Describing the smaller majority: integrative taxonomy reveals twenty-six new species of tiny microhylid frogs (genus Stumpffia) from Madagascar

Rakotoarison, Andolalao; Scherz, Mark D.; Glaw, Frank; Köhler, Jörn; Andreone, Franco; Franzen, Michael D.; Glos, Julian; Hawlitschek, Oliver; Jono, Teppei; Mori, Akira; Ndriantsoa, Serge H.; Raminosoa, Noromalala; Riemann, Jana; Rödel, Mark‐Oliver; Rosa, Gonçalo M.; Vieites, David R.; Crottini, Angelica; Vences, Miguel

doi:10.3897/vz.67.e31595

Cited by 48 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Given the narrow geographic range of many Malagasy species (e.g., (14)), numerous undetected anthropogenic extinctions are likely to have taken place (15), such as CR Aloe species, which may have become extinct in the wild since they were last recorded. This may be especially pronounced in groups with high levels of micro-endemism, for example freshwater fishes and amphibians (16).…”

Section: Threats To Madagascar's Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities

Ralimanana

Perrigo

Smith

et al. 2022

Science

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Madagascar’s unique biota is heavily affected by human activity and is under intense threat. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the conservation status of Madagascar’s terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by presenting data and analyses on documented and predicted species-level conservation statuses, the most prevalent and relevant threats, ex situ collections and programs, and the coverage and comprehensiveness of protected areas. The existing terrestrial protected area network in Madagascar covers 10.4% of its land area and includes at least part of the range of the majority of described native species of vertebrates with known distributions (97.1% of freshwater fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined) and plants (67.7%). The overall figures are higher for threatened species (97.7% of threatened vertebrates and 79.6% of threatened plants occurring within at least one protected area). International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments and Bayesian neural network analyses for plants identify overexploitation of biological resources and unsustainable agriculture as the most prominent threats to biodiversity. We highlight five opportunities for action at multiple levels to ensure that conservation and ecological restoration objectives, programs, and activities take account of complex underlying and interacting factors and produce tangible benefits for the biodiversity and people of Madagascar.

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Section: Threats To Madagascar's Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities

Ralimanana

Perrigo

Smith

et al. 2022

Science

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“…), a pattern found in other rainforest frogs in Madagascar (e.g., Aglyptodactylus; Köhler et al 2015). Other species such as G. oelkrugi and G. portonae have more restricted ranges, conforming to an overall high rate of microendemism in Madagascar (e.g., Köhler et al 2010;Brown et al 2016;Rakotoarison et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

An integrative taxonomic revision and redefinition of Gephyromantis (Laurentomantis) malagasius based on archival DNA analysis reveals four new mantellid frog species from Madagascar

Vences¹,

Köhler²,

Crottini³

et al. 2022

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The subgenus Laurentomantis in the genus Gephyromantis contains some of the least known amphibian species of Madagascar. The six currently valid nominal species are rainforest frogs known from few individuals, hampering a full understanding of the species diversity of the clade. We assembled data on specimens collected during field surveys over the past 30 years and integrated analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded genes of 88 individuals, a comprehensive bioacoustic analysis, and morphological comparisons to delimit a minimum of nine species-level lineages in the subgenus. To clarify the identity of the species Gephyromantis malagasius, we applied a target-enrichment approach to a sample of the 110 year-old holotype of Microphryne malagasia Methuen and Hewitt, 1913 to assign this specimen to a lineage based on a mitochondrial DNA barcode. The holotype clustered unambiguously with specimens previously named G. ventrimaculatus. Consequently we propose to consider Trachymantis malagasia ventrimaculatus Angel, 1935 as a junior synonym of Gephyromantis malagasius. Due to this redefinition of G. malagasius, no scientific name is available for any of the four deep lineages of frogs previously subsumed under this name, all characterized by red color ventrally on the hindlimbs. These are here formally named as Gephyromantis fiharimpesp. nov., G. matsilosp. nov., G. oelkrugisp. nov., and G. portonaesp. nov. The new species are distinguishable from each other by genetic divergences of >4% uncorrected pairwise distance in a fragment of the 16S rRNA marker and a combination of morphological and bioacoustic characters. Gephyromantis fiharimpe and G. matsilo occur, respectively, at mid-elevations and lower elevations along a wide stretch of Madagascar’s eastern rainforest band, while G. oelkrugi and G. portonae appear to be more range-restricted in parts of Madagascar’s North East and Northern Central East regions. Open taxonomic questions surround G. horridus, to which we here assign specimens from Montagne d’Ambre and the type locality Nosy Be; and G. ranjomavo, which contains genetically divergent populations from Marojejy, Tsaratanana, and Ampotsidy.

