Madagascar's isolation has led to high levels of endemism, as its plants and animals evolved separately for over 88 million years. It is home to many unique species, including over 90% of its lemur species, along with endemic butterflies, orchids, and baobab trees. Its isolation and climate have contributed to Madagascar having extremely high biodiversity, though this is now threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

1. Endemism in Madagascar
Isolation of the Madagascar
Madagascar is the home of many endemic species. This endemism is due to its isolation.
Its isolation provides many opportunities for the species to evolve and diversify. This
species are a mixture of living and evolving there.
Madagascar was the landlocked in the middle of the Gondwana (supercontinent), which
was surrounded by the South America and Africa and India, Australia and Antarctica.
About 162 million years ago, due to the tectonic action Madagascar separated or break
into different lands or islands. It first split into South America and Africa and India,
Australia and Antarctica, Madagascar attached with the India. It further split into
Madagascar and India and Australia and Antarctica. About 88 million years ago, due to
the tectonic action it splits and eventually becomes Madagascar (a separate island), India,
Australia, Antarctica, South America and Africa. This isolation result in a unique mix of
plants and animals that are nowhere else.
Species of Madagascar

2. Madagascar is the fourth largest island with the huge diversity. Almost 5% of all known
species in the world are found in this island, which includes 200 mammals, 300 types of
birds, 260 types of reptiles, and 266 amphibian species.
The isolation has evolved surprised wildlife species on the island. Because of this
isolation 103 species of lemur are found there. It is also known for the Chamleons
originated because two third of all chameleon species are live there.
We found huge variety of endemic butterflies, spiders, and dragonflies on the island. We
also found 860 endemic types of orchid and 6 of the baobab species, it contributes to the
incredible diversity of wildlife, which makes the Madagascar one of the globes’ absolute
highlights for nature.
The ring tailed lemur
It is recognized by their black and white striped tails. They live in female-dominated troops
of around 17 animals in the dry forests in the southern parts of the island. They spend
most of his time on the ground.
Lemurs are primates which looks like between the animal’s cat, dog and squirrels, and
they are singing like a whale. There are also included more than thirty different species
of lemur in Madagascar. Lemurs are one of the most threatened animals in the whole
planet and according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 22 species of lemurs are
critically endangered, 48 are endangered, while 20 are vulnerable.
Fossa
It is the carnivorous animal which almost looks like a cat and related to the mongoose
family. It is the largest carnivorous found on the island. It lives in forest and has the ability
of climbing like normal cats, due to which it preys on smaller animals including reptiles,
rodents and lemur. Fossa is among the endangered species and listed by IUCN Red list
of the threatened species because their habitat is diminishing. Today less than 10% of
the original forest cover of Madagascar is in existence which is also the only home of the
Fossa.

3. Aye-Aye
The largest of all nocturnal primates in the world, aye-ayes have evolved to have
opposable toes and long tails for a life in the trees, which is only found in Madagascar.
They have a long middle figures. Their big toes and long tails allow them to hang
comfortably on the tree while they use their echolocation to find food such as insects
which they used for the hunting and climbing on trees.
Comet moth
It is also known as Madagascan moon moth. It is the most beautiful moth in the world.
They are among the largest in the world with a wing span that extends to 20 cm coming
only second after the Atlas moth of Asia. They has bright yellow colors and a long tail.
They are nocturnal. The females moth are broader and wings are rounder their tales are
shorter than males.
Panther chameleon
They are native of Madagascar and introduced to Surroundings Island. They are among
the most colorful chamleons. They use its extensile tongue to catch its prey.

4. Tomato frog
There are three species of the tomato frog Dyscophusantongilli, Dyscophus guineti, and
Dyscophus insularis. These frogs mate during the rainy season andon shallow and slow
moving water. They are brightly colored and ooze off some white sticky mucus when
threatened, though they are not toxic, they are irritating to the mucous membrane.
Madagascar fody
They grow to about five inches (12.5-13.5 cm) and weigh approximately 0.5-0.7 oz (14-
19 gm). The male has a bright red plumage and some black markings around the eyes
and olive brown on the wings and the tail. The plumage varies widely from orange to
yellowish and during mating the males undergo molting and plumage change to olive
brown that look like the females. They are abundant on the island.
Hissing cockroaches
They are the fascinating animal species on the island. They are oval shaped and shiny
brown insects without wings, but with a pair of antennae. The male has horns.

5. The other species name included baobab tree, Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko, Long-Eared
Owl, Lowland Streaked Tenrec, Painted Mantella etc. Scientists also found 200 new
species of frog in Madagascar.
Madagascar not only known for the endemic species but also for the species which are
now absent from the island because of the isolation. Some groups are represented only
by species very recently introduced by humans. Absent species on the island are the
large mammals such as antelopes, elephants, zebras, camels, giraffes, hyenas, lions and
cheetahs. The only large African mammal that “made it” to Madagascar prior to the arrival
of humans several thousand years ago was the hippopotamus. Hippos, similar to those
that occupy the Nile River basin today, apparently swam to Madagascar sometime during
the Tertiary era. Their ancestors that are present on the island at the time of isolation,
evolved into species unique to the island.
Paleontologists also found bones of dinosaurs, early birds and mammals. Many birds and
fauna that found today on the island, didn’t present at the time of isolation. It is believed
that the ancestors of these animals came on the island by crossing the ocean. The
subsequent adaptive radiation of these taxonomic groups makes the Madagascar so
special.
Evolving into oblivion
When humans first arrived on Madagascar, there were at least 50 lemur species living on
the island, the largest of which rivaled the body mass of a male gorilla or orangutan. Not
one of the 33 lemur species that still survive on the island is as large as the smallest of
the lemurs that disappeared from Madagascar during the past several millennia. Along
with the giant lemurs, Madagascar was populated by other megafauna that have also
since vanished. There were huge tortoises, giant predatory raptors, and pygmy
hippopotamuses. There were gigantic flightless birds called elephant birds. These birds
were larger than any other birds which were extinct about 100 years ago.
Madagascar's unusual endemism makes it one of the world's top conservation priorities.
But its endemic plants and animals continue to suffer from practices such as slash-and-
burn agriculture and the harvesting of woody plants for charcoal and timber. Grasses are
often deliberately burned to stimulate the growth of fresh blades to feed the cattle. Wild
animals are sometimes also hunted. Because of the endemicity of plant and animal

6. species on Madagascar, conservationists believe that forest destruction here may have
a greater negative impact on global biodiversity than anywhere else on earth.
Theory about Madagascar rich biodiversity
Scientist had been confused about why Madagascar has huge biodiversity but now they
has developed the climate based explanation. They say that their research will help
prioritize conservation efforts in the last remaining natural habitats of Madagascar.
Scientists develop first comprehensive theory explaining Madagascar’s rich biodiversity
(News release from the Field Museum in Chicago)
The researcher team efforts and their findings will help to find the evolutionary history of
these animals and efforts to conserve these diversity.
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/091001_madagascar
References
http://www.pbs.org/edens/madagascar/eden.htm
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-madagascar-frogs/scientists-find-
200-new-frog-species-in-madagascar-idUSTRE5453XU20090506
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-unique-animals-live-in-
madagascar.html
https://blogpatagonia.australis.com/endemic-species-madagascar-
astonishing-breadth-wildlife/
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/091001_madagascar