Sahonagasy.org

The Search for Two Critically Endangered Frogs in North-western Madagascar.

Sam Penny — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:32:29 +0000

The remote Sahamalaza peninsula in north-western Madagascar lies positioned between the wet rainforests to its north and dry deciduous forests to its south; the resulting hybrid climate supports a unique type of transitional forest that harbours two endemic frog species, Cophyla berara and Boophis tsilomaro. They are both considered critically endangered, and are only known from a single fragment on the peninsula; with C. berara recently included on a list of the seven most endangered frog species in Madagascar (FrogLog Vol. 97, 2011).

The area was listed as a National Park in 2007, however, there are still high human pressures on the remaining patches of forest, and ever increasing levels of forest clearance through the practise of slash and burn agriculture or tavy throughout the park. The lack of any real enforcement by the Madagascan National Parks Authority has resulted in it being dubbed a ‘paper park’. Given these problems, it was considered vital to gain new distributional information on these two species, helping to conserve and safeguard their futures.

I set out for Sahamalaza on a four month expedition in October of last year, where as well as searching for C. berara and B. tsilomaro, I would also be collecting habitat and distribution data for all herp species I encountered. After various taxis, boats and zebu-pulled carts I arrived at a research station nestled in the forested valley of Ankarafa, and situated about 25km south west of Berara, the location of the frog’s discovery in 2000, and namesake of C. berara.

For the first few weeks I searched the large Ankarafa fragment, encountering numerous species of lizard, snake and frog; however, there was no sign of either C. berara or B. tsilomaro. I began to wonder if their range could really be as small as the tiny fragment of their discovery. This was worrying as given the circumstances across the peninsula the state of Berara was likely to have declined, with its complete clearance over the last decade a possible scenario. To make matters worse the situation was made harder by local villagers dwelling inside the park taking offence to our presence in land that they deemed their own; ultimately resulting in a series of threats against the research station and its Malagasy staff.

However, luck was soon to change. Following the first heavy rains of the season the night became filled with a chorus of long melodic whistling, the distinctive calls of Cophyla berara. Easy to locate, I soon discovered the small golden coloured frogs calling from the leaves of small shrubs and trees throughout the area. Furthermore, they were present in abundance!

Interestingly they were predominantly found in the more disturbed forest edges and only ever found in close proximity to bamboo; which they require to complete their breeding cycle, laying their spawn inside the water filled sections of the plant. Following disturbance bamboo is one of the fastest plants to grow, with large stands often ringing the edges of forest fragments. If there’s one forest type Sahamalaza is not short of it is bamboo dominated secondary forest; a very beneficial situation for a range restricted frog. I even found males calling from a recently burnt area of trees, perched on dead leaves and branches. This local abundance extended to a number of sites throughout the peninsula, and their presence may even be increasing in some locations. Although it’s too early to say, they may even require down listing to endangered in the future.

The news was not all good. I failed to encounter or detect a single specimen of Boophis tsilomaro for the entire field season. This absence is most likely only apparent, and could just indicate seasonal variations in the frog’s behaviour rather than a dramatic decline or extinction, as the first and only documentation of the frog was conducted during the peak of the rainy season. I visited Berara in the early rainy season so may have merely missed it. However, I would have expected to encounter the species in the fragment of Ankarafa where I searched well into the wet period. The reasons for its absence here are unknown, although much of the area is more disturbed than the forest of Berara. Perhaps the species became extirpated in the past here due to the higher levels of degradation and may even indicate the frog reacts badly to habitat disturbance. Only a later planned follow up survey can answer these questions, with another survey of Berara and other areas of the peninsula vital to gauge the real state of B. tsilomaro.

Student wins a prize with an essay on Malagasy herpetofauna

Franco — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:04:44 +0000

From

http://www.proscientia.no/prognett-proscientia/Nyheter/Prisliste_2012/1253976808405

Vinnerne er kåret:

Prisliste 2012

Prisvinnere i Konkurransen Unge Forskere, Ungdomskonkurransen Fritt Ord og forskningskonkurransen Blå Energi 2012.

Klassen for naturvitenskap og teknologi

1. pris: 10 000 kroner.

Spesialpris: European Union Contest for Young Scientists, Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar.

Navn: Elise Damstra

Skole: St. Olav videregående skole

Alder: 18 år

Tittel: What is the effect of forest degradation on the density, dominance and relative abundance of herpetofauna in the spiny forests of the Mandrare River Valley, southern Madagascar? (PDF-2 953.3 KB)

The spiny forest is a unique type of vegetation confined to the dry areas of south-western Madagascar. This ecoregion contains a remarkable proportion of endemic plants, many of which have long spines, and is home to a number of rare animals. But the spiny forests are severely threatened by degradation. Local villagers use the land as grazing for their cattle or clear areas to cultivate crops. Products like fruits and wood are harvested for food, fuel, shelter and cash. How can the effect of this activity be measured? It has been suggested that in these dry environments lizards are more sensitive to habitat modification than birds or small mammals and so may be a better indicator of forest degradation. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot where 92% of the reptiles and almost all the amphibians are endemic. Together reptiles and amphibians are called herpetofauna.

