S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 33/2. (Budapest, 1980)
FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK XLI (XXXIII). 2. 1980 p. 5-11 Report on the soil zoological and entomological collecting trip to St. Lucia (Antilles) By S. MAHUNKA and L. MAHUNKA-PAPP (Received August 14, 1980) Abstract: A report is given on the aim and work completed by Hungarian zoologists in St. Lucia (Antilles: Windward Is.) between the 7th and 22nd of July, 1980, complete vith a detailed list of localities. The faunal research of South and Central America is indispensable both in the zoogeographical research in the light of modern continent-genetical results and in the verification on recent concepts especially the Gondwana theory. Its importance lies mainly in 1. it is the only continent where the mixing of various elements (Laurasian-Gondwana), their north-south, and south-north migration were not hindered by sea or transversally running high mountainous region, and there was a possibility "to evade" the climatic belts owing to the high mountains running parallel with the migration direction; 2. its southern part, which by the intermediation of the sub-Antarctic islands is in affinity partly with the Antarctls and partly with Australia (though the connection with New Zealand is equally important), and consequently on the basis of faunal relations, the old-time connection of these lands may be proved or disproved . The interest of Hungarian zoologists and especially of the soil zoologists in these problems and the fauna living there has a long standing: activities of the Hungarian Soil Zoological Expeditions (ANDRÁSSY, BALOGH, LOKSA, MAHUNKA and ZICSI, 1966; BALOGH, MAHUNKA and ZICSI, 1967) and several results published since. Besides these important work has been carried out by others too, thus the fauna of the continent with its adjoining areas belonging to this faunal region has become better known, still there are large unknown terrains . The principal aim of our research is in order to be able to give a good synthesis of fauna genesis restricted to certain soil animal groups of this region, to be become acquainted with the fauna of the Antilles. Exhaustive collectings have only be done in Cuba, sporadic data are known from Dominica and Martinique, while from the other islands we know next to nothing. Obviously, for quite some time we have been planning a collecting trip to one of the southern islands of the Antilles. In our preliminary plans several points had to be considered, finally the travelling facilities, local conditions: primarily the least disturbed nature as well as the reconciliation of other factors made us to decide for St. Lucia. Owing to some difficulty in obtaing the visa in 1979 I could not reach our destination, but in 1980 by the help of the authorities in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, the Ministry of Culture, the National Scholarship Council and by the support of the Museum D'Histoire Naturelle (Geneva) through the understanding of dr. B. HA USER department head of the Arthropoda Section. St. Lucia in the Lesser Antilles belongs to the Windward Islands in the southern^ parts, lying between the islands of Martinique and St. Vincent under the coordinates of 61°05' -61 52' and
