Micronesica was put back on track by the last editor, Dr. Robert Richmond, who, in becoming Director of the Marine Laboratory of U.O.G., has passed the editorship to me. My most important task is to continue rebuilding and fully restore the professional reputation of the journal, and I think that putting the journal back on a regular schedule is a key component of that mission. Micronesica will normally be published in June and December. June issues will go to press in January, December issues in July. You will have noticed that this issue is thin. It could have been thicker had I waited for several manuscripts that are in review or being revised, but I have made a commitment to the deadlines.

A special number will be published in this volume, containing reports from the Micronesican Archeological Conference held at the University of Guam in Sept. 1987.

The journal can only continue to function if you, as authors, have the faith in it to submit your manuscripts. My commitment therefore is not to the journal but to you: to process and publish manuscripts promptly and professionally.

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Available records relating to Nauruan population attributes are critically evaluated to develop a reconstructed population history of this native Micronesian people. Historical evidence consists of documentation of the effects of diseases and modern warfare and more recent behavioral changes traceable to altered economic conditions. Unpredictable and dramatic fluctuations in population characteristics throughout the historic period are revealed, precluding the use of standard population models. Even structural similarities at widely separated time periods are shown to be insufficient evidence of stable population conditions, a cautionary finding for paleodemographers, archaeologists, and others working throughout the Pacific.

Previous botanical research on Puluwat Atoll (Truk, Federated States of Micronesia) indicated a vascular flora of no more than 46 species. A total of 184 vascular species is reported, the majority of which may be classified as new records. Eighty seven species are introduced plants found mainly on inhabited Puluwat Islet. Four other islets are uninhabited and contain fewer native and introduced species than Puluwat Islet. Native species comprise more than 90% of the flora of these latter islets. Most of the locally-named species are either native to the atoll or are culturally useful introduced plants. Twenty eight species are cultivated as food plants most of which are important staples like Colocasia esculenta, Cyrtosperma chamissonis, Artocarpus altilis, A. mariannensis, Musa sp., and Cocos nucifera and are represented by many cultivars. While some cultivars previously recorded are no longer present on the atoll, others are being introduced. The research suggests a high rate of species and cultivar turnover and an erosion of traditional knowledge. The present distribution of species is partly related to islet size, the extent of human habitation and cultivation practices, and environmental modification, particularly during World War II.

Biological control started in the Marianas in 1911. Biocontrol agents have been introduced to control herbivorous insects, weeds, dung, molluscs, livestock pests, mosquitoes, and household pests. In all, 104 species of insects, two predatory mites, three snails, one nematode, and four vertebrates have been intentionally introduced to Guam for the purposes of controlling 41 pest species. Of the insect species, 34 established, 48 did not establish, 5 established temporarily, and the status of the rest is not known. Additional introductions were made to other islands in the Marianas. Among the pests most successfully controlled by biological agents were Achatina fulica, Aleurocanthus spiniferus, Aleurothrixus floccosus, Aspidiotus destructor, Brontispa mariana, B. palauensis, Epilachna vigintisexpunctata philippinensis, Nipaecoccus viridis, Erionota thrax, Penicillaria jocosatrix, and Spodoptera litura. Two weeds, Lantana camara and Chromolaena odorata have been successfully controlled by herbivorous insects. Most attempts at biological control in the Marianas have been transfers of species successfully introduced elsewhere. Most species introduced from temperate climatic zones failed to establish. Species which established on Hawaii, frequently established on Guam as well. Reasons for failure to establish are varied. Against Homopteran pests, 58% of the introduced natural enemies established. The establishment rate against Lepidoptera and Diptera was low.

Sixteen species of reptiles and amphibians are known from Tinian, Mariana Islands and include Bufo marinus, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Gehyra oceanica, G. mutilata, Perochirus ateles, Hemidactylus frenatus, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Nactus pelagicus, Carlia fusca, Emoia caeruleocauda, E. slevini, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus, Lamprolepis smaragdina, Varanus indicus, and Ramphotyphlops braminus. Twelve of these species were found during a field survey in 1984 and 1985. Historic evidence indicates that at least six species have been introduced to the island.

"Taxonomy of Economic Seaweeds with reference to some Pacific and Caribbean species" is a series of Sea Grant -sponsored workshops aimed at reducing the confusion in nomenclature that "remains the single greatest obstacle to progress in Pacific seaweed aquaculture and marine natural products chemistry." Two workshops have been held so far, and a third is planned for autumn 1989.

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The identification and nomenclature of seaweeds in the western tropical Pacific has been hampered by the lack of either a catalog or a handbook. Now, fortunately we have both. Although both books concern the Philippines, they are very relevant to neighboring areas, including Guam and Micronesia.

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Pylopaguropsis Alcock was established for a single IndoPacific species, Pylopaguropsis  magnimanus (Henderson).  A  half  century  later  a  second  lndoPacific  species, Pagurus  zebra (Henderson),  was  transferred  to  the  genus.  With  the addition of Pylopaguropsis  atlantica Wass, described  from the western Atlantic,  the genus as presently constituted  includes only three species. Galapagurus  teevanus Boone, from the  eastern Pacific  is  herein  rediagnosed  and  transferred  to Pylopaguropsis and seven new lndopacific species are described. Illustrations and a key to the species of this genus are presented. 

