honey 145
Timber 144
Food 111
Industrial or handicraft 93
Ornamental 56
TERRESTRIAL AND FLUVIAL MOLLUSKS
Participant/Author: Alina Lomba G.
Conservation targets: Emoda bermudezi, Farcimen
camagueyanum, Liguus fasciatus, Oleacina straminea,
Opisthosiphon greenfieldi, O. banoense, O. obturatum, and
O. evanidum, Macroceramus hendersoni, Alcadia camagueyana,
Cysticopsis naevula, and Steatocoptis bioscai
90 RAPID BIOLOGICAL INVENTORIES INFORME/REPORT NO. 08
INTRODUCTION
Prior to our inventory, previous studies registered
46 terrestrial mollusks in the area of which 26 are local
endemics (Espinosa and Ortea 1999).
METHODS
I detected individuals using direct observation during
the three days of the inventory (16–19 September 2002).
Imaginary transects were defined along roads or trails,
or along slopes at the base of rock walls. I recorded the
presence of live individuals as well as shells observed,
keeping in mind that the timing of the inventory was
very close to winter when the mortality of terrestrial
mollusk populations increases considerably. For the fluvial
mollusks, I sampled the shores of the Máximo Reservoir.
RESULTS
I observed 16 species, of which 2 were new records
for Sierra de Cubitas: Liguus fasciatus (Fig. 4A) and
Steatocoptis bioscai. This elevates the total number
of terrestrial and fluvial mollusk taxa in the Sierra
de Cubitas and adjacent areas to 50 (Appendix 3).
I observed great diversity and mollusk abundance at
every sampled site. The most abundant species were
Caracolus sagemon and Zachrysia trinitaria followed by
Opisthosiphon greenfieldi, O. banoense, O. obturatum,
and O. evanidum, which were also particularly abundant.
Regarding these last four species, I made an important
observation during the inventory. Individuals of the four
species were seen copulating with one another and I was
able to determine that females always have a a pattern
of dark stripes on their shells, while the males have pale
or dark shells without these stripes. This observation
should serve as the starting point of a taxonomic review
of the genus Opisthosiphon.
In Paso de Paredones, I found Steatocoptis
bioscai. This find is significant because it is a new
record for the zone and the species is considered rare.
Its populations are usually very small, usually making
it difficult to locate.