Following the prehistoric breakup of thesupercontinentGondwana,Madagascar split from Africa during the EarlyJurassic,around 180 million years ago, and split from theIndian subcontinentaround 90 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation; consequently, it is abiodiversity hotspotand one of the world's 17megadiverse countries,with over 90% ofwildlifebeing endemic. The island has a subtropical to tropical maritime climate. Madagascar was first settled during or before the mid-first millennium AD byAustronesian peoples,presumably arriving onoutrigger canoesfrom present-dayIndonesia.These were joined around the ninth century AD byBantumigrants crossing the Mozambique Channel from East Africa. Other groups continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. Consequently, there are 18 or more classifiedpeoples of Madagascar,the most numerous being theMerinaof the central highlands.
Until the late 18th century, the island of Madagascar was ruled by a fragmented assortment of shifting sociopolitical alliances. Beginning in the early 19th century, most of it was united and ruled as theKingdom of Madagascarby aseriesof Merinanobles.The monarchy was ended in 1897 by theannexation by France,from which Madagascar gained independence in 1960. The country has since undergone four major constitutional periods, termed republics, and has been governed as a constitutional democracy since 1992. Following apolitical crisis and military coup in 2009,Madagascar underwent aprotracted transition towardsits fourth and current republic, with constitutional governance being restored in January 2014. (Full article...)
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Lemurs of Madagascaris a 2010reference workandfield guidefor thelemursofMadagascar,giving descriptions and biogeographic data for the known species. The primary contributor isRussell Mittermeier,president ofConservation International,and the cover art and illustrations were drawn byStephen D. Nash.Currently in its third edition, the book provides details about all known lemur species, general information about lemurs and their history, and also helps travelers identify species they may encounter. Four related pocket field guides have also been released, containing color illustrations of each species, miniature range maps, and species checklists.
The first edition was reviewed favorably in theInternational Journal of Primatology,Conservation Biology,andLemur News.Reviewers, includingAlison Jolly,praised the book for its meticulous coverage of each species, numerous high-quality illustrations, and engaging discussion of lemur topics, including conservation, evolution, and the recently extinctsubfossil lemurs.Each agreed that the book was an excellent resource for a wide audience, includingecotouristsand lemur researchers. A lengthy review of the second edition was published in theAmerican Journal of Primatology,where it received similar favorable comments, plus praise for its updates and enhancements. The third edition was reviewed favorably inLemur News;the reviewer praised the expanded content of the book, but was concerned that the edition was not as portable as its predecessors. (Full article...)
Toamasina(Malagasy pronunciation:[toˈmasinə̥]), meaning "like salt" or "salty", unofficially and inFrenchTamatave,is the capital of theAtsinananaregion on the east coast ofMadagascaron theIndian Ocean.The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated 215 km (134 mi) northeast of its capital and biggest cityAntananarivo.In 2018 Toamasina had a population of 325,857. (Full article...)
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Collection localities ofLaephotis malagasyensis
TheIsalo serotine(Laephotis malagasyensis) is avesper batofMadagascarin the genusLaephotis.It is known only from the vicinity of theIsalo National Parkin the southwestern part of the island, where it has been caught in riverine habitats. After the first specimen was caught in 1967, it was described as asubspeciesofEptesicus somalicus(nowNeoromicia somalica) in 1995. After four more specimens were collected in 2002 and 2003, it was recognized as a separate species. Because of its small distribution and the threat ofhabitat destruction,it is considered "vulnerable"in theIUCN Red List.
Laephotis malagasyensisis a relatively small species, with a forearm length of 30 to 32 mm (1.2 to 1.3 in) and a body mass of 3.9 to 9 g (0.1 to 0.3 oz). The fur is dark brown above and mixed buff and gray below. The ears are translucent and thetibiais short. Thebaculum(penis bone) resembles that ofN. melckorum,but is smaller. The duration of theecholocationcall, which consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency and one showing more stable frequency, averages 4.9msand the interval between calls averages 69.1 ms. (Full article...)
Image 3Malagasy Embassy to Europe in 1863. Left to right: Rainifiringa Ralaimaholy, Rev. John Duffus and Rasatranabo aka Rainandrianandraina. (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 4Canoe-sarcophagus of the Dayak: a burial that recalls the Malagasy tradition that former Ntaolo Vazimba and Vezo buried their dead in canoe-sarcophagi in the sea or in a lake (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 5Malagasyancestry reflects a blend of Southeast Asian, Oceanian and Bantu (Southeast African) roots. (fromMadagascar)
Image 6Moraingy is a traditional martial art of Madagascar. (fromCulture of Madagascar)
Image 12Matatana, represented in a picture of 1613, regarding a settlement of the beginning of the 16th century, in the Book of Humberto Leitão "(fromMadagascar)
Image 17Mahafaly tomb with traditional painted decoration (fromCulture of Madagascar)
Image 18Thering-tailed lemuris one of over 100 known species and subspecies of lemur found only in Madagascar. (fromMadagascar)
Image 19An Austronesianoutrigger canoe;Malagasyvahoaka"people" is fromProto-Malayo-Polynesian*va-waka"people of the canoe". TheVahoaka Ntaolo,the first Austronesian ancestors of the Malagasy, probably used similar canoes to reach the great island from theSunda Islands(fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 20Map of Madagascar and surroundings, circa 1702–1707 (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 28Madagascar—Gathering of The People for The Making of Laws (LMS, 1869, p.52) (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 29Rex and Riz cinemas in Antananarivo, Madagascar. (fromCulture of Madagascar)
Image 30National monument inMoramangacommemorating the beginning of theMalagasy Uprisingon 29 March 1947. Between 11,000 and 90,000 Malagasy died during the uprising which lasted nearly two years. (fromMadagascar)
Image 32Land coverage (left) and topographical (right) maps of Madagascar (fromMadagascar)
Image 33Thetaro(saonjoin Malagasy) is, according to an old Malagasy proverb, "the elder of the rice" (Ny saonjo no zokin'ny vary), and was also a staple diet for the proto-Austronesians (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 35A news stand in Antananarivo (fromMadagascar)
Image 36Radama I, the first monarch of the kingdom unified central Madagascar. (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 37Toy animals made fromraffia,a native palm (fromMadagascar)
Image 38A Sumatran village showing several traditional houses (Malagasylevu). Thevahoaka ntaolovillages of Madagascar were probably similar in the first millennium AD. This model is still currently present on every coast and in the remote inland areas and forests. (fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 39Nosy Iranjais one of the international tourism destinations in Madagascar (fromMadagascar)
Image 42Men in an Outrigger Canoe Headed for Shore,an oil painting by Arman Manookian depicting theVezo people,c. 1929(fromHistory of Madagascar)
Image 43Vaγimba- "Those of the forest" in Proto–Southeast Barito, the reconstructed ancestor of the SoutheastBarito languages,which includes the languages spoken by theDayakpeoples of theBarito RiverinBorneo(pictured) (fromHistory of Madagascar)
