Madagascan Species Research Articles

A new species of Leptomenes Giordani Soika from Uganda (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae).

Leptomenes Giordani Soika, 1939 is an Afrotropical genus of small-sized potter wasps, presently comprising eight species in continental Africa and another three species in Madagascar. The continental species are mainly distributed in eastern Central Africa, but some species reach Kwazulu-Natal in the south and Senegal in the west (Carpenter et al. 2010).

The Management of Forest and Deforestation, Mitigation, and Adaptation of Climate Change in Madagascar

Madagascar is on the first conservation priority for high rates of deforestation and endemism. Deforestation has been extensive, but the impacts of forest loss on biodiversity have not been well quantified. Deforestation is a phenomenon contributor to species, biodiversity’s extinction, and the disappearing of tropical forest accelerates the rate of destruction and accelerates climate change degradation. Madagascar’s forests and its biodiversity are considered as one of the most biologically rich and unique in the world, but due to this deforestation, the endemic species and biodiversity of Madagascar are endangered and indeed, this phenomenon has changed Madagascar the green Island into the red Island. The aim of this paper is to highlight what Madagascar needs, what the country has and what are the barriers to mitigate deforestation and how is the impact of climate change. The findings of this study show that Madagascar has a total land area of 59,199,127 ha; in 2010, the country has 4,628,241 ha of primary forest with 16,450,024 of tree cover. However, this statistic continues to decrease gradually in 2018 represented by 4,060,522 ha of primary forest, and has lost 567,719 ha of its forest; only 13,772,127 ha of tree cover has been registered. It is as well stated that apart from the lack of funding, timber logging and fuel wood, the ancestral practices are locally known as “Tavy” which is the most destructor of primary forest in Madagascar. This phenomenal calamity led to extinct thousands of Madagascar species and its biodiversity, and contributes to increasing the heat of this planet and one of the responsible for the acceleration of climate change. This paper illustrates how Madagascar adapts to the impacts of climate change and how the country contributes to its commitment to the Paris Agreement.

Occupancy Modeling Reveals Interspecific Variation in Habitat Use and Negative Effects of Dogs on Lemur Populations

Effective, targeted management and conservation plans for wildlife populations require reliable population sampling and estimation. Unfortunately, robust, comprehensive primate population estimates are often lacking, particularly for rare, elusive species. Historically, population estimates of primates have relied on labor-intensive line-transect sampling and distance estimation techniques. We used occupancy sampling to estimate the probability of occupancy and detection of seven lemur species in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, and explore relationships between occupancy and detection and landscape, habitat, and co-occurring species variables. We detected and provide estimates of occupancy and/or detection for seven lemur species in a World Heritage Site: Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We found habitat type was an important variable explaining occupancy patterns for detection of golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), as well as red bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) and black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata). The presence of free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) was an important factor in several competing models for red-bellied lemurs and eastern lesser bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur griseus), highlighting the threat posed by this exotic predator to primates. While some estimates had error values overlapping zero, reflecting the rarity and low detection of these species, these results indicate the importance of protecting multiple forest types to maintain lemur biodiversity and the underappreciated conservation threat of invasive species in Madagascar.

Poverty not taste drives the consumption of protected species in Madagascar

Bushmeat consumption in Madagascar is increasingly acknowledged as one of the major threats to its wild vertebrates. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the drivers of the consumption of protected versus legally huntable wild species, or examined its variance across Madagascar’s protected and unprotected areas. This research provides a novel study of the consumption of protected, unprotected, and fish/eel species between forest types (deciduous and rainforest), as well as across a gradient of protected habitat (National Park, Reserve, Unprotected). Members of 1750 households were interviewed across four regions, including two national parks, two reserves, and two unprotected forests. Household demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and geographic variables were explored as possible predictors of bushmeat consumption. We found that poorer households reported consuming greater quantities of protected species whereas wealthier households reported consuming greater quantities of fish and eel. Households located inside Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar’s most visited protected area, reported consuming the greatest quantities of protected species. Interviewees’ most favoured meat was from livestock, and fish. The consumption pattern of wild species reflected interviewees’ stated preference for species that are either unlisted (e.g. tilapia fish) under Malagasy species protection laws, classified as pest (e.g. bushpig) and/or game species (e.g. tenrec). Most protected species (such as lemurs and carnivorans) were interviewees’ least favoured wild meats. Given the lack of cultural affinity, and low preference for the consumption of most protected species, our results suggest that improving accessibility to domestic meat is a promising strategy for reducing the consumption of protected species.

