2003
Madagascar Expedition
In the Winter of
2003, three researchers from the American Museum of
Natural History (John Sparks, Kevin Tang, and Leo
Smith) conducted preliminary ichthyofaunal surveys of
the nearshore marine fishes of Parc National de
Masoala, including several sites in Antongíl Bay and
the coral reefs surrounding Cape Masoala, as well as
rivers in the adjacent Makira Region. Numerous
collections were made at these locations in
collaboration with colleagues from the
University of
Antananarivo, Antongíl Conservation, and
the Wildlife Conservation
Society (see field team or
“Team Trondro”).
The Makira region
in northeastern
Madagascar represents one of the largest forested
areas remaining on the island. The area has
attracted substantial interest from conservation
agencies to ensure the viability and
sustainability of this region by promoting its
designation as a formal national park. To
facilitate this effort, we conducted the first
freshwater fish surveys in this largely unexplored
area with colleagues from Antongíl Conservation
and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Using
a combination of seine and hand nets, we collected
various species of gobies (Gobiidae), cichlids
(Cichlidae), glassfishes (Ambassidae), and other
fish groups. Species of cichlids,
rainbowfishes (Bedotiidae), and toadfishes
(Batrachoididae) new to science were included in
these collections. Although preliminary, our
work indicates that this region is potentially
rich in new species. Additionally, we noted
that the number of introduced or exotic fish
species found in the rivers of the Makira Region
was appreciably lower than comparable areas
throughout Madagascar. Given its
ichthyofaunal richness, large tracts of remaining
primary forest, and low number of exotic species,
conservation of this region is essential to ensure
the survival of many endemic freshwater fish
species (see additional information on our
Makira survey).
There are few marine protected areas in
Madagascar. The marine parks of
Parc National de Masoala
(Masoala, Tampolo,
and Tanjona), which surround the Masoala
Peninsula, have been designed to conserve a
variety of marine habitats. Currently,
little is known about the diversity of fishes in
these parks, so we conducted the first
collection-based marine surveys with colleagues
from the University of Antananarivo and the
Wildlife Conservation Society. Using a
variety of fishing techniques, including pole
spears, spear guns, beach seines, and
hook-and-line, as well as ichthyotoxins, we
collected thousands of fishes from these parks and
the neighboring rocky, sandy, and coral-reef areas
representing hundreds of fish families.
Included among these fishes are new species of
damselfishes (Pomacentridae), ponyfishes
(Leiognathidae), and cardinalfishes (Apogonidae),
as well as several additional species that are
presumably new to science but require further
study. Although limited to shallow waters
due to the lack of SCUBA, these preliminary marine
surveys indicate that the nearshore marine fishes
in this region are far more diverse than
originally assumed, with our effort more than
doubling the number of marine fish species known
from the area (see additional information on
our Masoala survey).
This work would not have been possible without the
help of Dr. Benjamin Andriamihaja and the
MICET (Institute for the Conservation
of Tropical Environments, Madagascar) staff, Dr.
Nora Raminosoa and her colleagues at the
University of Antananarivo, and Dr. David Myers
and his colleagues at the Wildlife Conservation
Society (see images of
MICET, Antananarivo, and other
sites.).
Additional images from our trip can be
found here.
Team Trondro
Makira freshwater survey
Masoala marine survey
Antananarivo and other
sites
Funding
was generously provided by:
American Museum of Natural History
AMNH-Lerner Gray Program for Marine Research
AMNH-Lerner Gray Postdoctoral and Graduate
Fellowships
AMNH Department of Ichthyology
Axelrod Curatorship held by Dr. Melanie L. J.
Stiassny
Columbia University
Wildlife Conservation Society