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Anthropogenic pressure on large carnivores and their prey in the highly threatened forests of Tanintharyi, southern Myanmar. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar is rich in biodiversity yet is facing threats from varying degrees of anthropogenic pressure. In this research we examine how anthropogenic pressures are influencing large carnivores (tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus and dhole Cuon alpinus) and their major prey species (wild pig Sus scrofa, muntjac Muntiacus spp., sambar Rusa unicolor, gaur Bos gaurus and banteng Bos javanicus) in the Lenya Reserved Forest and adjacent areas of Sundaic forest. We used data from camera-trap surveys during May 2016–March 2018 and logistic regression to analyse the relationships between the presence of large carnivores and explanatory variables such as human disturbance, landscape variability and changes in prey distribution. Tiger presence was positively associated with the occurrence of gaur and distance to villages. The occurrence of prey did not explain the detection of leopards in the study area. We suspect this was because leopards have a broad diet, including arboreal primates, and their prey was not fully recorded in our camera-trap survey. Dholes were positively associated with wild pigs and the total number of prey but not associated with forest type and landscape variables. To restore the carnivore population and conserve the biodiversity of this area, effective protection of predators and habitat management for large ungulates are crucial.
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Thu AM, Phyo AM, Quan RC. First camera-trap evidence of banded civet Hemigalus derbyanus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Viverridae) in Myanmar. MAMMALIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2022-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Banded civet Hemigalus derbyanus is a Near Threatened small carnivore species distributed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, peninsular Thailand, and Myanmar. However, the status of banded civet in Myanmar is uncertain, as it has not been recorded there since 1914. Here, we report the first photographic evidence of banded civet in Htaung Pru Reserved Forest of Tanintharyi Region, which is located in the far northwest from the known historical location in Myanmar, and contributes to our knowledge of the current distribution of banded civet in Southeast Asia. Protection and conservation of lowland rainforest by using community-based conservation approaches is critically important for the persistence of this species in this particular area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aye Myat Thu
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Yezin , Nay Pyi Taw , 05282 , Myanmar
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Mengla , Yunnan , 666303 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , 100049 , China
- Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division, Forest Department , Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation , Nay Pyi Taw , Myanmar
| | - Aye Min Phyo
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Yezin , Nay Pyi Taw , 05282 , Myanmar
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Mengla , Yunnan , 666303 , China
| | - Rui-Chang Quan
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Yezin , Nay Pyi Taw , 05282 , Myanmar
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Mengla , Yunnan , 666303 , China
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Yodthong S, Rujirawan A, Stuart BL, Grismer LL, Aksornneam A, Termprayoon K, Ampai N, Aowphol A. A new species in the Cyrtodactylusoldhami group (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. Zookeys 2022; 1103:139-169. [PMID: 36761785 PMCID: PMC9848611 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1103.84672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyrtodactylusmonilatus sp. nov. is described from Si Sawat District, Kanchanaburi Province, in western Thailand. The new species superficially resembles C.zebraicus Taylor, 1962 from southern Thailand. However, differences between the new species from C.zebraicus and other congeners were supported by an integrative taxonomic analysis of molecular and morphological data. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene showed that the new species is a member of the C.oldhami group and closely related to Cyrtodactylus sp. MT468911 from Thong Pha Phum National Park, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province. Uncorrected pairwise genetic divergences (p-distances) between the new species and its congeners, including C.zebraicus, ranged from 7.7-17.7%. Cyrtodactylusmonilatus sp. nov. can also be distinguished from all members of the C.oldhami group by having a unique combination of morphological characters, including a snout to vent length of 53.7-63.3 mm in adult males and 58.6-75.8 mm in adult females; 22-34 paravertebral tubercles; 34-42 ventral scales; 30-39 enlarged contiguous femoroprecloacal scales; femoral pores and precloacal pores absent in both sexes; four or five rows of postprecloacal scales; enlarged median subcaudal scales absent; weak ventrolateral folds present; 4-7 rows of paired, paravertebral, dark-brown blotches edged in yellow or yellowish white; and two rows of small, diffuse, yellow or yellowish white spots on flanks. The new species occurs in a narrow range of forest at mid to low elevations associated with karst landscapes in the Tenasserim mountain range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siriporn Yodthong
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Attapol Rujirawan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Bryan L. Stuart
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601, USANorth Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesRaleighUnited States of America
| | - L. Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California 92505, USALa Sierra UniversityRiversideUnited States of America
| | - Akrachai Aksornneam
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Korkhwan Termprayoon
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Natee Ampai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, ThailandSrinakharinwirot UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Anchalee Aowphol
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