Signal and reward in wild fleshy fruits: Does fruit scent predict nutrient content?

Plant species with fleshy fruits offer animals rewards such as sugar, protein, and fat, to feed on their fruits and disperse their seeds. They have also evolved visual and olfactory signals indicating their presence and ripeness.In some systems, fruit color serves as a reliable visual signal of nutrient content. Yet even though many volatile chemicals used as olfactory signals derive from nutrients animals seek, it is still unknown whether fruit scent encodes information regarding nutrient content in wild fruits.We examine the relationship between olfactory signals and nutrient rewards in 28 fruiting plant species in Madagascar. We measured the relative amounts of four chemical classes in fruit scent using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, as well as the relative amounts of sugar and protein in fruit pulp.We found that protein levels are not associated with elevated amounts of chemically related volatile compounds in fruit scent. In contrast, sugar content is strongly associated with the chemical composition of fruit scent.To our knowledge, this is the first research to explore the connection between fruit chemical signals and nutrient rewards. Our results imply that in the case of sugar, fruit scent is predictive of nutrient content and hence an honest signal.

Nutritive value of raketamena (Opuntia stricta) as a fodder in Madagascar

Raketamena [Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.] is considered a major invasive species in Madagascar. Problems related to this species include its invasiveness, losses to livestock, and health problems for humans consuming the fruits. Ideally, raketamena could be replaced by other, non-invasive cactus species. It is important, however, to identify potential ways to utilize raketamena in order to generate income for the local population during this replacement process. We collected fruit, cladode (mother and others), and root samples of raketamena in southern Madagascar in order to analyze its nutritive value and potential utilization as fodder. Samples were collected from five different plants and sun-dried. Plant components (cladodes from top 2/3 of the plant, mother-cladodes, fruits, and roots) were immersed (or not) in a hot-water treatment (60°C for 12 h). Samples were analyzed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), C, δ15N, and δ13C. On a dry-matter basis, roots represented 27% of total plant biomass, whereas cladodes represented 47% and fruits 26%. Roots and mother-cladodes presented 70.2 and 56.6% NDF and 45.7 and 34.8% ADF, respectively; both being potential fiber sources to supplement cactus diets. Cladodes had 39.7% NDF and 5.9% CP. Fruits presented a higher CP concentration (8.1%) and NDF of 67.6%. In general, immersion in heated water did not affect nutritive value, except for mature fruits. Preliminary results indicate the potential use of raketamena as fodder; however, further investigation to assess the performance of live animals feeding on raketamena is essential before any recommendation is made. Lessons learned on raketamena utilization will guide future programs for utilization of this species as a fodder in Madagascar.

Two new species of Amanitasect.Phalloideae from Africa, one of which is devoid of amatoxins and phallotoxins.

Two new species of Amanitasect.Phalloideae are described from tropical Africa (incl. Madagascar) based on both morphological and molecular (DNA sequence) data. Amanitabweyeyensissp. nov. was collected, associated with Eucalyptus, in Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. It is consumed by local people and chemical analyses showed the absence of amatoxins and phallotoxins in the basidiomata. Surprisingly, molecular analysis performed on the same specimens nevertheless demonstrated the presence of the gene sequence encoding for the phallotoxin phallacidin (PHA gene, member of the MSDIN family). The second species, Amanitaharkonenianasp. nov. was collected in Tanzania and Madagascar. It is also characterised by a complete PHA gene sequence and is suspected to be deadly poisonous. Both species clustered together in a well-supported terminal clade in multilocus phylogenetic inferences (including nuclear ribosomal partial LSU and ITS-5.8S, partial tef1-α, rpb2 and β-tubulin genes), considered either individually or concatenated. This, along with the occurrence of other species in sub-Saharan Africa and their phylogenetic relationships, are briefly discussed. Macro- and microscopic descriptions, as well as pictures and line drawings, are presented for both species. An identification key to the African and Madagascan species of Amanitasect.Phalloideae is provided. The differences between the two new species and the closest Phalloideae species are discussed.

Aspects of the nomenclature of four names in Kalanchoe Adans. (Crassulaceae): Kalanchoe rosea C.B.Clarke, K. bouvieri Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier, K. rosei Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier, and K. rosea A.Chev.

