A new species of colorful Platypelis (Amphibia: Microhylidae) from the Tsaratanàna and Bemanevika massifs in northern Madagascar.

Frogs of the genus Platypelis are known to have their center of species richness in the mountain massifs of northern Madagascar. We here formally describe a new species of Platypelis from this region. Platypelis saikamavo sp.

Taxonomizing a truly morphologically cryptic complex of dwarf geckos from Madagascar: molecular evidence for new species-level lineages within the Lygodactylus tolampyae complex.

The Lygodactylus tolampyae complex includes several deep genetic lineages of small diurnal geckos from the West and North West of Madagascar whose taxonomy is largely unsolved. We sequenced DNA fragments of one mitochondrial and four nuclear-encoded genes for up to 70 samples across the entire known range of these geckos. We find as many as 11 mitochondrial lineages differentiated by >4% pairwise distances in the 16S rRNA gene fragment, with >9% pairwise distance for the majority of lineage comparisons.

Small population size and possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog .

Amphibians are experiencing severe population declines, requiring targeted conservation action for the most threatened species and habitats. Unfortunately, we do not know the basic demographic traits of most species, which hinders population recovery efforts. We studied one of Madagascar's most threatened frog species, the harlequin mantella (), to confirm it is still present at historic localities and estimate annual survival and population sizes.

A conservation planning strategy applied to the evolutionary history of the mantellid frogs of Madagascar.

Phylogenetic diversity is an increasingly applied metric used to maximize the representation of evolutionary history in spatial conservation planning. When following this approach, researchers commonly overlook sites with a relatively higher proportion of recently diverged endemic species, also known as centers of neo-endemism. Here we aim to demonstrate how targeting the conservation of different facets of diversity (taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic diversity and centers of endemism) can provide more cost-effective solutions to the conservation of the all evolutionary spectrum of biodiversity.

Song determined by phylogeny and body mass in two differently constrained groups of birds: manakins and cardinals.

The songs of birds are complex signals that may have several functions and vary widely among species. Different ecological, behavioural and morphological factors, as well as phylogeny, have been associated as predictors of the evolution of song structure. However, the importance of differences in development, despite their relevance, has seldom been considered.

Conserving Madagascar's Amphibians and Reptiles Requires Collaboration between Scientists.

Madagascar is well known for its exceptional biodiversity and striking endemicity levels, which are accompanied by high rates of deforestation and habitat alteration [...

The Amphibian Genomics Consortium: advancing genomic and genetic resources for amphibian research and conservation.

Amphibians represent a diverse group of tetrapods, marked by deep divergence times between their three systematic orders and families. Studying amphibian biology through the genomics lens increases our understanding of the features of this animal class and that of other terrestrial vertebrates. The need for amphibian genomic resources is more urgent than ever due to the increasing threats to this group.

PARSID: a Python script for automatic analysis of local BLAST results for a rapid molecular taxonomic identification.

Objective: A reliable taxonomic identification of species from molecular samples is the first step for many studies. For researchers unfamiliar with programming, running a BLAST analysis, filtering, and organizing results for hundreds of sequences through the BLAST web interface can be difficult. Additionally, sequences deposited in GenBank can have outdated taxonomic identification.

Genomic Tools in Biological Invasions: Current State and Future Frontiers.

Human activities are accelerating rates of biological invasions and climate-driven range expansions globally, yet we understand little of how genomic processes facilitate the invasion process. Although most of the literature has focused on underlying phenotypic correlates of invasiveness, advances in genomic technologies are showing a strong link between genomic variation and invasion success. Here, we consider the ability of genomic tools and technologies to (i) inform mechanistic understanding of biological invasions and (ii) solve real-world issues in predicting and managing biological invasions.

Another step through the crux: a new microendemic rock-dwelling (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from south-central Madagascar.

Using an integrative taxonomic approach including genetic and morphological data, we formally describe a new microendemic gecko species belonging to the clade, previously referred to as D. We name this taxon currently known from Anja Reserve and Tsaranoro Valley Forest (south-central Madagascar), as The new species differs from other species of the clade by ≥ 12.4% uncorrected -distance at the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and it forms a monophyletic group in the COI mtDNA phylogenetic tree.

Skin and gut microbiomes of tadpoles vary differently with host and water environment: a short-term experiment using 16S metabarcoding.

The host-microbiome community is influenced by several host and environmental factors. In order to disentangle the individual effects of host and environment, we performed a laboratory experiment to assess the effects of the exposure to different water sources on the skin and gut microbiome of two amphibian species (Pelophylax perezi and Bufo spinosus). We observed that the bacterial communities greatly varied with water environment and host identity.

Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar.

We analyzed the body length, age structure, and age at sexual maturity of the invasive Asian common toad from different sites in Toamasina, east Madagascar. We used skeletochronology as a proxy for age estimation, while gonads were histologically analyzed to determine the age of sexual maturity. The analysis of pooled age data from three sites investigated in 2016 showed that both sexes were larger, although not older, than those of native populations.

Spatial ecology of the invasive Asian common toad in Madagascar and its implications for invasion dynamics.

Invasion dynamics are determined, among other aspects, by the spatial behaviour of invasive populations. The invasive toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus is spreading inland from the eastern coast of Madagascar, causing considerable ecological impacts. Understanding the basic factors determining the spread dynamics can inform management strategies and provide insights into spatial evolutionary processes.

How genomics can help biodiversity conservation.

The availability of public genomic resources can greatly assist biodiversity assessment, conservation, and restoration efforts by providing evidence for scientifically informed management decisions. Here we survey the main approaches and applications in biodiversity and conservation genomics, considering practical factors, such as cost, time, prerequisite skills, and current shortcomings of applications. Most approaches perform best in combination with reference genomes from the target species or closely related species.

A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, ) from Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea, Africa) and novel insights into the systematic affinities within .

A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, ) is described from Príncipe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea, Africa). This species was discovered for science in 2016, although suspicions of its occurrence gained traction from 1998, and testimonies from local people suggesting its existence could be traced back to 1928. Morphometrics, plumage colour and pattern, vocalisations, and molecular evidence all support the species status of the scops-owl from Príncipe, which is described here as Phylogenetic analyses suggest that this species descended from the first colonisation of the Gulf of Guinea islands, being sister to the clade including the mainland African Scops-Owl , and the island endemics Sao Tome Scops-Owl and Pemba Scops-Owl .

Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities.

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.