1. The concept of biodiversity conservation relies primarily on protected areas. Yet, protected areas are influenced by the surrounding anthropogenic matrix as degradation of landscapes used by humans also has negative consequences on species within the adjacent protected, nondegraded ecosystems. Increasing the heterogeneity of the anthropogenic landscape has the potential to promote biodiversity conservation in protected and non-protected sites. 2. To find options for reconciling land use and biodiversity conservation, we evaluated reptile diversity of two areas. Both areas contained three types of habitat: cultivated areas, degraded forest and undegraded forest. In one area (Tsim), a network of hedges surrounding fields provided a variety of possible resources for reptile species. Another area (Andremba) lacked such landscape elements. 3. In 480 survey walks on 48 transects evenly distributed over two areas, we recorded a total of 24 reptile species, of which 18 occurred in both areas. 4. Perennial plant cover explained the variation in local (per transect) species richness best. Species richness was low along field margins in the cultivated area that lacked hedges and had a perennial plant cover below 20%. It was high in undegraded and degraded forest and along hedges in the cultivated area where perennial plant cover was above 40%. 5. Similarities of reptile assemblages were higher between habitat types in the area structurally enriched with hedges, than in the area lacking such enrichment. In the latter area, beta diversity was largely the result of species losses which could result from impeded movement between habitats. 6. Synthesis and applications. A continuous network of hedges and associated trees and shrubs contribute to the maintenance of reptile biodiversity in dry south-western Madagascar. When present, these interconnected landscape elements enhance habitat suitability of the agriculturally used matrix. They also provide habitat for species of conservation concern. High similarity between assemblages in the area with hedges indicated that movement between habitats was facilitated. We conclude that incorporating hedges in pastures contributes not just to the suitability of the matrix, but also enhances landscape connectivity and thus improves biodiversity conservation in the human-used landscape.

We provide an updated molecular phylogenetic analysis of global diversity of typhlopid and xenotyphlopid blindsnakes, adding a set of Madagascan samples and sequences of an additional mitochondrial gene to an existing supermatrix of nuclear and mitochondrial gene segments. Our data suggest monophyly of Madagascan typhlopids, exclusive of introduced Indotyphlops braminus. The Madagascar-endemic typhlopid clade includes two species previously assigned to the genus Lemuriatyphlops (in the subfamily Asiatyphlopinae), which were not each others closest relatives. This contradicts a previous study that described Lemuriatyphlops based on a sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene from a single species and found this species not forming a clade with the other Malagasy species included. Based on our novel phylogenetic assessment we include all species in this endemic typhlopid clade in the genus Madatyphlops and in the subfamily Madatyphlopinae and consider Lemuriatyphlops as junior synonym. Within Madatyphlops, we identify several candidate species. For some of these (those in the M. arenarius complex), our preliminary data suggest sympatric occurrence and morphological differentiation, thus the existence of undescribed species. We also comment on the genus-level classification of several non-Madagascan typhlopids. We suggest that African species included in Madatyphlops (Afrotyphlops calabresii, A. cuneirostris, A. platyrhynchus, and Rhinotyphlops leucocephalus) should not be included in this genus. We furthermore argue that recent claims of Sundatyphlops, Antillotyphlops, and Cubatyphlops being "undiagnosable" or "not monophyletic" were based on errors in tree reconstruction and failure to notice diagnostic characters, and thus regard these three genera as valid.

Aim We studied the gecko genus Ebenavia to reconstruct its colonization history, test for anthropogenic versus natural dispersal out of Madagascar, and correlate divergence date estimates of our phylogeny with geological age estimates of islands in the region.Location Madagascar and surrounding islands of the Western Indian Ocean (Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Pemba). MethodsWe reconstructed the phylogeny of Ebenavia covering its entire geographical range using a molecular data set of three mitochondrial and two nuclear markers. We estimated divergence times based on calibrations using (1) previously calculated mutation rates of mitochondrial markers, (2) a combination of these rates with old or (3) young geological age estimates for some of the islands inhabited by the genus, and (4) an independent data set with fossil outgroup calibration points.Results Ebenavia inunguis, one of two recognized species of the genus, comprises multiple ancient evolutionary lineages. The earliest divergence within this complex (Miocene, 13-20 Ma; 95% credibility interval [CI]: 4-29 Ma) separates the population of the Comoros Islands, excluding Mayotte, from all other lineages. The age estimates for island lineages coincide with the geological age estimates of the islands except for Grand Comoro, where the age of the local clade (3-5 Ma; 95% CI: 2-7 Ma) significantly predates the estimated island age (0Á5 Ma). A clade from north Madagascar + Mayotte + Pemba is estimated to have diverged from an eastern Malagasy clade in the Miocene. Main ConclusionsOur results suggest that Grand Comoro Island is geologically older than previously estimated. The islands of the Comoros and Pemba were probably colonized via natural dispersal out of Madagascar (> 1000 km in the case of Pemba). Mauritius was most likely colonized only recently from eastern Madagascar via human translocation.

West African torrent-frogs of the genus Odontobatrachus currently belong to a single species: Odontobatrachus natator (Boulenger, 1905). Recently, molecular results and biogeographic separation led to the recognition of five Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) thus identifying a species-complex. Based on these insights, morphological analy ses on more than 150 adult specimens, covering the entire distribution of the family and all OTUs, were carried out. Despite strong morphological congruence, combinations of morphological characters made the differentiation of OTUs successful and allowed

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