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“…This process fostered genetic divergence among isolated populations, eventually leading to genetic divergence and allopatric speciation. Those published studies consistent with this hypothesis include the following: (1) the genetic structure of widespread, endemic bat species Macronycteris commersoni (Rakotoarivelo et al, 2019); (2) several studies of cryptic variation in several mouse lemur species populations (Poelstra et al, 2021; Tiley et al, 2022; Sgarlata et al, 2018, and of course Yoder et al, 2016); (3) micro‐endemism in 26 new species of microhylid frogs (Rakotoarison et al, 2017); (4) bird species in the genus Newtonia (Family Vangidae) (Younger et al, 2018); (5) tenrec species (Everson et al, 2020); (6) Salmona et al (2017) on two species of lemurs; (7) dwarf lemurs (Williams et al, 2020); (8) noctuid moths in the Central Highlands (Wiorek et al, 2021); (9) Quéméré et al (2012 on the golden‐crowned sifaka in northern Madagascar; and (10) Salmona et al (2021) on the diversification of some 60 forest and savanna species of Noronhia across Madagascar. It is noteworthy that mosaiced landscapes may not only have promoted evolution of various faunal clades but also may promote higher landscape biodiversity today (cf.…”

Section: Evolutionary History Of the Development And Spread Of Open G...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The grassy ecosystems of Madagascar in context: Ecology, evolution, and conservation

Silander,

Bond,

Ratsirarson

2023

Plants People Planet

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Societal Impact StatementMadagascar is famous for its unique forests and their fauna. Most of the island is covered by flammable grassy ecosystems long considered to be of human origin and threatening the remaining forests. Yet new studies show that many plants and animals of the grassy systems are unique to Madagascar and restricted to these open habitats. Open grassy ecosystems have markedly different management requirements from forests and bring different contributions to society. We argue that the grassy ecosystems can benefit Madagascar if understood and managed wisely using expanded knowledge bases that also include collaboration with locals.SummaryUntil recently, nearly all research and interests in Madagascar focused on forested habitats. To help place Madagascar's grassy ecosystems in context, we provide a summary of the origin, development, and evolution of open tropical, C4 grassy ecosystems elsewhere, especially those from Africa; we summarize similarities and differences with the distribution of C3 and C4 grasses in the Malagasy landscape, their plant traits, and inferences on the evolutionary legacy of grasses. We also discuss the animal communities that use and have coevolved in these grassy systems; to help resolve controversies over the pre‐settlement extent of grassy ecosystems, we suggest a variety of complementary geochemical, palaeobotanical, and molecular genetic tools that have been effectively used elsewhere to untangle forest/grassy ecosystem mosaics and the ecological and evolutionary processes that influence them. Many of these tools can and should be employed in Madagascar to fully understand the spatio‐temporal dynamics of open, grassy, and closed forest systems across the island; as regards conservation, we discuss the ecosystem services provided by grassy systems, which are too often ignored in general, not only as a biome, vis‐à‐vis forests, but also for their global importance as a carbon sink and role they play in water management and providing goods to local villagers. We conclude by outlining the necessary research to better manage open ecosystems across Madagascar without threatening endangered forest ecosystems.

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Describing the smaller majority: integrative taxonomy reveals twenty-six new species of tiny microhylid frogs (genus Stumpffia) from Madagascar

Cited by 48 publications

References 41 publications

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities

An integrative taxonomic revision and redefinition of Gephyromantis (Laurentomantis) malagasius based on archival DNA analysis reveals four new mantellid frog species from Madagascar

The grassy ecosystems of Madagascar in context: Ecology, evolution, and conservation

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