Aspects of the nomenclature of Kalanchoe rosea C.B.Clarke (1889), K. bouvieri Raym.- Hamet & H.Perrier (1912), K. rosei Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier (1914), and K. rosea A.Chev. (1920) (Crassulaceae) are discussed and clarified. We argue that Kalanchoe rosea C.B.Clarke is a little known Indian species and that the name is not of unresolved application; that K. rosea A.Chev. (1920) that was published for a North African species is of unresolved application; and that the two validly published names K. bouvieri and K. rosei apply to the same Madagascan species, with the latter being a heterotypic synonym of the former. The name Kalanchoe rosea C.B.Clarke is lecto- and epitypified, and we show that the conditions for valid publication were met in the protologue of the later homonym K. rosea A.Chev.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on Kalanchoe millotii Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier and the cultivar Kalanchoe ‘Fern Leaf’ (Crassulaceae)

The taxonomy of, and nomenclature applicable to, Kalanchoe millotii Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier (Crassulaceae) are discussed with special reference to the typification of this name. A previous claim that the name has a holotype is incorrect. The name K. millotii is [second-step] lectotypified on a specimen, [J.M.H.A.] Perrier [de la Bâthie] 11789, barcode P P00374225, held in Herb. P. An amplified description is provided for this distinctive Madagascan species. The early history of the cultivar Kalanchoe ‘Fern Leaf’ is also discussed and clarified. This cultivar was selected from hybrid offspring raised at Hummel's Exotic Gardens of southern California; the parent stock was given as K. beharensis Drake and K. millotii.

Phloroglucinols from the Roots of Garcinia dauphinensis and Their Antiproliferative and Antiplasmodial Activities.

Garcinia dauphinensis is a previously uninvestigated endemic plant species of Madagascar. The new phloroglucinols dauphinols A-F and 3'-methylhyperjovoinol B (1-7) and six known phloroglucinols (8-13) together with tocotrienol 14 and the three triterpenoids 15-17 were isolated from an ethanolic extract of G. dauphinensis roots using various chromatographic techniques. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by NMR, MS, optical rotation, and ECD data. Theoretical ECD spectra and specific rotations for 2 were calculated and compared to experimental data in order to assign its absolute configuration. Among the compounds tested, 1 showed the most promising growth inhibitory activity against A2870 ovarian cancer cells, with IC50 = 4.5 ± 0.9 μM, while 2 had good antiplasmodial activity against the Dd2 drug-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum, with IC50 = 0.8 ± 0.1 μM.

Two species previously placed in Euconnus s. str. belong in the endemic Madagascan subgenus Glabriconnus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

Abstract The Madagascan species Euconnus andringitrae Franz, 1986 and E. berentyensis Franz, 1986 are redescribed and transferred from Euconnus s. str. to the subgenus Glabriconnus Jałoszyński, 2016. They share with E. (Glabriconnus) aterrimus Franz, 1986 the evenly convex frons and vertex, and lack of a pair of diffuse longitudinal carinae (present in all remaining species of Glabriconnus), and with E. (Glabriconnus) andranomenaus Jałoszyński, 2016 the presence of two distinct hypomeral grooves (one variously distinct groove in remaining Glabriconnus species). The unique character for Euconnus andringitrae and E. berentyensis is the transverse antebasal groove connecting a pair of lateral pits, which was not previously known in any other Glabriconnus. Consequently, the diagnosis of Glabriconnus is here emended to include a considerable variability in pronotal structures. The distribution of Glabriconnus in Madagascar is summarized.

Performance of multi-trait genomic selection for Eucalyptus robusta breeding program

In forest tree genetic improvement, multi-trait genomic selection (GS) may have advantages in improving the accuracy of the genotype estimation and shortening selection cycles. For the breeding of Eucalyptus robusta, one of the most exotic planted species in Madagascar, volume at 49 months (V49), total lignin (TL), and holo-cellulose (Holo) were considered. For GS, 2919 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were used with the genomic best linear unbiased predictor (GBLUP) method, which was as efficient as the reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) and elastic net methods (EN), but more adapted to multi-trait modeling. The efficiency of individual I model, including the genomic data, was much higher than the provenance effect P model. For example, with V49, mean goodness-of-fit was: rI_Full = 0.79, rP_Full = 0.37 for I and P, respectively. The prediction accuracies using the cross-validation procedure were lower for V49: rI = 0.29 rP = 0.28. The genetic gains resulting from the indexes associating (V49, TL) and (V49, Holo) were higher using I than for the P model; for V49, the relative genetic gain was 37 and 20%, respectively, with 5% of selection intensity. The single-trait approach was as efficient as the multi-trait approach given the weak correlations between V49 and TL or Holo. The I model also brings greater diversity: for V49 the number of provenances represented in a selected population was two and three with the P model, and 6 and 16 with the I model.