The research question of this study asks ‘What is the effect of forest degradation on the density, dominance and relative abundance of herpetofauna in the spiny forests of the Mandrare River Valley, southern Madagascar?’ The independent variable is forest degradation. Three levels were selected: highly degraded, moderately degraded and forest that was not degraded. In each site a transect 250 m x 10 m was set up and the number and species of herpetofauna (the dependent variables) were recorded on three different occasions in July 2011. Nineteen species of reptiles were sighted totalling 282 animals. Other variables were controlled as much as possible.

A graph showing the cumulative number of species indicates that species density has begun to plateau after three repeat measurements. This implies that sufficient samples were taken to represent each area. Degradation of the forest was shown to have a negative effect on the density of herpetofaunal species. In the forest that was not degraded the density in the transect is 15 species. This is reduced by almost a half in the moderately degraded and by two thirds in the highly degraded forest. Species dominance was measured using the Simpson Index where a low index indicates high biodiversity. The Simpson Index of the highly degraded transect is more than double that of the other two sites, reflecting greater dominance by a single species. The log-scale rank abundance plot for this transect is close to a straight line. Such a sharply geometric pattern reflects a total lack of evenness. The changes in the relative abundance of species link forest degradation to a decrease in the ecosystem health. The community of species also changes with degradation: ten species were found exclusively in the forest that is not degraded but four species that commonly live in disturbed areas were only found in areas with some degradation. The study supports the view that herpetofauna are excellent indicators of forest degradation.

A Raunkiær frequency distribution of the data results in the characteristic curve that obeys Raunkiær’s Law of Frequency.

This study forms part of the baseline survey for the monitoring plan of the Ifotaka- North Protected Area, in cooperation with Operation Wallacea and Ole Theisinger from the University of Hamburg. The research contributes to developing an effective management plan for the spiny forests that may result in the degradation being reduced, halted or possibly reversed.

Amphibian Conservation Husbandry training workshop- Jersey

Jamie.Copsey — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:59:59 +0000

Dear All

The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust will be running its Amphibian Conservation Husbandry training course for amphibian biologists working in captivity. This 5-day course is designed specifically for ex-situ amphibian managers from zoos around the world and other captive facilities. This course will be run in Jersey in June. Please visit www.durrell.org/training to download our annual training prospectus and get further information. Note we are also in the process of securing the funding to run a tailored version of this course specifically for biologists working in Madagascar. This course will be run in Madagascar towards the end of the year. Further updates will be given once funding has been secured.

Amphibians in the mist: Madagascar’s endemic frogs increasingly under threat

Franco — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:23:13 +0000

From: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/madagascar-frogs.html#cr

The harlequin mantella, Mantella cowani, is one of the most threatened amphibians of Madagascar. Restricted to a few residual forest fragments of Madagascar’s highlands, it was until a few years ago collected for the pet-trade. (Photo by F. Andreone).

By Derek Schuurman and Franco Andreone

The frogs of Madagascar: A rich endemic biodiversity
Recently, some of the leading experts on the endemic herpetofauna of Madagascar estimated that the island possesses 450-500 species of amphibians, with many still awaiting formal classification. However, this stunning array of often remarkable and endemic amphibians is up against a catalogue of increasingly overwhelming threats. These are principally habitat loss due to inappropriate agricultural practices; forest degradation due to illegal logging; climate change, and the pet trade.

Illegal logging threatening the country and its wildlife
Since the democratically elected president was deposed and replaced by a transitional authority in 2009, illegal logging in Madagascar’s protected north-eastern rainforests – many of which fall under the World Heritage Site of the Atsinanana Rainforests – has escalated to nightmarish proportions. The consequent degradation of these fragile, remote rainforests has placed the continued survival of any rainforest-dependent species sensitive to habitat disturbance, in jeopardy.

Protected rainforests most affected by the illegal logging activities include the national parks of Marojejy, Masoala and Mananara, and the Natural Park of Makira. In June 2010, the journal Madagascar Conservation & Development (MCD) published the most comprehensive analysis of Madagascar’s illegal logging trade to date. Its Malagasy and Chinese authors outlined how the trade in illegally harvested precious timbers generated some $200 million for a small group of individuals over the past year. As the authors of the MCD journal article reported, illegal logging activities peak shortly before national elections and are probably a source of funds for political campaigns.

10,000 people living inside Masaola National Park
Any logging activities in legally protected areas are illegal, and such activities continue to take a heavy toll on the lowland rainforests of Madagascar in particular, with certain species now more at risk than ever. In November 2010, a team of field researchers from Missouri Botanical Garden, returned from a field expedition to Masoala National Park and reported the presence of approximately 10,000 people living inside the park and harvesting precious hardwoods.

