Title
Non-volant small mammals of the Makira Forest, Madagascar
Author(s)
Rakotomalala Z., Andrianjakarivelo V., Rasataharilala V., Goodman S.M.
Published
2007
Publisher
Bulletin de la Societe Zoologique de France
Abstract
Considering the relatively pristine state and size (386 000 ha) of the Makira Forest in northeastern Madagascar, it was important to assess the status of its biodiversity. No information was previously available on the small mammals (orders Rodentia, Afrosoricida, and Soricomorpha) of this forest, and a survey was conducted at six sites from 14 December 2002 to 28 February 2003. Line transects were used to sample the local fauna with the aid of metal traps and pit-falls (with drift fences). For each site, 700 trap-nights for metal traps and 231 trap-nights for the pit-fall traps were accrued. During this study, 17 species of small mammals were documented. With the exception of two introduced species, a rodent Rattus rattus (Muridae, Rodentia) and a shrew Suncus murinus (Soricidae, Soricomorpha), all are endemic to Madagascar. Biogeographical analysis of the different sites showed that the specific composition of rodents, tenrecs and shrews varied markedly according to altitude and condition of the forest. The Makira Forest and the closest protected areas share the majority of small mammal species. However, the Makira Forest holds relatively few species of rodents, although its Tenrecidae community is of particular interest.
Keywords
Mammalia; Muridae; Rattus; Rattus rattus; Rodentia; Soricidae; Soricomorpha; Suncus murinus; Tenrecidae
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PUB12067