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Two new endemic genera of Therevinae are described from Madagascar. Rinhatiana gen. nov. contains three new species (R. arctifestuca gen. et sp. nov., R. cracentis gen. et sp. nov. and R. latifestuca gen. et sp. nov.) as well as R. distincta (Lyneborg, 1976) comb. nov., which is transferred from Stenopomyia Lyneborg, 1976. Tianarinha gen. nov. is described containing two new species, T. goodmani gen. et sp. nov. and T. micet gen. et sp. nov. All species are diagnosed and figured along with distribution data.
The formerly monotypic genus Paranecepsia Radcl.-Sm. is expanded with the description and illustration of a second species, Paranecepsia andrafiabensis Barberá & O.Lachenaud sp. nov. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of plastid rbcL and trnL-F data confirm a sister relationship between the new species and P. alchorneifolia Radcl.-Sm., as members of the alchorneoids clade. Paranecepsia andrafiabensis sp. nov. is notable for expanding the character states for the genus (now including both 2- and 3-locular ovary species) and broadening the geographic range of the genus from continental Africa to Madagascar. The new species adds to the diverse karst limestone endemics of northwestern Madagascar, where it has a very restricted distribution at the base of the western wall of the Ankarana tsingy. An amended generic description of Paranecepsia and a key to the species are also presented. Paranecepsia andrafiabensis sp. nov. is provisionally assessed as VU D1 based on the IUCN Red List criteria.
Eight new species of Eucosmocydia Diakonoff are described and illustrated from the Afrotropical region: E. pappeana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. deinbolliana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. ugandensis Aarvik, new species (TL: Uganda); E. lecaniodiscana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. nigeriana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Nigeria); E. pancoviana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. kirimiriana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); and E. macabensis Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Mauritius). Three additional species are transferred to the genus: E. hymenosa (Razowski, 2013), new combination (TL: Nigeria); E. chlorobathra (Meyrick, 1911), new combination (TL: Seychelles); and E. trigonoptila (Meyrick, 1921), new combination (TL: Mozambique). We also transfer to the genus E. catamochla (Meyrick, 1932), new combination (TL: Indonesia), the first species recorded outside the Afrotropical region. We recognize two species groups in Eucosmocydia, and this contribution focuses on the oedipus Diakonoff, 1988 group (n = 13 species), the males of which are characterized by a unique flattened lobe from the base of the hindwing. Six species from Kenya were reared exclusively from native fruit of Sapindaceae; E. mixographa (Meyrick) was formerly reported from Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AE18CA26-20E8-48D3-ABD0-22A0D9891065
The western Indian Ocean genus Paracephaelis is revised. Sixteen species are endemic to Madagascar, 12 of which are new for science: P. aristata sp. nov., P. bardotiae sp. nov., P. capitulifera sp. nov., P. gautieri sp. nov., P. grandifructa sp. nov., P. longipedicellata sp. nov., P. orientalis sp. nov., P. pauciflora sp. nov., P. ranirisonii sp. nov., P. russata sp. nov., P. sambavensis sp. nov., and P. seyrigii sp. nov. Paracephaelis trichantha occurs on the east coast of continental Africa and on the islands of the Aldabra Group. One other species is newly described from the Comoros, P. comorensis sp. nov. Paracephaelis is characterized by sessile inflorescences, pubescent inflorescence and flower parts, ovules arranged at the periphery of the placenta, laterally flattened seeds with entire endosperm and a shallow elongate hilum, and pollen with supratectal elements. Of the Malagasy endemics, five species are assessed as Critically Endangered with P. sambavensis sp. nov. possibly Extinct in the Wild, three are Endangered, four are Vulnerable, one is Near Threatened, and three are Least Concern. Outside Madagascar, P. trichantha and P. comorensis sp. nov. are assessed as Vulnerable.