Given the current state of affairs in Masoala National Park – which clearly indicates a lack of enforcement of the mentioned decree – coupled with constant reports from underground sources in northeast Madagascar describing rampant logging in Mananara and Makira protected areas – the situation appears bleak. It is difficult to say how severely this extensive logging can affect the wildlife, but it is clear that there will be negative impacts. Recent studies in the Atsinanana rainforests have also revealed that there are still many undescribed frog species which are classified as Data Deficient. Herpetological experts believe that some of these species have very narrow ranges, mostly limited to river systems, and that therefore damage wrought by logging may already have affected certain species heavily, possibly even leading to extinctions. We can confirm that some of these species are already extinct, and it is likely that future assessment based on genetic differentiation will unveil a worrying, hidden rate of extinction within the frogs of Madagascar.

Slash and burn and massive fire damage
For centuries, inappropriate traditional agricultural techniques or ‘tavy’ (slash & burn) have been considered the major reason for habitat loss in Madagascar, and primarily the activity which has reduced Madagascar’s diverse forest types to mere thumb-prints of their original extent. In November 2010 we received a report from a conservationist based in the SAVA region of north-east Madagascar (where most of the logging problems occurred throughout 2009), to the effect that there are so many forest fires, it has been impossible to see the sun for days. Frequently in the burning season (September to November), fires set by farmers to stimulate new growth of grass for their herds of Zebu cattle, spiral out of control and in many cases, these fires have caused severe habitat damage to officially protected areas.

6,000 hectares of Isalo National Park destroyed by fire
One such fire was reported by various sources in mid September 2010, as having destroyed 6,000 ha of the 81,000 ha Isalo National Park, a rugged sandstone massif in the country’s semi-arid south-western interior.

The Isalo Massif features eroded canyons and ‘ruiniforms’ formations. Although arid,
it hosts a diverse amphibian assemblage with some 22 species. Isalo is regularly
subjeced to intense, uncontrolled fires. Scaphiophryne gottlebei, the rainbow frog, is
one of the most spectacular Malagasy amphibians and is confined to the Isalo massif.
(Photo by F. Andreone).

Pet trade
Desolate and naturally parched as this massif may be, it supports some of the island’s most interesting and localized amphibians, reptiles and plants. At the same site, Franco Andreone witnessed a fire in November 2009, while conducting a radio-tracking study on the remarkable rainbow frog (Scaphiophryne gottlebei), which due to its almost psychedelic appearance, is also a target of the pet trade. This species, together with the blue-legged mantilla (Mantella expectata) represents two of the most striking localised amphibians of the Isalo Massif.

Formerly known only from only a few breeding sites, they have both been found slightly more widespread. The influence of the fire on their survival and on their long-term conservation is not yet properly understood. It is hoped that their common habit of seeking refuge within deep fissures and in wet canyons of the massif can help them survive the regular, devastating fires.

Locally endemic
Other notable recent fires include the destruction of exotic pine forest on the Ankaratra Massif. This replanted forest provided some forest cover on the Ankaratra, one of the highest peaks in Madagascar. The massif is home to a select group of reptiles and frogs: two critically endangered frog species – Boophis williamsi and Mantidactylus pauliani – exist nowhere else. Now that most of the pine has been burned there will be serious consequences for the general habitat quality: with the forthcoming rains in the austral summer of 2010, the ground will be transformed into mud and this, together with ash, can pollute the montane streams severely.

Wildlife smuggling
Reports on incidents of reptile and amphibian smugglers being apprehended nowadays are commonplace, with many stories displayed on the internet and in daily newspapers. An example is that of a South African zoology student from Pretoria, who was caught trying to smuggle 388 reptiles and frogs – including such sought-after species such as Uroplatus leaf-tailed geckoes, in the lining of his jacket. In July 2010, TRAFFIC reported the discovery of hundreds of endemic Malagasy tortoises, for which two women were arrested. According to the report, the women were sentenced to a year in prison under Section 10 (a) of the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008.

In Madagascar, many amphibians still await description. Current estimates
indicate that the island’s species total may be around 400-500. This undescribed
frog is a small Platypelis from the Betampona rainforest, eastern coast.
(Photo by F. Andreone)

TRAFFIC added that they were the first people to be prosecuted under the Act which came into force on 28 June. The women had filled two bags with 369 Madagascar radiated tortoises, 5 critically endangered Ploughshare tortoises and also 47 Tomato frogs and numerous chamleons. TRAFFIC noted that this was the second instance in just over a month involving smuggling of rare Malagasy reptiles into Malaysia, because in June 2010, customs officers in Kuala Lumpur International Airport discovered 285 Madagascar radiated tortoises, 14 Spider tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides) and a single Ploughshare tortoise, in two unclaimed suitcases.

Although the impact of collecting for the pet trade (either legal or illegal) is still a matter of debate, it cannot be denied that, especially in heavily degraded situations, this activity represents a threat as it is the case with the extremely rare harlequin mantella (Mantella cowani), known from a few sites in the highlands, and which was until a few years ago collected in high numbers.

Fortunately a commercial ban implemented in 2003 and the creation of a protected site, represent a glimmer of hope for the species’ long-term survival.

