Phelsuma antanosy
– Critically Endangered
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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REPTILIA
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Order:
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SQUAMATA
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Family:
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GEKKONIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Phelsuma antanosy
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Species Authority:
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Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1993
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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CR B2ab(ii,iii,iv) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2007
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Assessor/s:
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Jenkins, R., Randrianantoandro, C. & Ramanamanjato, J.B.
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Evaluator/s:
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Cox, N. and Stuart, S.N. (Global Reptile Assessment Coordinating Team)
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Justification:
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Listed as Critically Endangered because its area of occupancy is a maximum of 9 km² based on forest cover of occupied fragments but is likely to be considerably less than this because of the micro-distribution of key plant species within its area of occupancy. The species has a severely fragmented population; the two remaining populations are sub-divided, one into three subpopulations defined by the boundaries of forest fragments at Ambatotsirongorongo, and the other into five subpopulations, also in forest fragments at Sainte Luce. There is continuing decline in the area of habitat and number of subpopulations; three of the eight forest fragments at Sainte Luce are outside of protected areas. One area will be lost to planned extraction of ilmenite and the others are used by local communities for forest resources and although a local management law was passed (dina) in 2005, the forest is under heavy pressure.
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Phelsuma antanosy is known from only two forests, one to the east and one to the west of Tolagnaro, approximately 80 km apart in southeastern Madagascar. Ambatotsirongorongo Forest is divided into three fragments totaling approximately 235 ha. At Sainte Luce, it is known from five fragments totaling 560 ha although this is a conservative estimate because its key plant species are rare in three of the five fragments. It used to occur in the west of the 597 ha Petriky Forest from where it was discovered but it has not been recorded from this site since 1994 despite regular searches. The extirpation at this site was caused by the removal of its Pandanus habitat for agriculture.
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Countries:
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Native:
Madagascar
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Population
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Population:
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Information on population density is currently unavailable.
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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P. antanosy is only known from low altitude forests in the coastal forests of Tolagnaro, southeastern Madagascar. Its distribution within its extent of occurrence is discontinuous and it is absent from Mandena littoral forest, possibly because of the lack of suitable plant species. It is thought to have specific habitat requirements for egg-laying and usually uses a single species of Pandanus that is found at Ambatotsirongorongo and Sainte Luce. During the night and the day it uses Dypsis palms such as Sainte Luce Dypsis (D. saintelucei and sometimes Ravenala madagascariensis. Therefore, within the two remaining forests where it occurs P. antanosy distribution is likely to be closely associated with the availability of certain broad-leaved plants.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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Threats
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Threats:
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P. antanosy is threatened by the destruction of its remaining forest habitat and selective exploitation of Pandanus. spp. and Dypsis spp. by people. Although new protected areas have been created within its range, illegal forest degradation continues. One subpopulation will be lost when ilmenite mining commences at Sainte Luce, although this it not scheduled for at least 25 years (from 2006).
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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All of its known range in Ambatorongorongo Forest is within a newly created protected area. All five of the fragments in Sainte Luce with P. antanosy are included within a community resource use agreement (dina) designed to sustainably use forest products, conserve biodiversity and protect livelihoods. Two of these fragments are also within a protected area that has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment for approval. One fragment will be lost to the proposed ilmenite mine.
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