Andrea L. Baden & Rachel L. Jacobs Stony Brook University
Taxonomic group Total species Endemic species % Endemism
Plants 13,000 11,600 89.2
Mammals 155 144 92.9
Birds 310 181 58.4
Reptiles 384 367 95.6
Amphibians 230 229 99.6
Freshwater fish 164 97 59.1
*Recently extinct species: 45 (including birds, reptiles, and mammals) “The ecological state of being unique to a particular geographic location, such as a specific island…[Endemic species are] only found in that part of the world and nowhere else.” Taxonomic group Total species Endemic species % Endemism
Plants 13,000 11,600 89.2
Mammals 155 144 92.9
Birds 310 181 58.4
Reptiles 384 367 95.6
Amphibians 230 229 99.6
Freshwater fish 164 97 59.1
*Recently extinct species: 45 (including birds, reptiles, and mammals) North & Central America . Phillippenes . California floristic province . Polynesia-Micronesia . Caribbean Islands . Southwest Australia . Madrean Pine Oak Woodlands . Sundaland . Mesoamerica . Wallaceae South America . Western Ghats & Sri Lanka . Atlantic Forest Europe & Central Asia . Cerrado . Caucasus . Chilean winter-Rainfall-Valdivian . Irano-Antalian forests . Mediterranean Basin . Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena . Mtns of Central Asia . Tropical Andes Africa Asia-Pacific . Cape Floristic region . E. Melanesian Islands . E. African coastal forests . Himalaya . Eastern afromontane . Indo-Burma . W. African Guinean forests . Japan . Horn of Africa . Mtns of SW China . Madagascar . New Caledonia . Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany . New Zealand . Succulent Karoo
> 44% of the world’s plant species
> 35% of the world’s terrestrial vertebrates
Cover ~ 1.4% of the earth’s surface . was once 11%, but 88% of that has since been lost
Madagascar contains 1 of 6 major radiations of primates . > 25% of the primates that are alive today
High Mountains
Eastern
Central
Western Domain
Southern Domain
High Mountains . Precipitation ▪ 4,000+ mm ▪ Extremely wet climate . Temperature ▪ Large seasonal variations . Seasonality ▪ No real dry season
Eastern . Precipitation ▪ Up to 4,000 mm ▪ Extremely wet climate ▪ Annual monsoons . Temperature ▪ 25-30°C ▪ 77-86°F . Seasonality ▪ No real dry season
Central . Precipitation ▪ <1,400 mm ▪ Lower precipitation than eastern domain . Temperature ▪ Relatively dry and cooler . Seasonality ▪ Dry from April to November
Western Domain . Precipitation ▪ 500-1,500 mm ▪ Dry climate ▪ North-South gradient . Temperature ▪ High . Seasonality ▪ Dry from April to October
Southern Domain . Precipitation ▪ < 400 mm ▪ Extremely dry climate . Temperatures ▪ Very high temperatures . Seasonality ▪ Long, pronounced dry season
Tropical moist forests
Southern & western Dry forests
Secondary communities (man-made)
Wetlands
Coral reefs Coastal rainforests Elevation: Sea level
"Rooted in sand, washed with salty air, battered by cyclones and bordering lagoons and marshes the coastal forest harbors a very unusual community. The architecture of the forest is similar to the more widespread lowland forest, but the plants here are different: they are salt-tolerant and highly efficient at extracting water and nutrients from, the shallow porous sand beneath them." - Hilardy Bradt
Some of the rarest in Madagascar Comparable in structure to the white sands or blackwater forests of the Amazon basin or the heath forests of southeast Asia.
Examples: forests north of Fort Dauphin and around Antalaha & Sambava
Lowland rainforest Elevation: 0-800 m
Lowland rainforests are the most biologically rich ecosystems in Madagascar. Characterized by warm temperatures, humidity that hovers around 100% year round, more than 2,000 mm (80 inches) of rain annually, and a well developed canopy.