Frog fungus – Not yet
Amazingly, Madagascar has not yet been affected by the lethal killer fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis which has caused local and global extinctions of amphibian species, and population crashes around the world. Or, at least, this is a result revealed after a spate of research carried out by the South African specialist C. Weldon and colleagues, and also independently by A. Crottini and M. Casiraghi (at Itremo Massif). All these studies, conducted using both histopathological and molecular methods, revealed negative results. However, taking into consideration what has happened elsewhere around the globe, there is always the possibility that this pathology could arrive in Madagascar – either with trade of infected animals, plants and materials – or via boots and equipment used by eco-tourists and scientists.

Madagascar therefore, is in a uniquely privileged position to act as a laboratory for counteracting the Bd introduction. In April and October 2010 workshops were carried out respectively at Antananarivo and Ivoloina (Toamasina) and a specific action plan was created, together with the constitution of an “emergency cell” composed by foreign and national experts. The “emergency cell” will take decisions regarding the actions necessary in case the chytrid alarm is sounded. In the meantime, it will coordinate a monitoring program, that involves 8 sites in Madagascar (chosen within a series of rainforest, dry forest and a high plateau site), and for which two species will be sampled twice a year to get a 50 + 50 annual sample.

These samples will be analysed for the presence of the Bd. At the same time, a program of captive breeding is being launched, with the aim of acquiring the knowledge of basic husbandry science, as this will be useful in case an infected species or population needs to be removed from its natural sites.

Comparatively little is known on the captive husbandry of most of the 270 described species of Malagasy frogs. Only a few species, like mantellas and some microhylids (Dyscophus) have been studied in captivity. Of the rest, virtually nothing is known, so there is an urgency to develop these skills and increase the knowledge in Madagascar and abroad.

FROG PARFUMING

Franco — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:18:35 +0000

From http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i6/First-Airborne-Frog-Pheromone.html

Anybody who spends time near a swamp can easily hear that frogs use their voices to chitchat, but it wasn’t until about two decades ago that researchers announced that these animals also converse with water-transported protein pheromones. Now, research shows that frogs banter with airborne chemicals too.

“It’s the first proof that frogs use volatile pheromones” to communicate, says Stefan Schulz, a chemical ecologist at the Technical University of Braunschweig (TU), in Germany. In fact, it’s the first proof that any amphibians communicate using chemicals in the air, he adds (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., DOI: 10.1002/anie.201106592).

“So few pheromones have been chemically identified in vertebrates, so this is really exciting news,” comments Sarah Woodley, an amphibian biologist at Duquesne University. She points out that biologists had done behavioral studies suggesting frogs used airborne pheromones, but none had been identified until now.

In the new study, Schulz collaborated with TU Braunschweig zoologist Miguel Vences and Katharina Wollenberg, now at Harvard University, who went to Madagascar to study a local family of frogs called Mantellidae. Male Mantellidae frogs have bulbous organs on their inner thighs called femoral glands, and it’s from these sacs that the team isolated two molecules that waft through the air as pheromones, namely 8-methyl-2-nonanol and a macrolide called phoracantholide J.

The team discovered that Mantellidae frogs will hop toward a mixture of these two molecules and that different species have different ratios of them in their femoral glands. Precisely what these frogs are saying with the molecules is up in the air, but Schulz can speculate.

“Frogs occur in high species diversity in these swampy areas—there are about 100 species,” Schulz says. Although the different species croak uniquely, the frog density is so high that “it can be hard to find a mate of the correct species.” Perhaps the odors help with species recognition, he suggests.

The new research also confirms the results of frog genome sequencing, Woodley says. Frog DNA has all sorts of genes for volatile chemical receptors, but nobody knew whether they were functional genes or just an artifact of evolution. “It turns out they may be functional,” she adds.

Schulz’s team isolated a handful of other alcohols and macrolides from the frogs’ femoral glands, including a new natural product called gephyromantolide A. The team also devised a new synthetic route for building the ringed molecules that uses a reaction called Corey–Nicolaou macrolactonization. The route, the shortest such path ever reported, provided enough sample to test which of the additional molecules are pheromones.

Madagascar’s wonderful and wild frogs, an interview with Sahonagasy

Franco — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:50:44 +0000

inShare

From: http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0303-hance_sahonagasy.html

Photos: Madagascar’s wonderful and wild frogs, an interview with Sahonagasy

New website works to save Madagascar’s incredible diversity of frogs.

To save Madagascar’s embattled and beautiful amphibians, scientists are turning to the web. A new site built by herpetologists, Sahonagasy, is dedicated to gathering and providing information about Madagascar’s unique amphibians in a bid to save them from the growing threat of extinction.

“The past 20 years have seen resources wasted because of a poor coordination of efforts,” explains Miguel Vences, herpetologist and professor at the Technical University of Braunschweig. “Many surveys and reports have been produced that were never published, many tourists found and photographed amphibians but these photos were not made available to mapping projects, many studies carried out by Malagasy students did not make use of literature because it was not available.”

The website has been designed to address these issues by providing an open database of scientific studies and even full downloadable books on Madagascar’s amphibians.

