Exceptional diversity of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) in the Makira region with the description of one new species

Abstract

4Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust-Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar Although the number of described lemur species has increased considerably over the last 20 years, detailed biogeographic data are still lacking from many geographic regions, in particular in the eastern part of Madagascar. This study investigated mouse lemur species diversity in a previously unstudied Inter-River-System in the eastern Makira region. Three sites were visited and 26 individuals were sampled and characterized with 13 external morphometric measurements. Standard phylogenetic analyses were performed on the basis of sequences of three mitochondrial loci by including representatives of all other published mouse lemur species for comparison. The analyses revealed the presence of three mouse lemur species in one study site, two of which were previously undescribed. The two new species are genetically distinct and belong to the larger-bodied mouse lemur species on the island, whereas the third species, Microcebus mittermeieri, belongs to the smaller-bodied mouse lemur species. The study fully describes one of the new species. This study and other lemur inventories suggest that the Makira region is particularly rich in lemur species and the lack of any protected zone in this area should now attract the urgent attention of conservation stakeholders. Am.

Lemur Diversity in Madagascar

“…Louis et al (2006a) identified 2 differentiated forms in the southern part of the range of Microcebus jollyae, and consider its distribution only temporary as more information becomes available. In the Makira region, Microcebus mittermeieri is sympatric with 2 other mouse lemurs, one of which Radespiel et al (2008) described as Microcebus macarthurii, but the other remains undescribed owing to small sample size. Louis et al (2006a) also found that the mouse lemur from the island of Nosy Be in the northwest, west of the Manongarivo Special Reserve, was divergent from the mainland species there, Microcebus sambiranensis.…”

“…Morphological and (especially) cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies are resulting in some major changes in our understanding of the diversity, phylogeny, and systematics of the lemurs (Fausser et al 2002;Mayor et al 2004;Ravoarimanana 2001;Rumpler 2000Rumpler , 2004, as well as the identification of numerous new species (Andriaholinirina et al 2006a;Andriantompohavana et al 2006Andriantompohavana et al , 2007Craul et al 2007;Kappeler et al 2005;Lei et al 2008;Louis et al 2006a, b;Olivieri et al 2007;Rabarivola et al 2006;Radespiel et al 2008;Rasoloarison et al 2000;Rylands et al 2002;Geissmann 2000, 2005;Zaramody et al 2006;Zimmermann et al 1998). Groves and Tattersall (1991), Groves (2000Groves ( , 2001Groves ( , 2005Groves ( , 2007, and Groves and Helgen (2007) revised existing museum material intensively.…”

The Use of Molecular Phylogenetic and Morphological Tools to Identify Cryptic and Paraphyletic Species: Examples from the Diminutive Long-fingered Bats (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae: Miniopterus) on Madagascar

“…The mouselemurs of the genus Microcebus were thought to comprise a single broadly distributed species, until Martin (1972) recommended that a second form should be recognized. Subsequently, largely molecular studies revealed considerable fixed genetic differences and, as of September 2008, at least 19 species are proposed that are phenotypically similar to one another (Rasoloarison et al, 2000;Kappeler et al, 2005;Louis et al, 2006Louis et al, , 2008Olivieri et al, 2007;Radespiel et al, 2008).…”

Evolução morfológica no crânio de Lemuriformes (Primates:Strepsirrhini)

“…vários trabalhos se dedicaram a reexaminar os caracteres morfológicos dos Lemuriformes buscando por apomorfias e diferenças consistentes entre eles que pudessem contar sua história evolutiva (Cartmill, 1975;Groves, 1974;Groves and Trueman, 1995;Groves and Eaglen, 1988;Schwartz and Tattersall, 1985;Szalay and Katz, 1973;Szalay et al, 1987;Tattersall and Schwartz, 1974, 1991 (Groves, 2001;Nekaris and Bearder, 2007;Radespiel et al, 2008;Tattersall, 2007;Yoder, 2012). Esses números refletem a recente explosão de trabalhos de campo e estão potencialmente relacionados a fins de conservação, mas também conduziram a uma inflação taxonômica (Tattersall, 2007).…”

“…No decorrer das últimas duas décadas o número de espécies de Lemuriformes reconhecidas triplicou (chegando a uma centena Mittermeier et al, 2010), sendo que muitas delas apresentam diversi-5 dade críptica ou tratam-se de subespécies (Groves, 2001;Nekaris and Bearder, 2007;Radespiel et al, 2008;Tattersall, 2007;Yoder, 2012). Esses números refletem a recente explosão de trabalhos de campo e estão potencialmente relacionados a fins de conservação, mas também conduziram a uma inflação taxonômica (Tattersall, 2007).…”