Baobabs
and Barricades
A major expedition to survey arthropods is completed despite civil
unrest.
Three months
in the desert "spiny thicket" region of southwest Madagascar
have convinced Academy entomologist Brian Fisher of one thing-he prefers
rain forests. Intense heat fueled cravings for bottled water, since the
area's drinking water is often brackish. The sun-scorched dry forests
and succulent thickets do provide rewards for scientists though: 95% of
the plant species in these habitats are found nowhere else in the world,
and the arthropods-ants, beetles, butterflies, spiders, scorpions and
other groups-have never before been studied.
With the
country in political turmoil as a result of a disputed presidential election,
Fisher's recent expedition to 19 sites faced daunting transportation challenges,
including gasoline shortages. Upon leaving the dry forest region, they
encountered dozens of barricades defended by armed men. Fortunately, Fisher's
eight-member Malagasy team was allowed safe passage at each checkpoint.
Despite hardships,
this first in-depth inventory of spiny thicket arthropods was a success.
Most of the arthropods collected will be new to science. Though Fisher
had no idea what to expect, he found 60 new ant species, including a new
species in the genus Mystrium, the tribe of "Dracula ants."
In 2000 Fisher discovered a new species of Dracula ants-dubbed by Fisher
the missing link in ant evolution-in his favored wet and lush rain forests
in eastern Madagascar.
The National Science Foundation provides funding for Brian Fisher and
Charles Griswold's four-year survey of the dry forests of Madagascar--the
largest arthropod inventory in the world. Fisher is training Malagasy
scientists in collection and identification techniques and collaborates
with Parc Tsimbazaza, a garden and museum that will store duplicate specimens
once they are identified. Fisher also receives generous funding from the
McBean Family Foundation. Institutional support from the California Academy
of Sciences and the South African Museum has been crucial to the success
of the project.
The Madagascar
project is supported in part by generous grants from the McBean Family
Foundation.
 |
| Baobab
tree. Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Having
manually pulled the vehicle from the mud, the team continued looking
for forest near Lake Ihotry (but never finding it). Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
Cooking
goat at our team farewell celebration.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
|
 |
Team
photo at coast in Cape St. Marie.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Aphaenogaster
swammerdami, the dominant ant of the southwest carrying a millipede.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Zebu
oxcart transport pulling supplies out of Mandraré River. Photo:
Brian Fisher |
 |
| Leaf
litter extraction lab. Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Malaise
trap in spiny bush. The spiny forest is usually 3 to 6 m in height.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Porters
from local village of Marovato assisting team. Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
The
expedition team descending humid forests down into the dry forests
of the southwest.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
| Coastal
landscape with spiny bush. Photo: Brian Fisher |
 |
Spiny
bush with flowering Pachypodium.
Photo: Brian Fisher |
|