One of many of Madagascar’s unique frogs, the Heterixalus rutenbergi is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

“This is the largest collection of literature on Malagasy amphibians available on the web, spanning almost 200 years and containing 1669 references,” Arie van der Mejiden, biologist with CIBIO (Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources) in Portugal, and post-doctoral herpetologist Sandra Nieto, who also built the site, told mongabay.com

In addition, the site includes a place where both researchers and amateurs (or even intrepid tourists) can upload photos of amphibians from the field. Photographers can tell researchers where the photo was taken with GPS coordinates or from an interactive map. Herpetologists will even help you identify the species if there is difficulty.

“In this way, anyone with a camera (and maybe a GPS) can contribute to the understanding of the distribution of Malagasy amphibians!” adds van der Mejiden and Nieto.

The website, explains Vences, “will only live if the pertinent community will contribute to it.”

In total Vences estimates that Madagascar probably possesses some 450-500 species of amphibians “once all the undescribed species have received scientific names”. While this is a large number of species, Vences says that the real importance of these frogs comes from the fact that every one of them can be found solely on Madagascar: amphibians on the island are 100 percent endemic.

A close look at the famed tomato frog Dyscophus antongilii is considered Near Threatened. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

In addition, says Vences, ” the density of individuals is amazing: there are few places in the world where so many species and individuals of frogs can be observed in a single night as in some of the centers of species richness in Madagascar.”

But these amphibians face a wide variety of threats including habitat loss, deforestation, climate change, the pet trade, and, amid desperate poverty and political turmoil, an increasing reliance of big frogs for food.

Current events, such as illegal logging in Madagascar’s treasured parks, have only worsened the situation for frogs.

“Apparently, most of the recent illegal deforestation actions occurred in some of the most important biodiversity reservoirs, which are the Marojejy Massif and the Masoala Peninsula. These areas were important biodiversity refuges and relevant endemicity centers, as well as among the ‘wildest’ rainforests of Madagascar,” herpetologist Franco Andreone told mongabay.com, adding that “recent studies in these areas showed that there are still many undescribed species, of which we don’t know the distribution. It is not unlikely that some of these species have very narrow extents of occurrence, and thus the logging could have already heavily affected some of these species, possibly leading to extinction.”

In spite of all the troubles for Madagascar’s amphibians, there is fortunately one major threat they have avoided so far.

Dyscophus guineti is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

“The lethal chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), present in many parts of the world and cause of incipient extinctions of so many peculiar frog species[…] has not yet been found in Madagascar, and conservationists are really hoping that this pathogen will not arrive in Madagascar,” says Andreone, who adds that travellers and researchers should disinfect their boots when arriving in Madagascar to help ensure the disease isn’t spread.

However even if the amphibians of Madagascar avoid the chytrid fungus, they still face many grave threats, not least of which is Madagascar’s uncertain political situation and its citizens’ worsening poverty.

Wider awareness around the world and an uptick in funding will be essential if the world is to save not just Madagascar’s hundreds of endemic frogs, but the island’s whole unique ecosystems, which many citizens rely on daily for food, water, and shelter.

INTERVIEW WITH SAHONAGASY

Mongabay: What does Sahonagasy mean? What is the goal of the website?

The lovely and Critically Endangered golden frog (Mantella aurantiaca). Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Miguel Vences: ‘Sahonagasy’ is composed of the words ‘sahona’, meaning frog, and ‘gasy’ (short term for Malagasy), and thus meaning ‘Malagasy frog’. By giving the site a name in the local Malagasy language we want to emphasize that this site, and the whole Action Plan for the conservation of Malagasy amphibians (ACSAM), is meant as a community effort that eventually should be lead by Malagasy conservationists and researchers.

The political crisis that started in 2009 made our initial plans difficult to develop the website in closer collaboration with our Malagasy colleagues, and we thus began to sketch the outline of the website with a seed grant of the BIOPAT foundation.

The goal of the website www.sahonagasy.org is to provide a scientific platform mainly for the conservation of Malagasy amphibians, although this, in the future, can also be extended to reptiles and possibly other animal and plant groups.

Many opportunities exist for contributing to amphibian conservation, but the past 20 years have seen resources wasted because of a poor coordination of efforts: many surveys and reports have been produced that were never published, many tourists found and photographed amphibians but these photos were not made available to mapping projects, many studies carried out by Malagasy students did not make use of literature because it was not available which lowered the quality of scientific conclusions.

Sahonagasy.org is open to the scientific and conservation community as a platform for communication, repository of data (photographs, locality records, in the future also call recordings or tabulations of data), and data base of resources such as specialized literature. The project will be open to the community for further development and updates, and will only live if the pertinent community will contribute to it.

Mongabay: What makes the frogs of Madagascar unique and important?

The Critically Endangered Mantella cowanii. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Miguel Vences: There are various aspects. First, there are a large number of species of Malagasy frogs, probably about 450-500 once all the undescribed species have received scientific names. This is a high number, but probably not absolutely outstanding because in other regions of the world new species are continuously being discovered and the numbers of species will continue increasing. However, in Madagascar the density of individuals is amazing: there are few places in the world where so many species and individuals of frogs can be observed in a single night as in some of the centers of species richness within Madagascar.

Second, the degree of endemicity (100 percent among native species) is extremely high—all Malagasy frogs occur nowhere else in the world.

