A5041319922- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Plant and animal studies
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Digital Imaging for Blood Diseases
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
2015-2024
Bavarian Natural History Collections
2017-2024
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
2024
Technische Universität Braunschweig
2018-2023
Museo Egizio
2002-2018
British Museum
2015
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
2015
Tanzania National Parks
2015
American Museum of Natural History
2015
Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig
1996-2009
Amphibians are in decline worldwide. However, their patterns of diversity, especially the tropics, not well understood, mainly because incomplete information on taxonomy and distribution. We assess morphological, bioacoustic, genetic variation Madagascar's amphibians, one first near-complete taxon samplings from a biodiversity hotspot. Based DNA sequences 2,850 specimens sampled over 170 localities, our analyses reveal an extreme proportion amphibian projecting almost 2-fold increase species...
Globally, priority areas for biodiversity are relatively well known, yet few detailed plans exist to direct conservation action within them, despite urgent need. Madagascar, like other globally recognized hot spots, has complex spatial patterns of endemism that differ among taxonomic groups, creating challenges the selection within-country priorities. We show, in an analysis wide and geographic breadth high resolution, multitaxonomic rather than single-taxon approaches critical identifying...
Vocalizations of anuran amphibians have received much attention in studies behavioral ecology and physiology, but also provide informative characters for identifying delimiting species. We here review the terminology variation frog calls from a perspective integrative taxonomy, hands-on protocols recording, analyzing, comparing, interpreting describing these sounds. Our focus is on advertisement calls, which serve as premating isolation mechanisms and, therefore, convey important taxonomic...
Abstract Systematic assessments of species extinction risk at regular intervals are necessary for informing conservation action 1,2 . Ongoing developments in taxonomy, threatening processes and research further underscore the need reassessment 3,4 Here we report findings second Global Amphibian Assessment, evaluating 8,011 International Union Conservation Nature Red List Threatened Species. We find that amphibians most threatened vertebrate class (40.7% globally threatened). The updated...
Species distributed across vast continental areas and major biomes provide unique model systems for studies of biotic diversification, yet also constitute daunting financial, logistic political challenges data collection such regions. The tree frog Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) is a nominal species, continentally in South America, that may represent complex multiple each with more limited distribution. To understand the spatial pattern molecular diversity throughout range this...
Fluorescence is widespread in marine organisms but uncommon terrestrial tetrapods. We here show that many chameleon species have bony tubercles protruding from the skull are visible through their scales, and fluoresce under UV light. Tubercles arising bones of displace all dermal layers other than a thin, transparent layer epidermis, creating 'window' onto bone. In genus Calumma, number these sexually dimorphic most species, suggesting signalling role, also strongly reflects groups,...
Amphibians are thought to be unable disperse over ocean barriers because they do not tolerate the osmotic stress of salt water. Their distribution patterns have therefore generally been explained by vicariance biogeography. Here, we present compelling evidence for overseas dispersal frogs in Indian Ocean region based on discovery two endemic species Mayotte. This island belongs Comoro archipelago, which is entirely volcanic and surrounded sea depths more than 3500 m. constitutes first...
DNA barcoding of non-avian reptiles based on the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is still in a very early stage, mainly due to technical problems. Using newly developed set reptile-specific primers for COI we present first comprehensive study targeting entire reptile fauna fourth-largest island world, biodiversity hotspot Madagascar.Representatives majority Madagascan species (including Squamata and Testudines) were sampled successfully barcoded. The new primer pair achieved...
Background One clade of Malagasy leaf chameleons, the Brookesia minima group, is known to contain species that rank among smallest amniotes in world. We report on a previously unrecognized radiation these miniaturized lizards comprising four new described herein. Methodology/Principal Findings The newly discovered appear be restricted single, mostly karstic, localities extreme northern Madagascar: confidens sp. n. from Ankarana, B. desperata Forêt d'Ambre, micra islet Nosy Hara, and tristis...
Amphibians are characterized both by a strongly increasing number of newly discovered species and high degree decline. The observed increase in numbers, over 25 percent 11 years, is largely due to the intensified exploration tropical areas application more efficient techniques such as bioacoustics molecular genetics, rather than elevation subspecies rank or distinction that were formerly considered synonymous. In mantellid frogs Madagascar, many described between 1992 2004 genetically...
Abstract Aim Cryptoblepharus is a genus of small arboreal or rock‐dwelling scincid lizards, widespread through the Indo‐Pacific and Australian regions, with disjunct outlier in Malagasy region. The taxonomy within this controversial, different authors ranking forms (now some 36) at various levels, from species to subspecies single species, boutonii . We investigated biogeography genetic differentiation Western Indian Ocean region, order understand their origin history. Location Methods...
