Monito Island (
English: ''Little Mona'', ) is an uninhabited
island
An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
about northwest of the much larger
Mona Island. ''Monito'' is the
masculine
Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some beh ...
diminutive
A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...
form of ''Mona'' in Spanish, which also translates to ''little monkey'' in Spanish. It is one of three islands in the
Mona Passage
The Mona Passage () is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal.
The Mona Pas ...
, and part of the
Isla de Mona e Islote Monito ''
barrio
''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...
'', a subdivision of the municipality of
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez (, ) is the ninth-largest Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. It was founded as Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez (Township of Virgin of Candelaria, Our Lady of Candelaria), and is also ...
.
It is from the Puerto Rican mainland, and from the island of
Hispaniola
Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
(the coast of the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
).
Description
The island is uninhabited. The high altitude of the island's shoreline makes it inaccessible by sea. ''Monito'' has an area of or , its highest point is , and is barren. The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued migrants off Monito Island. The
Monito gecko is found only on Monito Island.
Gallery
Maps in the Puerto Rico 2010 Census of Population and Housing Page 136.jpg, US 2010 Census map of the two islands off Mayagüez
Banded Coral Shrimp, Monito Island, Puerto Rico.jpg, Banded Coral Shrimp
Green Moray Eel, Monito Island, Puerto Rico.jpg, Green Moray Eel
Monito diver in cave.jpg, Diver in cave
Diver and anemone, Monito Island, Puerto Rico.jpg, Diver and anemone
Diver and old anchor, Monito Island, Puerto Rico.jpg, Diver and old anchor
See also
*
Timeline of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
References
External links
*
Monito Island summary from the ''University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez'' Department of Biology Herbarium
{{Authority control
Uninhabited islands of Puerto Rico
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
National Natural Landmarks in Puerto Rico