Third, there seem to be various unique features in the community composition of Malagasy frogs that allow us to know a lot about how ecosystems are organized and diversity arises in the course of evolution. Among these are the high number of tree frogs depositing eggs in streams (in other parts of the world there are usually less tree frogs specializing in running water), and the extremely high density of tadpoles in mid-altitude rainforest streams, possibly linked to the rareness of fish in these streams.

Mongabay: Are there some particular standout amphibians on the island?

Miguel Vences: Certainly, there are some species that are highly attractive and suitable as flagship species, such as poison frogs in the genus Mantella, the tomato frogs (Dyscophus antongilli and D. guineti), or the amazingly colored Scaphiophryne gottlebei. However, in general rather than highlighting a few unique species, the really extraordinary thing about Madagascar’s frog fauna are their diversity and density.

Mongabay: What are some new features on the site?

The Critically Endangered rainbow burrowing frog (Scaphiophryne gottlebei) Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Arie van der Mejiden and Sandra Nieto: The website now has full downloadable books about Malagasy amphibians and their conservation. The latest field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar is available in Malagasy. The book The Threatened Frogs of Madagascar is available in four languages including Malagasy. These high-quality books are freely downloadable in PDF format.

There is now a new fully searchable database of (mostly scientific) articles on Malagasy amphibians. This is the largest collection of literature on Malagasy amphibians available on the web, spanning almost 200 years and containing 1669 references. Many of the database records are associated to the PDF file of the original article. Most of the older articles are free of copyright and have been made available for the first time in digital format. People interested in the more recent copyrighted articles can request a username and password to gain access.

The latest addition to the site is the photo database, in which both amphibian biologists as well as interested amateurs can upload their images. These photos can then be georeferenced with the GPS coordinates or from an interactive map. If necessary, experts on Madagascar fauna will try to identify the animal on the pictures for you. In this way, anyone with a camera (and maybe a GPS) can contribute to the understanding of the distribution of Malagasy amphibians!

Mongabay: How do you see the website aiding conservation of frogs in Madagascar?

Herpetologist Franco Andreone searching for the Critically Endangered rainbow burrowing frog (Scaphiophryne gottlebei). Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Franco Andreone: First, it will contribute to increasing the knowledge and understanding of the amphibians of Madagascar by presenting the most threatened species, the ongoing conservation projects, and by introducing the ACSAM initiative (A Conservation Strategy for the Amphibians of Madagascar) and the Sahonagasy Action Plan, both launched by the Amphibian Specialist Group. Moreover, we would like to address attention to the large number of available PDF papers dealing with amphibians, reptiles and conservation in Madagascar.

Clearly, it is very important to provide access to a literature reservoir that, until recently, was almost unavailable for the Malagasy researchers, due to a generalised lack of public libraries in Madagascar. In such a context, web facilities are working to solve this non-negligible aspect, since Malagasy zoologists are the primary actors engaged in nature conservation.

Publicity about the status of amphibians and on the current conservation actions are also important aspects to help conservationists and biodiversity researchers find funds for their studies and for conservation actions. Then, the possibility to download original photographs of Malagasy amphibians will provide a tool to build an updated database of findings and observations by tourists visiting Madagascar. This will be an important action to increase the knowledge of Malagasy nature and its conservation. Moreover, the database allows one to geo-reference the photographs and produce an available online species distribution.

Mongabay: What is threatening the frogs of Madagascar?

Franco Andreone: Malagasy frogs, as well as all the amphibians around the world, are threatened by a series of factors.

Mantella ebenaui is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

First of all they are threatened by deforestation and habitat alteration. The ongoing forest cutting process has caused the disappearance or reduction of many important rainforests and dry forests of Madagascar, and the residual forest fragments (that are so important for amphibians) have been heavily modified by human impact.

The reduction in forest size and the alteration in their vegetation composition have predictable negative effects that affect the frog diversity in Madagascar as elsewhere in the tropics. The original forest block is now severely fragmented due to deforestation, and this fragmentation has often resulted in high levels of threats among the native amphibian fauna. However, in some cases this loss in amphibian species richness is not immediately evident, because species have differing sensitivities to habitat alterations.

Another important aspect of habitat alteration is global warming. Recent studies have confirmed that the mean temperature in Madagascar is rising. Research carried out on the Tsaratanana Massif, which is the highest mountain in Madagascar, showed that many frog species found on the occasion of a first visit were found at a higher altitude ten years later. This change was interpreted as a consequence of increased mean temperature, witnessed by other climatic studies as well.

At the same time, researchers analysed amphibians from many other montane massifs, which are also featured by peculiar high altitude endemics. Their analysis also showed that among the 39 montane species (those having a known elevational distribution > 800 m) 18 (or 26 under a more severe scenario) are at risk of extinction with an upslope displacement of 700 meters .What is especially worrying is that this temperature increase would be logically followed by an up-slope displacement of local amphibian populations, following the variation of their climate envelope. Since Madagascar is still under a worrying situation of deforestation and/or forest fragmentation, the total habitat loss will be dramatically followed by species extinction, especially when the species are closely tied and endemic to certain isolated forests.

