|
Gephyromantis Spiniferus
''Gephyromantis spiniferus'' is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to southeastern Madagascar between Andringitra and Andohahela. Common name greater spiny Madagascar frog has been coined for it. ''Gephyromantis spiniferus'' occurs in pristine rainforests at elevations of above sea level, particularly in association with bamboo. It lives on the forest floor. Presumably, breeding involves direct development (i.e., no free-living larval stage). It is a rare species with a patchy distribution. It is threatened by habitat loss and degradation caused by subsistence agriculture Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no su ..., timber extraction, charcoal manufacture, invasive spread of eucalyptus, livestock grazing, and expanding human settlements. The fu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rose Marie Antoinette Blommers-Schlösser
Rose Marie Antoinette Blommers-Schlösser (Eindhoven, 1944) is a Dutch herpetologist and entomologist. Life and research Blommers-Schlösser conducted her PhD at the University of Amsterdam on the systematics of the frogs of Madagascar. Together with numerous other herpetologists, especially Charles P. Blanc, she described numerous species of frogs from Madagascar, including '' Mantidactylus spiniferus'', '' Boophis reticulatus'', '' Spinomantis guibei'', and '' Guibemantis punctatus'',. and contributed extensively to the knowledge of these and other species. She contributed particularly significantly to understanding of the reproductive behaviour of numerous microhylids from Madagascar, and supraspecific taxonomy of the Mantellidae. She also contributed to the literature on the karyotypes of phytoseiid The Phytoseiidae are a family of mites which feed on thrips and other mite species. They are often used as a biological control agent for managing mite pests. Because of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is known from the Early Triassic of Madagascar, but molecular clock, molecular clock dating suggests their split from other amphibians may extend further back to the Permian, 265 Myr, million years ago. Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics to subarctic regions, but the greatest concentration of species diversity is in tropical rainforest. Frogs account for around 88% of extant amphibian species. They are also one of the five most diverse vertebrate orders. Warty frog species tend to be called toads, but the distinction between frogs and toads is informal, not from Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy or evolutionary history. An adult frog has a stout body, protruding eyes, anteriorly-attached tongue, limb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mantellidae
The Mantellidae are a family of the order Anura. These frogs are endemic to the islands of Madagascar and Mayotte. Systematics The family Mantellidae is composed of three extremely ecologically diverse groups of frogs, divided into three subfamilies: the Mantellinae Laurent, 1946 are typically terrestrial or semi-aquatic frogs; the Laliostominae Vences & Glaw, 2001 are terrestrial, typically fairly large-sized frogs; and the Boophinae Vences & Glaw, 2001 are arboreal tree frogs. Apart from the genera assigned to the three subfamilies, the placement of '' Tsingymantis'' Glaw, Hoegg & Vences, 2006 is still uncertain. As of 22 September 2022, 237 species are recognized in this family. DNA barcoding research has shown however that more than 100 distinct genetic lineages remain taxonomically undescribed. Evolution and island biogeography The Mantellidae are Madagascar's most diverse frog family. It has been shown that there is a negative correlation between body size ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa across the Mozambique Channel. At Madagascar is the world's List of island countries, second-largest island country, after Indonesia. The nation is home to around 30 million inhabitants and consists of the island of Geography of Madagascar, Madagascar (the List of islands by area, fourth-largest island in the world), along with numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from the Indian subcontinent around 90 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90% of wildlife of Madagascar, its wildlife is endemic. Human settlement of Madagascar occurred during or befo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park is a national park in the Haute Matsiatra region of Madagascar, south of Ambalavao. The park was established in 1999 and is managed by the Madagascar National Parks Association. It was inscribed in the World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana. History The importance of the area was noted by explorers in the early 20th century and in 1927 the central part of the mountain range was declared a ″Strict Nature Reserve″. During the early 1990s the Malagasy Environmental Action Plan introduced the idea of Madagascar taking ownership of the environmental agenda, rather than donors, and in 1999 the area became a National Park. In 2007 the park became part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana World Heritage Site. Geography The reserve covers covering much of the granite massif of the Andringitra mountains which rise above plains. The altitude of the reserve varies from to the peak of the second highest mountain in the country, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andohahela