A sampling  program  was carried  out on coral  populations  from  2 large emergent  Holocene  reef  limestone outcrops  in  the  Mariana  Islands  to  estimate  frequency  distributions  and  sampling variation patterns  in stable isotopes.  At the "whole  rock"  level of sampling and analyses,  both δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O appear to follow unimodal distributions  among  8 genera across both localities,  Guam and  Pagan,  but  the  curves  are  skewed  toward  lighter  or  more  negative  values.  Conversion  to  low Mg-calcite of a small ( < 5%) portion of 18 of the 85 analyzed  specimens appears  to account  for that asymmetry.
Minimum  sampling  error  is estimated  at  ± 0.44/√n for δ¹³C and  ± 0.67/√n for δ¹⁸O (between  samples  within  the  same  colony).  There  is  a  persistent  increase  in  the  experimental  error introduced  as  the  level  of  comparison  changes  from  between  samples  within  the  same  colony  to between samples of different genera from different localities  where the standard errors reach a maximum  of ± 1.46/√n and  ± 1.31/√n for δ¹³C and  δ¹⁸O, respectively.  This  change  translates  to  a parallel  increase  in the minimum  difference  between  stable  isotope  values that could  be detected  at any specific  probability  level.
The  variation  in  isotopic  composition  at different  sampling  levels,  i.e.,  colonies,  genera,  reef localities,  etc.  demands  that the target population  be carefully  defined before sampling.  This should ensure  that  an appropriate  number  of samples  is analyzed  at each  level of comparison. 

Juvenile  siganids  or padas were observed  in abundance  during  the months  of August and September,  1985 and  March  to  May,  1986. They  were  found  to  belong  to  three  species: S.fuscescens  (pino padas) and  S. spinus and  S. argenteus (collectively  called darigayos  padas). They  are caught  by bag nets  in deep  water,  by beach seine  and  fish corral  in shallow  water.
The three species of padas were caught in commercial  quantities  from March to May; however, only  S. fuscescens juveniles  were  caught  in  great  number  from  August  to  September.  The  greater abundance  of the latter species  might be because  of  its year-round  spawning  habit and  its very high fecundity.
The  dates  and  times  of  appearance  of padas seem  to  follow  a  semi-annual  pattern  correlated with a definite phase of the lunar cycle-one to four nights after the last quarter  in S. spinus and S. argenteus, and two to  five nights  after  the  last quarter in S. fuscescens. Padas runs  were observed when  the tidal fluctuations were at  a minimum,  most of  all in May. 

Anthropologist  Richard Feinberg of Kent State University  continues  his  study of  Anutan  culture  and  so-ciety  with  this  latest  and  worthwhile  issuance  on  island seafaring  and  navigation. (I reviewed his Anutan Concepts of Disease: A Polynesian Study in Micronesica 16: 365, 1980.) At the time Oceania  was opened to the awareness of the western world, anthropologists did not yet exist. Most of the early  observers  of  the then pristine  island cultures were untrained, and hence scientific  studies  of  navigation  with  island  outrigger canoes were  not  made. Many  commentaries come down  to us today, but these  are  more  romantic  than scientific,  and they tend to give themselves  over to hyperbole  and laudation. 

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On  the  tropical  islands  in  the  Pacific,  scale  insects are  a  major economic  group.  Still,  few entomologists attempt to collect,  identify, or study them,  particularly the  noneconomic  species,  because  of  perceived  difficulties.  Specimens  must  be  cleared  and  mounted  on slides,  a  time-consuming  process,  and  then  identified using   keys  that  are  difficult  to  acquire  and  which rarely  bother  to  explain  or  illustrate  important  morphological details. The Scale Insects of the Tropical South Pacific Region provides the first, comprehensive treatment on the scales present  in Melanesia  and Polynesia.  In addition,  the  authors  go one  step  further  by attempting  to  produce  a  series  of  books  partly  aimed at  encouraging  non-specialists to identify  and  study scales. To do this, they have provided descriptions  and illustrations of almost all of the species included in the keys,  reference  figures  illustrating  most  of  the  major morphological  characters,  and  keys to  all  genera  and species covered  in the  book.  These  features  will be  a great  aid to non-specialists  as  there  is  nothing  more discouraging  than  being  unable to interpret  a  couplet in a  key  because  of  undefined  vocabulary,  non-illustrated  structures,  or  arriving  at  an  identification  and not  knowing  if  it is correct  because  only  the  name of the species  is given. 

(This is the first paragraph. There is no abstract.)

It is a rare event when a reviewer is both inspired and humbled. Such is my case in this review. After a cumulative 22 month study in the Philippines over an eight year span, Walter  Auffenberg  has  produced  a milestone  autecological analysis of one of the world's least  known vertebrates, Varanus olivaceus. Similar to the depth and intensity that was displayed in his previous opus (Auffenberg, 1981), this latest tome reaches  heights  that  all  biologists  should  strive  to  attain.  Virtually all aspects of the natural history of this fascinating  lizard  are  addressed  and  thoroughly  explored.  Movements,  feeding ecology, intra- and inter-specific behavior, growth,  reproduction, and morphology are broad categories that are exhaustively covered. To accomplish  this,  Auffenberg accumulated a monumental body of data.  For example,  over  100,000 contacts with telemetered individuals yielded information on movements, ranges,  daily activities,  and body temperatures.  Had Auffenberg opted  to do  an autecological  study  in the strict  sense,  the  information garnered would still have been enormous  and exceedingly valuable.  However, he chose to greatly extend the scope of the study. Since these are partially frugivorous lizards, information  was gathered  on  densities  and diversities of  fruiting plants that occurred  in the  region resulting in a considerable body of botanical data from a previously  little  known  region.  An  ontogenetic  shift  from carnivory   as  juveniles   to   frugivory   as   adults   led Auffenberg  to  collect  population  information  on  terrestrial  insects,  decapods,  and  molluscs.  These  baseline  data  were  also  lacking  for  the  region.   Additionally,  extensive  meteorologic  and  topographic  information  was  compiled  since,  again,  few  data  were available.