The wonderfully-colored blue-legged mantella (Mantella expectata) is Critically Endangered. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

A further important aspect of conservation concern is the collection and harvesting for the pet-trade and human consumption. Some species (e.g. those belonging to Mantella, Scaphiophryne, and Dyscophus) have been highly sought after for the international pet trade due to their biological peculiarities and remarkable coloration.

There is still a paucity of reliable data on the impact of trade on wild populations, although in some cases it is evident that collecting represents a confounding threat when the habitat is already compromised and the populations are small. This is the case, for example, for the rare harlequin mantella (Mantella cowani) which was collected in high numbers and survived in a very degraded environment on the high plateau of Madagascar. Fortunately, the collecting and exportation of this species, classified as Critically Endangered, are now banned, a measure that should reinforce its protection.

Due to concerns about overharvesting for commercial trade, all frogs in the genus Mantella, as well as the species Scaphiophryne gottlebei are now included on CITES Appendix II. Other species are also of conservation concern, such as the Tomato Frog (Dyscophus antongili) the only native species included on CITES Appendix I. Although its distribution area is wider than formerly believed, the habitat degradation around the town of Maroantsetra, where most known populations occur, is high. There is also evidence that the populations have apparently declined in numbers, and the species appears to have vanished from sites in which it was formerly known.

The harvesting for human consumption is also another important threat for Malagasy frogs, notably for those reaching a certain body size, such as several Mantidactylus (M. grandidieri and M. guttulatus), and the large Boophis goudoti. The capture of these frogs, which survive in rather intact forests or in montane habitats, was formerly quite limited, since other protein sources (e.g., chickens, zebus, pigs) were usually available and preferred. Until recently frogs (as well as other animals, such as river crabs and eels) were captured only occasionally. Nowadays, as a consequence of the increasing poverty caused by the recent political crisis, many rural populations were obliged to find alternative foods, and frogs (as well as snails and small mammals) became much more relevant than before in the daily diet. Unluckily, these large frogs have a rather low fecundity, and for this they are not able to recover rapidly after augmented collecting. For this reason there is evidence of population lowering.

A calling Boophis ankaratra. This species is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Further threats are always related to human impact: the recent construction of pipelines for the exploitation of nickel in the Moramanga region caused the logging and alteration of large sectors of mid-altitude rainforests where some threatened species live (e.g. Mantella aurantiaca). This is well-known for one of the most important habitats of this species, the Torotorofotsy Marsh, where a true “road” built to install the pipelines spoiled wide sectors of the forest.

Finally, surprisingly enough the most important threat for Malagasy frog is a still an “inexistent” threat! The lethal chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), present in many parts of the world and cause of incipient extinctions of so many peculiar frog species (e.g. the spray toad Nectophrynoides asperginus in Tanzania and the Mountain Chicken Leptodactylus fallax at Montserrat), has not yet been found in Madagascar, and conservationists are really hoping that this pathogen will not arrive in Madagascar. Unluckily enough the Bd is already reported in many nearby African countries, among them Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. The risk is that this fungus could arrive (sooner or later) to Madagascar together with material imported from Africa, through natural spread or with tourists. In fact, it is quite easy to spread the Bd by using dirty boots or shoes that came into contact with mud or water of an infected area elsewhere. This could rather easily happen if tourists are, for example, European and American herpetologists who used the same boots a few days before coming to Madagascar and visited a pond with amphibian populations affected by Bd.

The logical way to prevent this spread is trying to delay the Bd’s arrival in Madagascar, and by inviting tourists to follow strict hygiene protocols (e.g. washing boots in disinfectant solutions or simply using brand new material), and not importing any foreign amphibians. Importation of foreign amphibians is not yet known in Madagascar, and should be rigorously checked and limited, since it is well-known that the translocation of foreign amphibians from one country to another is one of the most important ways to spread the chytrid.

Mongabay: How do you think the recent logging crisis in Madagascar may be impacting already imperiled frog populations?

The climbing mantella Mantella laevigata is classified as Near Threatened. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Franco Andreone: This is difficult to say, since we do not know exactly the extent of deforested areas. As for many other zoological species, the forest cutting and deforestation has an immediate and/or long-term effect on biodiversity. Apparently, most of the recent illegal deforestation actions occurred in some of the most important biodiversity reservoirs, which are the Marojejy Massif and the Masoala Peninsula. These areas were important biodiversity refuges and relevant endemicity centers, as well as among the “wildest” rainforests of Madagascar. Recent studies in these areas showed that there are still many undescribed species, of which we don’t know the distribution. It is not unlikely that some of these species have very narrow extents of occurrence, and thus the logging could have already heavily affected some of these species, possible leading to extinction.

Mongabay: What can the general public do to help endangered frogs in Madagascar?

Franco Andreone: The most immediate way to help frog conservation in Madagascar is by supporting the ongoing conservation actions promoted by the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group through its ACSAM Initiative. To achieve this result, it is important for potential donors to contribute funds that will support research on little-known species, or to purchase land and forest fragments to save the last residual populations of frogs.