Andohahela National Park, in south-east Madagascar, is remarkable for the extremes of habitats that are represented within it. The park covers of the Anosy mountain range, the southernmost spur of the Malagasy Highlands and contains the last humid rainforests in the southern part of Madagascar. The Park was inscribed in the World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana. History Andohahela has been a protected area since 1939 but did not become a national park until 1998. Geography Andohahela National Park is north-west of Tôlanaro and at the southern end of the Malagasy Highlands. The park is divided into three zones. The first, Malio, ranges from to the summit of Pic d' Andohahela at , and has dense lowland and montane rainforest with more than two hundred species of tree ferns, orchids, wild vanilla, lemurs and many birds. The second, Ihazofotsy-Mangatsiaka, contains dry spiny forest with rare birds and reptiles in altitudes ranging from to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Above Sea Level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The combination of unit of measurement and the physical quantity (height) is called "metres above mean sea level" in the metric system, while in United States customary and imperial units it would be called "feet above mean sea level". Mean sea levels are affected by climate change and other factors and change over time. For this and other reasons, recorded measurements of elevation above sea level at a reference time in history might differ from the actual elevation of a given location over sea level at a given moment. Uses Metres above sea level is the standard measurement of the elevation or altitude of: * Geographic locations such as towns, mountains and other landmarks. * The top of buildings and other structures. * Flying objects such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Habitat Loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby reducing biodiversity and species abundance. Habitat destruction is the leading cause of biodiversity loss. Fragmentation and loss of habitat have become one of the most important topics of research in ecology as they are major threats to the survival of endangered species. Activities such as harvesting natural resources, industrial production and urbanization are human contributions to habitat destruction. Pressure from agriculture is the principal human cause. Some others include mining, logging, trawling, and urban sprawl. Habitat destruction is currently considered the primary cause of species extinction worldwide. Environmental factors can contribute to habitat destruction more indirectly. Geological processes, climate change, introdu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subsistence Agriculture
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no surplus. Planting decisions occur principally with an eye toward what the family will need during the coming year, and only secondarily toward market prices. Tony Waters, a professor of sociology, defines "subsistence peasants" as "people who grow what they eat, build their own houses, and live without regularly making purchases in the marketplace." Despite the self-sufficiency in subsistence farming, most subsistence farmers also participate in trade to some degree. Although their amount of trade as measured in cash is less than that of consumers in countries with modern complex markets, they use these markets mainly to obtain goods, not to generate income for food; these goods are typically not necessary for survival and may include sugar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis
''Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' ( ), also known as ''Bd'' or the amphibian chytrid fungus, is a fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians. Since its discovery in 1998 by Lee Berger, the disease devastated amphibian populations around the world, in a global decline towards multiple extinctions, part of the Holocene extinction. A recently described second species, '' B. salamandrivorans'', also cause chytridiomycosis and death in salamanders. The fungal pathogens that cause the disease chytridiomycosis ravage the skin of frogs, toads, and other amphibians, throwing off their balance of water and salt and eventually causing heart failure, Nature reports. Some amphibian species appear to have an innate capacity to withstand chytridiomycosis infection due to symbiosis with ''Janthinobacterium lividum''. Even within species that generally succumb, some populations survive, possibly demonstrating that these traits or alleles of species are being subjected to evo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kalambatritra Reserve
Kalambatritra Special Reserve is a wildlife reserve in southern Madagascar. It is to the north of Andohahela National Park, south-west of the Manombo Special Reserve and contains many endemic species, including forty-five endemic bird species. Geography This reserve is within the commune of Begogo, in Anosy Region and east of Betroka. The Kalambatritra massif is a series of undulating hills and steep summits and is part of the Antaivondro-Kalambatritra mountain chain. The many small streams feed the Ionaivo, Mananara and Mandrare rivers. The dominant ethnic group in the area is the Bara people. Flora and fauna The humid, evergreen forest is relatively undisturbed and divided into blocks with savannahs of the coarse grass ('' Aristida imperata'') inbetween. Among the 699 species of plants so far recorded on the reserve, two families are endemic; the Torricelliaceae, including '' Melanophylla alnifolia'' and the Sarcolaenaceae including '' Leptolaena pauciflora'', which, acc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_Ranomafana.jpg "Click for more on -> Frog")
.jpg "Click for more on -> Endemism")