Cophyline narrow-mouthed frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) are a diverse endemic radiation of Madagascar. Cophylines contain high proportion range restricted species and constitute good model system to understand patterns evolutionary diversification in tropical ecosystems. We combine spatial phylogenetic analyses for near-complete taxon sample test competing explanations richness (SR) endemism. Our reconstruction the phylogeny cophylines indicates presence 22 new several instances nonmonophyly....
The gecko genus Geckolepis , endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro archipelago, is taxonomically challenging. One reason its members ability autotomize a large portion of their scales when grasped or touched, most likely escape predation. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach including external morphology, morphometrics, genetics, pholidosis, osteology, we here describe first new species from this in 75 years: megalepis sp. nov. limestone karst Ankarana northern Madagascar. has largest...
Miniaturised frogs form a fascinating but poorly understood amphibian ecomorph and have been exceptionally prone to taxonomic underestimation. The subfamily Cophylinae (family Microhylidae), endemic Madagascar, has particularly large diversity of miniaturised species which historically attributed the single genus Stumpffia largely based on their small size. Recent phylogenetic work revealed that several independent lineages cophyline microhylids evolved towards highly body sizes, achieving...
The rate and mode of lineage diversification might be shaped by clade-specific traits. In Madagascar, many groups organisms are characterized tiny distribution ranges small body sizes, this high degree microendemism miniaturization parallels a species diversity in some these groups. We here investigate the geographic patterns characterizing radiation frog family Mantellidae that is virtually endemic to Madagascar. integrate newly reconstructed near-complete species-level timetree with...
Based on recent discoveries and an integrative study including external morphology, osteology molecular genetics, we continue to revise the Madagascar-endemic chameleons of Calumma boettgeri complex (within nasutum species group). We describe three new these small-sized, occipital-lobed chameleons. uetzi sp. nov. is a from Sorata Marojejy massifs (northern Madagascar), with spectacular display coloration in males, clearly notched occipital lobes, females dorsal crest. lefona described based...
The subgenus Brygoomantis in the Madagascar-endemic genus Mantidactylus contains 12 nominal species but is urgent need of taxonomic revision as many additional, genetically divergent undescribed candidate have been identified. We here take a first step towards better resolution this group by describing new species, schulzi sp. nov., occurring at Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs, differentiated genetic, bioacoustic sometimes morphological characters from its closest relatives. show that...
Abstract Aim Small geographic ranges make species especially prone to extinction from anthropogenic disturbances or natural stochastic events. We assemble and analyse a comprehensive dataset of all the world's lizard identify with smallest ranges—those known only their type localities. compare them wide‐ranging infer whether specific regions biological traits predispose have small ranges. Location Global. Methods extensively surveyed museum collections, primary literature our own field...
We present molecular evidence for the presence of two species morphologically similar to Spinomantis bertini in Andohahela National Park, south-eastern Madagascar, differing by 5.5−6.3% pairwise DNA sequence divergences mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. One these was observed at higher elevations ca. 1650 m above sea level, whereas other found lower 715 a.s.l., close type locality S. (Isaka-Ivondro), and one location (Andreoky, 1050 a.s.l.). herein assign low- mid-elevation specimens based on...
We present a DNA barcoding study on the insect order Orthoptera that was generated in collaboration between four projects three countries, viz. Barcoding Fauna Bavarica (Germany), German Barcode of Life, Austrian Life and Swiss Life. Our data set includes 748 COI sequences from 127 162 taxa (78.4%) recorded countries involved. Ninety-three these 122 species (76.2%, including all Ensifera) can be reliably identified using barcodes. The remaining 26 caeliferan (families Acrididae Tetrigidae)...
The Marojejy Massif in northern Madagascar is a constant source of herpetological surprises. Herein we describe new species leaf-mimicking leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus finaritra sp. nov., based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence. This inhabits the rainforests National Park at low elevations morphologically similar to phantasticus, but differs by having larger body size, relatively shorter tail, dark-red pigmentation oral mucosa. Molecular data reveals distance 14.0–14.7%...
The Tsaratanana Massif is the highest mountain massif of Madagascar and characterized by a high species-level endemism its biota. Here we describe two new small-sized species leaf-tailed geckos Uroplatus ebenaui group from this region. Named in preliminary way as confirmed candidate [Ca1] [Ca2] previous studies, here provide detailed data on their molecular morphological differentiation them fotsivava sp. nov. kelirambo Their closest relatives are U. fiera finiavana, respectively, revealed...
We describe a new species of arboreal microhylid frog from northern Madagascar. The is assigned to the genus Cophyla based on molecular phylogeny and morphological similarities other this genus. Molecular phylogenetic analysis resolved fortuna sp. nov. as closely related C. noromalalae. However, two were reciprocally monophyletic both in tree reconstructed combination mitochondrial genes, nuclear RAG-1 gene. species, previously identified candidate Ca4, occurs lowland bamboo forests around...