As said before, tourists can contribute to the knowledge of Malagasy frogs (and other herps) by downloading their photographs and observations to the site. Then when they visit Madagascar, they should make a particular attention to the sites they visit, carefully cleaning their boots to avoid spreading the chytrid. Finally, the general public can help by spreading the awareness of this biological richness and joining our Facebook sites Save the Malagasy Frogs and A Conservation Strategy for the Amphibians of Madagascar.

The Boophis goudoti is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Hundreds of golden frogs Mantella aurantiaca, which are considered Critically Endangered, for export. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

The Critically Endangered Mantella cowanii. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

The tomato frog Dyscophus antongilii is considered Near Threatened. Photo by: Franco Andreone. .

The Boophis ankaratra is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

The Mantidactylus guttulatus is considered Least Concern. Photo by: Franco Andreone.

Read more: http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0303-hance_sahonagasy.html#ixzz1tPx5PXgg

Betampona Frog Bonanza

Franco — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:39:46 +0000

From http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0419-hance_mad_frogs_betampona.html

A forest less than half the size of Manhattan sports an astounding number of frogs, according to a new paper in Biodiversity Conservation. Two surveys of Madagascar’s Betampona Nature Reserve, which covers 2,228 hectares, has uncovered 76 unique frogs, 36 of which may be new to science. To put this in perspective: the U.S. and Canada combined contain just 88 frog species, but cover an area nearly a million times larger than Betampona.

Lead author of the paper, Gonçalo M. Rosa, told mongabay.com that the reason why this forest held so many frog species “is still a mystery.” He notes that up to 24 of the species in the forest may be endemic, i.e. found no-where else in the world but in tiny Betampona.

“And that’s why these numbers are so extraordinary (especially compared with other tropical forests),” Rosa exclaims. “Betampona is also considered a botanical ‘hotspot’ with 20 of the 100 most endangered Malagasy plants found within its borders!”

Sahaindrana waterfalls in Betampona Forest Reserve. Photo by: Gonçalo M. Rosa.

Rosa and colleagues are currently examining the potentially new frogs from all angles to determine which ones are in fact new to science, including studying the frogs’ morphology, calls, and genetics. He says such an approach is “essential nowadays to sort out the real status of a species claimed to be ‘new’ based only on one aspect.”

Found on the eastern coast of Madagascar, Betampona conserves one of the last surviving lowland forests in the country. The forest fragment is so small that it could fit over five times into the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Yet Madagascar’s dwindling forest land continues to be under assault by widespread slash-and-burn agriculture, overexploitation, logging and bushmeat hunting, all fueled by widespread poverty, poor governance, and overpopulation. Not just home to frogs, Betampona also harbors eleven lemur species, including the Critically Endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata). In addition, a recent study in mongabay.com’s open access journal Tropical Conservation Science found that Betampona had one of the world’s richest semblance of tree and shrub species with researchers cataloguing 244 species in less than one hectare.

But, says Rosa, this biological jewel, less than half the size of Manhattan, is not fully secure.

“Betampona now represents a rainforest island surrounded by degraded areas. The conservation issues facing Betampona are similar to those already quoted for many other forests and massifs such as illegal logging or bushmeat: although we consider the Betampona amphibian fauna to be at risk because of the small size of the reserve and of its isolation from other forests and other amphibian populations. This could lead to a general impoverishment of the amphibian fauna living there, such as observed in other fragmented forests.”

Rosa also notes that an alien plant species, guava (Psidium guajava), is providing a new challenge for the reserve. Still, there is hope for the frogs, says Rosa, who calls the reserve “one of the best-managed protected areas in Madagascar.”

Confirmed new frog species from Betampona Forest Reserve in the Platypelis genus. Photo by: Gonçalo M. Rosa.

“Betampona reserve is currently under the management of Madagascar Fauna Group and Madagascar National Parks. The high level of training of the guides working at Betampona has allowed an incredible continued control of the reserve,” he says.

Around 70 percent of Madagascar’s species are endemic to the island. Having been separated from the mainland for tens-of-million of years, Madagascar is a massive biological laboratory where species evolved in long-isolation. The island is now home to all of the world’s lemurs, half of the world’s chameleons including species the size of a fingernail, bizarre tenrecs, and an incredible diversity of frogs, among other wonders.

Blog interest

Che — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:53:57 +0000

Hope this blog tickles the interest of the novice and proffesional herper regarding Madagascar frogs and leads to stimulating content!

BlogFrog for Malagasy amphibians

Franco — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:02:33 +0000

Dear all
I wish to welcome you on the new Blog associated to Sahonagasy.org. We managed to add this blog to the webpage dedicated to the amphibians of Madagascar and their conservation (www.sahonagasy.org). The idea is to publish fresh information, comments, news on the sahonagasy, i.e. the frogs of Madagascar. Many of us regularly go to Madagascar and do survey work or other kinds of research. With the Blog there will be the possibility to post comments on new papers, new species and, photos.

Best

Franco

Blog-the-Frog!

Arie — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:48:27 +0000

Sahonagasy.org and ACSAM have a new blog; Blog the Frog!

On this blog, the latest news and updates on Malagasy amphibian conservation will be posted. Watch this space for more soon!