Tortuguero Lagoon
Encyclopedia
Laguna Tortuguero Natural Reserve is a natural reservoir
located between the municipalities of Vega Baja
and Manatí
in Puerto Rico
.
The lagoon is one of only two natural reservoirs in the island of Puerto Rico
(the other being Joyuda Lagoon
), and is home to an ample variety of species.
. It contains about 708 million gallons of water. The reserve was designated in 1979 through a program of Coastal Zone Management PR. It is located between the municipalities of Vega Baja and Manatí
. It covers approximately 2.43km2. It is divided into two main parts: in the east and northeast, the Laguna Grande (Big Lagoon in English), and in the south, the Laguna Rica. A swamp located northeast of the pond, El Cabo Caribe (Cape Caribbean in English), includes one of the most important areas of the reserve as a source of nesting and feeding waterflow ecosystem.
Generally, Tortuguero is made up of swamps, marshes, soils of silica sand and hills. Although not a forest, its variety of rare endemic plants and flowers has earned it a place amongst the most important reserves in Puerto Rico, just after El Yunque
, Toro Negro (Black Bull) and the Forest of Maricao
.
Endemic Species:
Exotic Species:
- 144 are rare and endangered.
- 56 live in fine white sands around the lagoon.
- 110 live in organic soils of swamps.
- 37 species are native to America.
All of the above are found exclusively on the Tortuguero Lagoon. There are seven species of insectivorous plants in the area of the lagoon. Two of these are in danger of extinction, which are Drosera and Utricularia capilaris subuleta clesitogama. The rest is divided into:
- 265 are indicators of wetlands
- 132 tree species
- 79 species of sedges
- 78 herbs
- 38 species of ferns
and the Adelaide's Warbler
. In aquatic ecosystems, are aquatic birds such as the Ruddy Duck
, English Coot
and the Cock. As for fish, they are generally abundant but small. The Lagoon is rather a breeding ground for females and a shelter. There are 23 species of fish in the lagoon. Among the native are eel
s, tarpon
, snook
and mackerel bigeye. Among those introduced are the black seabream, bass and tilapia. It also emphasizes the presence of oviparous
fish such as the "guppy" of the Poecilia
genera.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located between the municipalities of Vega Baja
Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Vega Baja is a municipality in north central Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Morovis; east of Manatí; and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 13 wards and Vega Baja Pueblo...
and Manatí
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Manatí is a municipality of Puerto Rico in the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 wards and Manatí Pueblo...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
The lagoon is one of only two natural reservoirs in the island of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(the other being Joyuda Lagoon
Joyuda Lagoon
Laguna Joyuda is a natural reservoir located in the municipality of Cabo Rojo in Puerto Rico.The lagoon is one of only two natural reservoirs in the island of Puerto Rico , and is home to an ample variety of species....
), and is home to an ample variety of species.
General Information
Tortuguero Lagoon Nature Reserve is the only freshwater lagoon in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It contains about 708 million gallons of water. The reserve was designated in 1979 through a program of Coastal Zone Management PR. It is located between the municipalities of Vega Baja and Manatí
Manatí
Manatí may refer to:*Manatí, Puerto Rico*Manatí, Atlántico in Atlantico, Colombia*Manatí, Cuba, a municipality in Las Tunas, CubaManatí is also the Spanish word for manatee.*See also: Special:Allpages/Manatí...
. It covers approximately 2.43km2. It is divided into two main parts: in the east and northeast, the Laguna Grande (Big Lagoon in English), and in the south, the Laguna Rica. A swamp located northeast of the pond, El Cabo Caribe (Cape Caribbean in English), includes one of the most important areas of the reserve as a source of nesting and feeding waterflow ecosystem.
Generally, Tortuguero is made up of swamps, marshes, soils of silica sand and hills. Although not a forest, its variety of rare endemic plants and flowers has earned it a place amongst the most important reserves in Puerto Rico, just after El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as the Luquillo National Forest, and the Caribbean National Forest, is a forest located in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rain forest in the United States...
, Toro Negro (Black Bull) and the Forest of Maricao
Maricao State Forest
Maricao State Forest is located on the island of Puerto Rico, spread through the towns of San Germán, Sabana Grande and Maricao. It is commonly known as only the Monte del Estado, which refers to the mountain of that name located in the forest....
.
Native, Exotic and Endemic Species in the reserve
Native Species:- Eel (genus AnguilaAnguillidaeAnguillidae is a family of fishes that contains the freshwater eels. There are 19 species/subspecies in this family, all in genus Anguilla. They are catadromous, meaning they spend their lives in freshwater rivers, lakes, or estuaries and return to the ocean to spawn...
