Preliminary list of the cetaceans of the southern Caribbean

Students working at the Caribbean Marine Biological Institute (CARMABI) on the island of Curaçao asked the present author to provide them with a list of Cetacea occurring in the Caribbean. Until recently, compiling such a list was of little use as our knowledge concerning the cetaceans in the area was very poor indeed. During the last few years, however, mainly through the studies by D. K. CALDWELL, M. C. CALDWELL and their collaborators on the lesser cetaceans taken by the small whaling industry on the island of St. Vincent, so much information has become available that it may be now useful to publish a preliminary checklist and a selected bibliography. The preliminary character of this publication must be emphasized, however, and the paper must be seen as a short introduction to the subject for the use of local students. In connection with the last mentioned use, in addition to the Latin and English names, the Dutch names of the cetaceans are given. Because of inadequate knowledge, the northern part of the Caribbean (the area between Cuba, Jamaica, the coasts of Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the eastern side of Mexican Yucatán) has not been included.