AN INVESTIGATION OF POISONOUS AND VENOMOUS FISHES AT COCOS, GALAPAGOS AND LA PLATA ISLANDS DURING 4 DECEMBER 1952 TO 28 JANUARY 1953

Collections of fish were made at Cocos, Galapagos, and La Plata Islands to determine if species known to be poisonous in the Indo-Pacific and West Indian fauna were present in the intermediate Panamanian faunal belt. The Galapagos area was selected because of the unusual blending of temperate and tropical water currents and the respective fish fauna. Large numbers of puffers were present at Chatham Bay, Cocos and at Tagus Cove, Isabela, Galapagos. Moray eels and red snappers were numerous at La Plata, and sharks were exceedingly abundant at Cocos. Representative collections of fish were taken from many different ecological areas by hook and line, spearing, dynamite blasting, dip net, and rotenone. The specimens were frozen for screening experiments.