Examples: Masoala (including Nosy Mangabe), Makira, Mananara-Nord
Montane rainforest Elevation: 800-1300 m
Montane rainforest is cooler than lowland rainforest with a lower canopy (18-25 m) and abundant epiphyte growth (especially ferms and orchids), mosses and lichens. Many lemurs and chameleons are found in Madagascar's montane forests.
Examples: Ranomafana, Andasibe-Mantadia , Montagne d' Ambre, Marojejy
Cloud forest / High alt. montane forest Elevation: above 1,300 m
These forests are cool and often enveloped in mist. Trees are typically shorter than those of lowland forest resulting in a less developed canopy at a height of 10 meters or less. The ground may be covered with a thick layer of mosses and lichens and epiphytes like orchids and ferns thrive with the abundance of moisture from the passing fog. Characterized by rapid changes in temperature and humidity.
Examples: Marojejy, Andringitra
High elevation scrub Elevation: above 1300 m
At the high elevations of Madagascar's tallest peaks, forests yield to a mosaic of stunted montane vegetation, lichens, peat bogs, and grasses, and rock exposures. In this zone you can may find orchids and minature palm trees.
Examples: Marojejy, Andringitra
Sambirano (transitional) forest Elevation: 0-1000 m
Sambirano forest is found in the northwestern part of the island and serves as transition between the eastern moist forests and the western dry forests. These forests, especially at low elevations, are highly threatened.
Examples: Lokobe, parts of the Tsarantanana Massif, region around Manangorivo
Dry deciduous forest Elevation: 0-800 m
These seasonal forests are found from northwestern Madagascar south to near Fort Dauphin. While less diverse than their eastern counterparts, the island's dry deciduous forests have high levels of endemicism and many species of lemurs. Deciduous trees lose their leaves during the 6-8 month dry season. When rains return these forests erupt in a sea of bright green leaves.
Examples: Kirindy, Zombitse-Vohibasia, Berenty, Bemaraha
Limestone tsingy formations Elevation: 100-200m
Within the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar you can find the island's limestone pinnacle formations known locally as "tsingy." Because limestone is highly porous, these regions often wave well-developed caves and underground rivers. Similar formations can be found in China and Borneo.
Examples: Ankarana, Bemaraha, Namoroka
Tapia woodlands Elevation: 800-1600 m
Visitors to Isalo will see groves of Tapia trees (Uapaca bojeri). These trees, resistant to the frequent grass fires of the Hauts Plateaux are known locally for their edible fruit and as habitat for a wild silkworm.
Examples: Isalo
Spiny forest Elevation: 0-600 m
Spiny forests (or "spiny desert") are endemic to the arid southern tip of the island. Spiny forests are dominated by plants of the Didiereaceae family, which is unique to Madagascar as are 95% of the species found in this ecosystem. Didiereaceae closely resemble some forms of cacti but are not related. Unlike catci, Didiereaceae species produce small deciduous leaves which are protected by meanacing thorns and spines that grow directly out of the plant's many branches. Madagascar's spiny forests are being rapidly destroyed for use as charcoal and building material.
Examples: Berenty, Bezaha Mahafaly, Ifaty, Cap Sainte Marie
Grasslands of the Hauts Plateaux ("bosaka")
The central of highlands of Madagascar once had significant forest cover but generations of clearing for Zebu cattle and agriculture have left most of the countryside a sea of grass. Lacking roots to anchor the soil, hillsides slide away (locally known as "lavaka") leaving deep red scars across the landscape and eroding massive amounts of topsoil into rivers and streams. In some areas the French planted Eucalyptus and pine plantations to help stem erosion and provide wood for timber.
Examples: Central plateau outside Antananarivo
Palm savanna
In western Madagascar slash-and-burn clearing has left a landscape of grasses and scattered palm trees.
Examples: Region around Isalo
Secondary forest ("Savoka")
Savoka is the local name for the secondary vegetation that grows back after rainforest is cleared and burned. Generally vegetation consists of a limited number of weedy species some of which are exotic. Many plants and animals typically found in primary forests cannot survive in fragmented and disturbed ecosystems.