Typification of the name Bryophyllum prolifera Bowie ex Hook., basionym of Kalanchoe prolifera (Bowie ex Hook.) Raym.-Hamet (Crassulaceae)

The lectotypification of the name Bryophyllum prolifera Bowie ex Hook., basionym of Kalanchoe prolifera (Bowie ex Hook.) Raym.-Hamet, with a specimen (Hort. Kew, 1857, Madagascar, s.c. s.n. (K K000232802) held at the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K) is clarified. Previous efforts to typify the name have not been effective. This Madagascan species has been introduced to most tropical parts of the world where it often became naturalised.

Nomenclatural notes onKalanchoe pinnata(Lam.) Pers. (Crassulaceae)

Summary: The homotypic nomenclature of the name Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. (Crassulaceae), a Madagascan species widely naturalised in mild-climate parts of the world, is clarified. Four years before Lamarck in 1786 published the basionym, Cotyledon pinnata, of Persoon's combination, Linnaeus [filius], in 1782, published the name Crassula pinnata L.f. We show that the name Crassula pinnata, which is sometimes incorrectly cited as the basionym of Persoon's combination, is of unresolved application.

Insights into an endemic medicinal plant species of Madagascar and Comoros: The case of Famelona (Chrysophyllum boivinianum (Pierre) Baehni, Sapotaceae family)

Chrysophyllum boivinianum (Pierre) Baehni is an endemic plant of Madagascar and Comoros. In Madagascar, it is known by the local name “famelona”. The wood of C. boivinianum is exploited for carpentry as material for building houses and ships. Its leaves are used in traditional medicine to treat fever, muscle pain and scorpion bites as well as to heal wounds. In Madagascar, it is widely used by the local population to treat many diseases. Thus, a deeper assessment of its valorisation strategy is becoming ever more crucial. The objective of this study was to determine the phenolic and organic compounds in the leaves and stems of C. boivinianum in relation to their biological activities and local uses. Solvents composed of methanol, water and chloridric acid were used for leaf and stem extractions. The two extracts were then compared with leaf infusions and stem decoctions by spectrophotometric and chromatographic analysis in order to determine phytochemical composition, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The results showed that the leaf extracts contained the highest amount of total polyphenolic compounds (TPC) (805.16 ± 1.08 mgGAE/100 gDW), followed by leaf infusions at 477.87 ± 38.49 mgGAE/100 gDW. The stem extracts and stem decoctions had lower TPC than did the leaf extracts, with 249.12 ± 7.11 mgGAE/100 gDW and 191.66 ± 14.88 mgGAE/100 gDW, respectively. The leaf infusions showed much higher antioxidant activity (49.67 ± 0.45 mmol Fe2+/kgDW) than did leaf extracts (27.60 ± 0.32 mmol Fe2+/kgDW). This activity was influenced by high amounts of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, at 217.08 ± 2.89 mgGAE/100 gDW and 13.02 ± 0.15 mgGAE/100 gDW, respectively. The leaf infusions were also rich in gallic acid (15.19 ± 1.63 mgGAE/100 gDW). The stem extracts and stem decoctions also had lower antioxidant activity, at 19.86 ± 7.35 mmol Fe2+/kgDW and 12.53 ± 0.15 mmol Fe2+/kgDW, respectively. The leaves of C. boivinianum showed a higher content of bioactive compounds than the stems, and the infusions represented the best method for extracting biomolecules with high amounts of healthy properties and antioxidant activity. Regarding antimicrobial activities, leaf extracts had higher antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhii, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans than did stem extracts. This activity was influenced by the high rates of polyphenols in the leaves.

MADA: Malagasy Animal trait Data Archive.

Species are characterized by their behavioral, physiological, and ecological attributes, which determine their role in ecosystems. In turn, ecosystems and their functions are defined by the species that inhabit them. Thus, evaluating the functional diversity and distributions of species is of utmost importance to studies of biogeography, community ecology, macroevolution, and conservation. The functional diversity of species are determined by traits such as diet, foraging strata, trophic level, activity cycle, litter size, generation length, habitat breadth, and body mass. While there has been a recent growth of information regarding the vertebrate taxa of Madagascar, this information is not always easy to access (non-digitized), and is often fragmented by taxon, location, trait, or combinations thereof. Here, we present the Malagasy Animal trait Data Archive (MADA), a compilation of these and other functional traits, representing the ecological and geographical diversity of all 214 extant mammal and 242 bird species of Madagascar. Data were collected from extensive literature reviews. This Archive is currently limited by select cases of missing data, errors, and uncertainty in the literature; however, it represents the most comprehensive collection of functional trait data of Malagasy mammals and birds to date. The structure of the database allows for different levels of information (and specificity) in each entry and organization by taxon, range, bioclimate, and trait. MADA will be continuously updated as new data become available. Potential uses of MADA include ecological research on the trait or trophic structure of communities, inquiries regarding the mechanisms of community assembly, comparative studies of functionally (dis)similar species, and conservation efforts concerned with the loss of ecosystem function. Madagascar is simultaneously home to one of the most exclusive, diverse, and endangered faunas of the world, making MADA a uniquely valuable resource for biodiversity science and conservation. No copyright restrictions are associated with this dataset. We would appreciate that researchers cite this paper if using all or part of the datasets.

