that is rarely observed due to its habitat preference) although only one specimen has ever been scientifically documented from Trinidad.It is unfortunate to note that although all snakes (with the exception of the potentially dangerous vipers and corals) are protected by law in Trinidad and Tobago, the human population at large is not generally tolerant of snakes, and even harmless snakes found near human dwellings, farms and gardens are often killed on sight. More public awareness is needed to dispel misconceptions about snakes as well as to sensitize the population to the ecological importance of snakes.InvertebratesTrinidad and Tobago are extremely rich in neotropical invertebrate fauna. Several hundred species of butterflies (including the brilliant blue Emperor Butterfly Morpho peleides) and beetles are to be found on the islands, many in the Tropical Forests. Barcant (1970) lists 617 species of butterfly for the 2 islands of which 123 occur on Tobago. The leaf cutter ant (Atta) is easily observed, even in urban environments. Soldier ants may be observed in forested areas. The largest specimens of centipedes may be found particularly in the drier forests of the Northwestern Peninsular of Trinidad (the Chaguaramas Peninsular) as well as the nearby tiny off shore islands. A few species of large tarantulas may be found in forested areas and even in houses at the forest edge. The arthropod life of Trinidad and Tobago has not been well studied and it is an entomologist's paradise waiting to be discovered, with many species remaining undocumented.Large land snails and many species of crustaceans (terrestrial, freshwater and marine) are among the other invertebrates that may be easily observed in Trinidad and Tobago.Marine communitiesTrinidad's western and southern coastal waters are highly influenced by the outflow of freshwater from the adjacent Orinoco River of Venezuela which is less than 8 miles (13 km) away from Trinidad at the closest point. As such, the waters here are fairly low in salinity and high in sediment/nutrient content and relatively shallow. These facts coupled with the highly sheltered nature of the Gulf of Paria and the Columbus Channel respectively, create ideal breeding/spawning grounds for many marine fishes and invertebrates, including shrimp.Various 'sporting' fish are present in the waters of both islands and include huge grouper, marlin, barracuda and dolphin-fish. Fish popularly caught and eaten include carite, kingfish and red snapper.As mentioned in the section above on the reptilian fauna of Trinidad and Tobago, a number of species of marine turtles including the Leather Backed Turtle, the Hawksbill Turtle, the Loggerhead Turtle, the Olive Ridley Turtle and the Green Sea Turtle both live in the waters around and nest on the beaches of both islands.Whales and dolphins were far more common to Trinidad's waters in earlier times, but the very rigorous whaling industry of the 19th century decimated the population of whales in the Gulf of Paria. Today, dolphins may still be regularly observed, particularly off the shore of the northwestern Chaguaramas peninsular. Pilot whales have been observed to beach themselves on a few occasions during the 1990s and a small pod of killer whales were caught in