Examples: Much of the eastern rainforest has been replaced with secondary forest. You will find savoka around most national parks having moist forest.
Western scrublands
Dry deciduous forests in western Madagascar have been burned and replaced with scrub vegetation that is neither attractive nor supports much animal life.
Exmaples: Bemaraha and Morondava, dry scrublands may have scattered surviving baobab trees.
Cactus scrub
In southern Madagascar cleared spiny forest gives way to introduced cacti. In the area around Berenty cactus is some abundant is some areas you would like it a local species.
Lakes, marshes, swamps
Madagascar has many wetland ecosystems including lakes, marshes, swamps and lagoons. Typically found in coastal regions, these habitats support a disproportionate amount of Madagascar's birdlife.
Examples: Lake Alaotra, Bay de baly, Tsimanampetsotsa
Mangrove forests
Madagascar has the largest expanse of mangrove forests in the western Indian Ocean -- more than 300,000 ha. Mangrove forest is found in silt-rich, saline (brackish water) habitats, generally along large river deltas, estuaries, and coastal areas. It is characterized by low tree diversity, almost exclusively mangroves, with a low broken canopy. Mangroves are evergreen trees and shrubs that are well adapted to their salty and swampy habitat by having breathing roots (pneumatophores) that emerge from the oxygen-deficient mud to absorb oxygen.
Examples: Mahajanga, Marovoay
Madagascar has ca. 1,000 km of coral reefs, most of which less polluted than other Indian Ocean reefs: more healthy, more diverse
High latitudinal gradient (1,600 km) allows for large variance in water temperatures, and thus dominant communities
Continental shelf drop-off: rapid in east (patchy fringing reefs), slow/gradual in west (fringing and barrier reefs)
Characteristics ▪ Many reef-building corals (63 genera) ▪ Most fish, corals and other invertebrates (though not endemic) ▪ Loggerheaded, green and hawksbill turtles ▪ Migrating whales (East), whale sharks, seabirds
Example: Islands north off northern Madagascar (Nosy Be and north); area around Fort Dauphin; Masoala; Ifaty region
43,500 ha
Primary montane rainforest . 800-1,200 m
Est. 1991 by Dr. Ranomafana Patricia Wright
High diversity of weevils
>4,000 species of moths
2,000 species of moths found in Ranomafana
>300 species of dung beetles Some specific to particular mammalian species
Landsnails: >685 species Spiders: >470 species Freshwater crayfish: Astacoides, 6 species
Others . Centipedes . Millipedes . Scorpions
1 Familiy: Chamaeleonidae
2/3 world’s chameleons endemic to Madagascar
Includes both the smallest and largest species
Small to mid-size reptiles
Bulging, independently moving eyes
Long, extensile tongue
Feet fixed in grasping position
Prehensile tail Day-active
Solitary
Aggressive . Color change . Aggressive posturing
Opportunistic hunters Proverbs: . “Manaova toy ny dian-tana jerena ny aloha, todihina ny afara” -- "Like the chameleon, one eye on the future, one eye on the past”
. "Mahatsidia vokon' Anjava kely izy fa mafoaka" -- a warning to walk carefully so as not to step on a Brookesia, which would bring great misfortune.
3 Genera: . Odd-nosed chameleons (Calumma) ▪ all species endemic to Madagascar
. Helmeted chameleons (Furcifer) ▪ all but 2 endemic to Mada (two to Comoros)
. Leaf chameleons (Brookesia) Odd-nosed chameleons
Genus Calumma (8+ species) . Horn-nosed chameleon ▪ C. nasuta . Blue-legged chameleon ▪ C. crypticum . Parson’s chameleon ▪ C. parsoni
Helmeted chameleons
Genus Furcifer . Canopy Chameleon ▪ F. willsii . Rainforest Chameleon ▪ F. balteatus Leaf chameleons
Genus Brookesia . Brown Leaf Chameleon ▪ Brookesia superciliaris ▪ Smallest chameleon on earth . Domergue's Leaf Chameleon ▪ Brookesia thieli Why do they CHANGE COLOR?