) - Chad (Elops saurusElops saurusThe ladyfish or ten-pounder, Elops saurus, is a tropical species of ray-finned fish. It is slender and silver in appearance. It is a piscivorous fish with a relatively large gape that it uses to suction-feed....
) - Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalisCommon snookThe common snook is a species of marine fish in the family Centropomidae of the order Perciformes. This species is native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, from southern Florida and Texas...
) - The big-eye scad mackerel or Horse-eye jackHorse-eye jackThe Horse-eye Jack, Caranx latus, is a gamefish and minor commercial fish in the family Carangidae. It is also known as the Big-eye jack, and is similar in appearance to the Crevalle jack, although the head of a Horse-eye jack is not as blunt...
(Caranx latusHorse-eye jackThe Horse-eye Jack, Caranx latus, is a gamefish and minor commercial fish in the family Carangidae. It is also known as the Big-eye jack, and is similar in appearance to the Crevalle jack, although the head of a Horse-eye jack is not as blunt...
)
Endemic Species:
- Reina Mora (Spindalis portoricensis)
- Least GrebeLeast GrebeThe Least Grebe , an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Chile and Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.-Description:The Least Grebe ranges in length from...
(aka Tigua) (Tachybaptus dominicus) - Ruddy DuckRuddy DuckThe Ruddy Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck.Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes and ponds throughout much of North America, and in South America in the Andes. They nest in dense marsh vegetation near water. The female builds her nest out of grass, locating it in tall vegetation to hide it from...
(Oxyura jamaicensis)
Exotic Species:
- CaimanCaimanCaimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. The group is one of two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few...
(Caiman crocodilus) - Black SeabreamBlack seabreamThe Black Seabream is a species of Sparidae fishes. They are recognisable by their oval compressed body and jaws containing 4-6 rows of slender teeth which are larger at the front. They are silvery in colour with blue and pink tinges and broken longitudinal gold lines...
(aka Chopa) (Spondyliosoma cantharus) - TilapiaTilapiaTilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
(Oreochromis urolepis)
Flora
The flora of this reserve is the fourth most important in Puerto Rico. There are 717 species of plants...- 144 are rare and endangered.
- 56 live in fine white sands around the lagoon.
- 110 live in organic soils of swamps.
- 37 species are native to America.
All of the above are found exclusively on the Tortuguero Lagoon. There are seven species of insectivorous plants in the area of the lagoon. Two of these are in danger of extinction, which are Drosera and Utricularia capilaris subuleta clesitogama. The rest is divided into:
- 265 are indicators of wetlands
- 132 tree species
- 79 species of sedges
- 78 herbs
- 38 species of ferns
Fauna
The reserve provides an environment conducive to bird diversity. There have been 83 species of birds identified across the reserve. Of these, 30 are migratory and the rest live in Puerto Rico. Among the residents are the Moorish Queen, Calandria (Icterus Portoricensis)Greater Antillean Oriole
The Greater Antillean Oriole has been split into 4 species in 2010:* Bahama Oriole* Cuban Oriole* Hispaniolan Oriole* Puerto Rican Oriole...
and the Adelaide's Warbler
Adelaide's Warbler
Adelaide's Warbler is a bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico belonging to the Dendroica genus of the Parulidae family. The species is named after Adelaide Swift, daughter of Robert Swift, the person who captured the first specimen.-Description:Dendroica adelaidae was originally...
. In aquatic ecosystems, are aquatic birds such as the Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Duck
The Ruddy Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck.Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes and ponds throughout much of North America, and in South America in the Andes. They nest in dense marsh vegetation near water. The female builds her nest out of grass, locating it in tall vegetation to hide it from...
, English Coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
and the Cock. As for fish, they are generally abundant but small. The Lagoon is rather a breeding ground for females and a shelter. There are 23 species of fish in the lagoon. Among the native are eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
s, tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpons are large fish of the genus Megalops. There are two species of Megalops, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans.They are the only members of the family Megalopidae.- Species and habitats :...
, snook
Common snook
The common snook is a species of marine fish in the family Centropomidae of the order Perciformes. This species is native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, from southern Florida and Texas...
and mackerel bigeye. Among those introduced are the black seabream, bass and tilapia. It also emphasizes the presence of oviparous
Oviparity
Oviparous animals are animals that lay eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, reptiles, all birds, the monotremes, and most insects, some molluscs and arachnids....
fish such as the "guppy" of the Poecilia
Poecilia
Poecilia is a genus of euryhaline brackish water fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. The type species is P. vivipara. Live-bearers, the Poecilia species are collectively known as mollies, with the exception of Endler's livebearer and the famous guppy...
genera.
External links
- Laguna Tortuguero in PR-Frogui.com
- http://www.manati.info/images/tortuguero/laguna_tortuguero.htm in Manatí.info