Madagaphes gen. nov. for Madagascan species misplaced in Stenichnaphes Franz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

AbstractExamination of Madagascan species placed in Stenichnaphes (Scydmaeninae) revealed remarkable differences in thoracic and male genital structures in relation to the type species of this genus, described from New Zealand. Results of comparative study of similar glandulariine genera (all sharing the submentum laterally demarcated by sutures) strongly support a separate placement of the Madagascan species: Madagaphes gen. nov. is proposed, resulting in Madagaphes madagassicus (Franz) comb. nov. (type species of Madagaphes), Madagaphes sakarahanus (Franz) comb. nov. and Madagaphes similis (Franz) comb. nov. All these species are redescribed to facilitate identifications.

The genus Opisthacanthus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Hormuridae), a remarkable Gondwanian group of scorpions

New comments are proposed on the geographic distribution of genus Opisthacanthus, and the Gondwanian model is further supported. The diversity of the genus is extraordinary in Madagascar, with the same number of species as in continental Africa, but sub-Saharan Africa is home to six out of the nine groups currently recognized of Opisthacanthus. Given the affinities of the Opisthacanthus groups and their current distribution, a center of origin in Africa could be favored for these ancient scorpions. The proposed Gondwana model suggests that the Madagascar Opisthacanthus are closer to those of the New World, which is consistent with the affinities observed in morphological characters. A new species, Opisthacanthus titanus sp. n., is described from the Torotorofotsy Forest, located in Eastern Madagascar. The new species shows affinities with both Opisthacanthus madagascariensis Kraepelin, 1894 known from dry regions in the western portion of the island and Opisthacanthus lavasoa Lourenço, Wilmé & Waeber, 2016 only known from the extreme southeast of the island. The new species and O. madagascariensis have similar external morphologies but the morphometric values are markedly distinct. Moreover, O. madagascariensis is exclusively found in spiny forest thickets and open woodlands, whereas the new species was found in the humid forest of Torotorofotsy. The total number of species in Madagascar is now raised to twelve. Biogeographical scenarios are also proposed to infer the origin of the Opisthacanthus and better understand its distribution in the New World, in Africa and Madagascar.

Evolution of Geosiris (Iridaceae): historical biogeography and plastid-genome evolution in a genus of non-photosynthetic tropical rainforest herbs disjunct across the Indian Ocean

Mycoheterotrophs, i.e. plants that acquire carbon from root-associated soil fungi, often have highly degraded plastomes, reflecting relaxed selective constraints on plastid genes following the loss of photosynthesis. Geosiris Baill. is the only mycoheterotrophic genus in Iridaceae and comprises two species in Madagascar and nearby islands, and a third recently discovered species in north-eastern Australia. Here, we characterise the plastomes of the Australian and one Madagascan species to compare patterns of plastome degradation in relation to autotrophic and other mycoheterotrophic taxa and investigate the evolutionary and biogeographical history of the genus in Iridaceae. Both examined species have lost approximately half their plastid-encoded genes and a small but significant reduction in purifying selection in retained non-photosynthetic genes was observed. Geosiris is confirmed as monophyletic, with initial divergence of the genus occurring c. 53 million years ago, and subsequent diversification occurring c. 30 million years ago. Africa (including Madagascar) is reconstructed as the most likely ancestral area of the genus, implying a major range-expansion event of one lineage to Australia after its divergence in the Oligocene. Our study has highlighted the dynamic evolutionary history of Geosiris, contributed to the characterisation of mycoheterotrophic plastomes, and furthered our understanding of plastome structure and function.

Description of a new species of the genus Tophoderes Dejean (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from east Madagascar, with images of all Madagascan species of the genus

Description of a new species of the genus Tophoderes Dejean (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from east Madagascar, with images of all Madagascan species of the genus