Primary purpose . Social signalling . Indicator of physical condition
Colors . Dark: anger . Lighter, multi-colored: courtship
Chromatophores (specialized cells) lie in layers under transparent skin . Top layer: yellow & red pigments . Second layer: colorless substance ▪ reflects blue light . Third layer: melanin ▪ determine ‘lightness’ of relfected light
All cells contain pigment in cytoplasm; distribution of pigment = intensity of color
Hyperoliidae Mantellidae Microhylidae Ranidae
Hyperoliidae . Heterixalus . Endemic genus . 11 species . Distributed throughout Madagascar . Active at night
Mantellidae . Mantidactylus . Mantella . Boophis . Laliostoma . Aglyptodactylus . All endemic . Hundreds of species
Mantidactylus . >76 species . Ecologically diverse ▪ Arboreal, scansorial, terrestrial, aquatic ▪ Nocturnal and diurnal . Feed primarily on invertebrates
Mantella . >17 species . Malagasy poison frogs ▪ Skin alkaloids that make them unpalatable and even toxic to predators . Aposematic coloration . Diurnal . Feed on ants and other small arthropods . Large numbers exported in pet trade
Boophis . >50 species . Nocturnal . Arboreal/scansorial . Toe pads and extensive webbing . Restricted to primary rain forests
Aglyptodactylus . 3 species . Cathemeral . Terrestrial . Feed on beetles, spiders, ants, crickets
Laliostoma . 1 species . Nocturnal . Terrestrial . Feed on beetles, spiders, and small frogs
Microhylidae . >45 species . 1/3 of amphibian fauna . Not endemic family . 15% of the world’s microhylids are found on Madagacar . Ecologically diverse ▪ Arboreal, terrestrial, fossorial
Ranidae . 2 species ▪ Hoplobatrachus tigerinus ▪ Limited to northwestern region ▪ Ptychadena mascareniensis ▪ Widely distributed . Not endemic
New species discovered . Mantidactylus paidroa . Described in 2011 . Unique advertisement calls . High divergence in genetic sequences
Madagascar relatively depauperate in birds . 115 of 209 endemic . 36 endemic genera ▪ more unique genera than any African country
Location Species South America 1,200 Asia > 2,500 South Africa 850 Australia 800 Madagascar 258 118 birds catalogued . 30 endemic
Chiroptera Insectivora Rodentia
Chiroptera . 7 families (1 endemic) . 16 genera . 30+ species . 60% endemic species . Megachiroptera ▪ Fruit bats . Microchiroptera ▪ Microbats Megachiroptera . Pteropus rufus ▪ Madagascar flying fox ▪ 500-750 g (1.1-1.7 lbs) ▪ Roosts in colonies up to several thousand Microchiroptera . Myzopoda aurita ▪ Eastern sucker-footed bat ▪ 9-9.5 g (0.2 lbs) ▪ Suction pads for climbing vertical surfaces Microchiroptera . Myotis goudoti ▪ Mouse-eared bat ▪ 5-9 g (0.1-0.2 lbs) ▪ Generally roosts in small colonies Insectivora . Tenrecs are a basal lineage that gave rise to insectivores . ¾ subfamilies endemic to Madagascar . 10 genera . 30+ species Insectivora . Nocturnal . Primarily terrestrial . One aquatic genus . Hibernate 5-6 months/year . Cloaca (common opening for anal and urogenital tracts like birds and reptiles) Spiny tenrecs . Hedge-hog like appearance . 80 g-2 kg (1.8-4.4 kg) . Mostly solitary Furred tenrecs . Aquatic tenrec ▪ Limnogale ▪ 80 g (1.8 lbs) ▪ Nocturnal ▪ Feeds on insect larvae, frogs, shrimp, crayfish
