Morphological variability or inter-observer bias? A methodological toolkit to improve data quality of multi-researcher datasets for the analysis of morphological variation.

Objectives: The investigation of morphological variation in animals is widely used in taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Using large datasets for meta-analyses has dramatically increased, raising concerns about dataset compatibilities and biases introduced by contributions of multiple researchers.

Materials And Methods: We compiled morphological data on 13 variables for 3073 individual mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae, Microcebus spp.

Anthropogenic Disturbance Impacts Gut Microbiome Homeostasis in a Malagasy Primate.

Increasing anthropogenic disturbances in Madagascar are exerting constrains on endemic Malagasy lemurs and their habitats, with possible effects on their health and survival. An important component of health is the gut microbiome, which might be disrupted by various stressors associated with environmental change. We have studied the gut microbiome of gray-brown mouse lemurs (), one of the smallest Malagasy primates and an important model of the convergent evolution of diseases.

Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Bartonella spp. and Yersinia pestis in ectoparasites of endemic and domestic animals in southwest Madagascar.

Little is known about the presence of vector-borne bacteria in southwest Madagascar. Anthropogenic alteration of natural habitats represents an important driver for the emergence of new diseases. Especially the involvement of livestock and the involuntary maintaining of invasive synanthropic animals (particularly rats) facilitate disease transmission from wildlife to humans and associated animals and vice versa.