Transcript 23 Days on the Red Island

23 Days Exploring Central
Madagascar for the Genus
Mantella
Objective
• Locate and photograph seven species of
Mantella
– M. aurantiaca
– M. baroni
– M. bernhardi
– M. cowani
– M. crocea
– M. madagascariensis
– M. milotympanum
Madagascar
• 4th Largest island in the
world
• About the size of Texas
• Located off of the east
coast of Africa
The Plan
Taxi-brousse
Andasibe
Mantella aurantiaca
Mantella aurantiaca
• Four known populations
• Two near Andasibe in forests
bordering Torotorofotsy marsh
• Pandanus sp. screw pines
serve as calling spots for
males
• Calling males also located
among leaf litter
Pandanus Screw Pines
Torotorofotsy
Orange vs. Red
• Within Torotorofotsy population #1, red and orange frogs coexist
• Captive-bred frogs in the hobby are lighter in color than those in
the population visited
• Diet-related?
• Origin of captive frogs from different population?
Mantadia National Park
Mantella baroni
Mantella baroni
• Wide-spread distribution throughout east-central Madagascar
• Four populations located during the trip
• All individuals found were very close to fast-moving streams
Vohimana Reserve
Mantella pulchra
• Informed by biologist that M.
pulchra could be found 15
km east of Andasibe, in
Vohimana Reserve
Hitchhiking in Madagascar –
morning vs. afternoon
Mantella pulchra
• Very wet, soggy, saturated soil
• Thick leaf litter serves as cover
• Reclusive frog in the wild as well as captivity
Vohimana Reserve
Mantidactylus sp.
Variable M. cf. milotympanum
• Varying amounts of
black on flanks and
face
• Some frogs resemble
M. crocea
• Others appear like
M. milotympanum
Logging
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Habitat of M. cf. milotympanum under pressure from selective logging
Many frogs located among a pile of wood shavings
Deforested field across of stream still had frogs, far less were heard though
In Search of Green M. cf. milotympanum
• Farmer’s father said that they occurred along the same
stream that variable M. cf. milotympanum lived alongside, but
around 30 km further east
Yellow/Green M. cf. milotympanum
• Accidentally stumbled upon population halfway
to known green mantellas
• Appeared to be restricted to small transitional
zone of ferns and small shrubs
• Unusual blue marbling
• Only individual located like it
• Population threatened by agricultural
development
Back to Tana (the capitol)
• Left Andasibe-area without having found M. crocea
• Time was running out
• Next stop: Antoetra for M. cowani
Antoetra
• No M. cowani located
• Not the right habitat
• M.
baroni abundant along
rocky stream
• Only amphibian found
• Only other herp found:
Furcifer lateralis
• Found in degraded
savanah-like fields
Difficulties of Herping Near Antoetra
• No forest = few herps
• Culturally-knowledgeable guides
• Difficult to be a foreigner in this area
Last Stop: Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana
Today’s Malagasy Lesson
• rano = water
• mafana = hot
• Ranomafana = hot water
• Natural hot springs
• Attract tourists
• Very popular park
Mantella baroni
Mantella bernhardi
• Most distantly related mantella
• Unique trill-like call
• Very limited distribution
Mantella bernhardi
• Only one individual found
• Several others calling nearby
• Difficult to locate because of dark coloration
Night Hike - Boophis
Boophis sp.
Boophis rappiodes
Boophis
Boophis madagascariensis
Boophis luteus
Last Mantellas of the Trip
• Guide informed me of one last Mantella population
• M. baroni and M. madagascariensis
• Mantella baroni and Mantella
madagascariensis appear
similar dorsally
• But can reliably be told apart
by comparing their ventral
side
Mantella madagascariensis
Mantella baroni
Mantella baroni
- Spot or no marking on throat
- Red on limbs extends only partway
Mantella madagascariensis
- Horseshoe-shaped marking on throat
- Red on limbs extends through thigh
• Following Ranomafana National Park, I returned to
Antananarivo and flew home
• Arrived back in Madison, Wisconsin on January 19th
• Plan to return to Madagascar in December of this year
• There is an immense amount to be learned from and
understood about Madagascar and its amphibians