Furred tenrecs . Mole tenrecs ▪ 34 g (0.7 lbs) ▪ Fossorial ▪ Strong forelimbs for digging ▪ Primarily nocturnal ▪ Feeds on insects and worms Furred tenrecs . Shrew tenrecs ▪ Very speciose ▪ 3-40 g (0.1-0.9 lbs) ▪ Cathemeral ▪ Terrestrial/semi-arboreal ▪ Primarily solitary ▪ Feeds on insects, larvae, small vertebrates
Rodentia (Muridae) . 2 subfamilies ▪ Murinae (introduced) ▪ Nesomyinae (endemic) ▪ 24 species ▪ 9 genera Red forest rats (Nesomys) . 125-205 g (0.3-0.5 lbs) . Diurnal . Terrestrial . Feeds on seeds and fallen fruit Tuft-tailed rats (Eliurus) . Most diverse group of rodents . 40-125 g (0.1-0.3 lbs) . Nocturnal . Scansorial . Tail exceeds head and body length
Introduced taxa . Dogs . Cats . Civets
Eupleridae . Mungotictis . Galidictis . Salanoia . Galidia
Mungotictis decemlineata . Narrow-striped mongoose . 400-550 g (0.9-1.2 lbs) . Diurnal . Feeds primarily on insects and their larvae . Family groups (6-8 individuals)
Galidictis grandidieri . Giant-striped mongoose . 1-1.5 kg (2.2-3.3 lbs) . Nocturnal . Feeds primarily on invertebrates . Solitary/pairs
Galidictis fasciata . Broad-striped mongoose . 520-700 g (1.1-1.5 lbs) . Nocturnal . Feeds small rodents, reptiles, and amphibians . Solitary/pairs
Salanoia concolor . Brown-tailed mongoose . 550-750 g (1.2-1.6 lbs) . Diurnal . Feeds on beetle larvae from rotting wood . Solitary/family groups
Galidia elegans . Ring-tailed mongoose . < 1 kg (< 2.2 lbs) . Diurnal . Feeds on small mammals, birds, frogs, reptiles, fish . Pairs/family groups
Eupleridae . Fossa . Eupleres . Cryptoprocta
Fossa fossana . Fanaloka . 1.75-1.9 kg (3.9- 4.2 lbs) . Nocturnal . Feeds on rodents, tenrecs, frogs, crabs . Male and female pairs
Eupleres goudotii . Falanouc . 2.5-4.5 kg (5.5-9.9 lbs) . Nocturnal/crepuscular . Feeds on earthworms . Solitary and small groups
Cryptoprocta ferox . Fossa . 5-10 kg (11-22 lbs) . Cathemeral . Feeds primarily on mammals: rodents, tenrecs, lemurs . Solitary
5 families . Cheirogaleidae . Lemuridae . Lepilemuridae . Indriidae . Daubentoniidae
Allocebus Mirza Phaner
Cheirogaleus Microcebus Microcebus rufus Cheirogaleus medius Brown mouse lemur Fat-tailed dwarf lemur Eulemur Hapalemur Varecia
Lemur Prolemur Eulemur fulvus rufus Eulemur rubriventer Red-fronted brown lemur Red-bellied lemur
Lemur catta Ring-tailed lemur H. griseus Gentle bamboo lemur
Hapalemur aureus Prolemur simus Golden bamboo lemur Greater bamboo lemur Varecia variegata Black-and-white ruffed lemur Lepilemur Lepilemur microdon Indri Avahi Propithecus Avahi laniger Propithecus edwardsi Eastern woolly lemur Milne-Edwards’ sifaka
Daubentonia madagascariensis Aye-aye
Species explosion . 36 to 83 species since 1982
Conservation genetics
Surveys
Behavioral research
~250 mi off coast of Africa
154.4 Ma 120.4 Ma 99.6 Ma 83.5 Ma 67.7 Ma