Eleven new species of Amblypsilopus Bigot, 1888 from Madagascar are described and illustrated: A. analamazaotra sp. nov., A. andasibensis sp. nov., A. ankarana sp. nov., A. bairae sp. nov., A. fianarantsoa sp. nov., A. freidbergi sp. nov., A. friedmani sp. nov., A. leonidi sp. nov., A. marinae sp. nov., A. olgae sp. nov., and A. romani sp. nov. New species differ from other representatives of the genus in morphology of male surstylus and cercus mainly and male secondary sexual characters on legs. A. flavus (Vanschuytbroeck, 1962) is redescribed. Presently, ca 60 species of Amblypsilopus are known from the Afrotropical region, and 25 species are found on Madagascar. Western Indian Ocean species are associated with the Indo-Pacific A. pallidicornis group, the Pantropical A. abruptus group and the Madagascan A. stuckenbergi group of species. An identification key to males of 28 species of Madagascar and adjacent islands is compiled for the first time.
A rare fairyfly (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae) genus, Ganomymar De Santis, 1972, is revised and rediagnosed based on both sexes; its males were previously unknown. This genus, which has remarkable structures on the propodeum and peculiar fore wings in females, is known only from Madagascar in the Afrotropical region. Its type species, Ganomymar dessarti De Santis, 1972, is redescribed and illustrated based on a non-type female specimen. Three new species of Ganomymar are described: G. caslot sp. nov., G. libertatium sp. nov., and G. zuparkoi sp. nov. The species are placed in two distinct species groups. A key to females of the four species is provided.
Adults of three known species of Ochodaeus Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae) in Madagascar have a strongly granulate pronotum. Three new species are described herein that have a smooth or weakly granulate pronotum: Ochodaeus modopunctatus, O. polypollicatus, and O. meandrus. A key to the species of Ochodaeus from Madagascar is provided.
From August to November 2017, Madagascar endured an outbreak of plague. A total of 2417 cases of plague were confirmed, causing a death toll of 209. Public health intervention efforts were introduced and successfully stopped the epidemic at the end of November. The plague, however, is endemic in the region and occurs annually, posing the risk of future outbreaks. To understand the plague transmission, we collected real-time data from official reports, described the outbreak's characteristics, and estimated transmission parameters using statistical and mathematical models. The pneumonic plague epidemic curve exhibited multiple peaks, coinciding with sporadic introductions of new bubonic cases. Optimal climate conditions for rat flea to flourish were observed during the epidemic. Estimate of the plague basic reproduction number during the large wave of the epidemic was high, ranging from 5 to 7 depending on model assumptions. The incubation and infection periods for bubonic and pneumonic plague were 4.3 and 3.4 days and 3.8 and 2.9 days, respectively. Parameter estimation suggested that even with a small fraction of the population exposed to infected rat fleas (1/10,000) and a small probability of transition from a bubonic case to a secondary pneumonic case (3%), the high human-to-human transmission rate can still generate a large outbreak. Controlling rodent and fleas can prevent new index cases, but managing human-to-human transmission is key to prevent large-scale outbreaks.
We review the diving-beetle genus Rhantus Dejean of Madagascar (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Colymbetinae) based on museum collection holdings and recently collected expedition material. Both morphology and DNA is used to test species boundaries, in particular whether newly collected material from the Tsaratanana mountains in the north represent a new species or are conspecific with Rhantus manjakatompo Pederzani and Rocchi 2009, described based on a single male specimen from the central Ankaratra mountains. DNA of the holotype of R. manjakatompo was successfully extracted in a non-destructive way and sequenced. The general mixed Yule coalescent model applied to an ultrametric tree constructed from mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence data delimited three species. Morphological characters supported the same species unambiguously. We therefore recognise three species of Rhantus to occur in Madagascar: R. latus (Fairmaire, 1869), R. bouvieri Régimbart, 1900 and R. manjakatompo Pederzani and Rocchi, 2009. All three species are endemic to Madagascar and restricted to the highlands of the island. Rhantusstenonychus Régimbart, 1895, syn. n., is considered a junior synonym of R. latus. We designate lectotypes for R. bouvieri and R. goudoti Sharp, 1882, the latter a junior synonym of R. latus. We provide descriptions, a determination key, SEM-images of fine pronotal and elytral structures, distribution maps, habitus photos, and illustrations of male genitalia and pro- and mesotarsal claws. We discuss the role of the Manjakatompo forest as a refugium for Madagascan Rhantus diversity and other endemics of the montane central high plateau.