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Chan AN, Wittemyer G, McEvoy J, Williams AC, Cox N, Soe P, Grindley M, Shwe NM, Chit AM, Oo ZM, Leimgruber P. Landscape characteristics influence ranging behavior of Asian elephants at the human-wildlands interface in Myanmar. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:6. [PMID: 35123584 PMCID: PMC8818246 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00304-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Asian elephant numbers are declining across much of their range driven largely by serious threats from land use change resulting in habitat loss and fragmentation. Myanmar, holding critical range for the species, is undergoing major developments due to recent sociopolitical changes. To effectively manage and conserve the remaining populations of endangered elephants in the country, it is crucial to understand their ranging behavior. OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to (1) estimate the sizes of dry, wet, and annual ranges of wild elephants in Myanmar; and quantify the relationship between dry season (the period when human-elephant interactions are the most likely to occur) range size and configurations of agriculture and natural vegetation within the range, and (2) evaluate how percentage of agriculture within dry core range (50% AKDE range) of elephants relates to their daily distance traveled. METHODS We used autocorrelated kernel density estimator (AKDE) based on a continuous-time movement modeling (ctmm) framework to estimate dry season (26 ranges from 22 different individuals), wet season (12 ranges from 10 different individuals), and annual range sizes (8 individuals), and reported the 95%, 50% AKDE, and 95% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) range sizes. We assessed how landscape characteristics influenced range size based on a broad array of 48 landscape metrics characterizing aspects of vegetation, water, and human features and their juxtaposition in the study areas. To identify the most relevant landscape metrics and simplify our candidate set of informative metrics, we relied on exploratory factor analysis and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Based on this analysis we adopted a final set of metrics into our regression analysis. In a multiple regression framework, we developed candidate models to explain the variation in AKDE dry season range sizes based on the previously identified, salient metrics of landscape composition. RESULTS Elephant dry season ranges were highly variable averaging 792.0 km2 and 184.2 km2 for the 95% and 50% AKDE home ranges, respectively. We found both the shape and spatial configuration of agriculture and natural vegetation patches within an individual elephant's range play a significant role in determining the size of its range. We also found that elephants are moving more (larger energy expenditure) in ranges with higher percentages of agricultural area. CONCLUSION Our results provide baseline information on elephant spatial requirements and the factors affecting them in Myanmar. This information is important for advancing future land use planning that takes into account space-use requirements for elephants. Failing to do so may further endanger already declining elephant populations in Myanmar and across the species' range.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Chan
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
- WWF-Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.
- Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar.
| | - G Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - J McEvoy
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | | | - N Cox
- WWF-Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - P Soe
- WWF-Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - M Grindley
- Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - N M Shwe
- Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - A M Chit
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Z M Oo
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Myanma Timber Enterprise, Alone, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - P Leimgruber
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
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Evan S.H. Quah, Lee L. Grismer, Perry L. Wood, Jr., Lin A, Myint Kyaw Thura. COVID-19 and civil unrest undoing steady gains in karst conservation and herpetological research in Myanmar, and an impediment to progress. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7753.14.1.20500-20502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and political turmoil in Myanmar has dealt a severe blow to the country’s progress in herpetological research and the protection of limestone habitats. Both afflictions have reversed much of the scientific and conservation gains made in the past decade, and continue to hinder exploratory surveys and continued monitoring of threatened karst ecosystems. There is an urgent need to resume field studies and conservation effort as soon as possible and continue enhancing the capacity of local scientific and technical staff in Myanmar.
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Integrating Pixels, People, and Political Economy to Understand the Role of Armed Conflict and Geopolitics in Driving Deforestation: The Case of Myanmar. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13224589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Armed conflict and geopolitics are a driving force of Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC), but with considerable variation in deforestation trends between broader and finer scales of analysis. Remotely-sensed annual deforestation rates from 1989 to 2018 are presented at the national and (sub-) regional scales for Kachin State in the north of Myanmar and in Kayin State and Tanintharyi Region in the southeast. We pair our multiscaled remote sensing analysis with our multisited political ecology approach where we conducted field-based interviews in study sites between 2018 and 2020. Our integrated analysis identified three common periods of deforestation spikes at the national and state/region level, but with some notable disparities between regions as well as across and within townships and village tracts. We found the rate and geography of deforestation were most influenced by the territorial jurisdictions of armed authorities, national political economic reforms and timber regulations, and proximity to national borders and their respective geopolitical relations. The absence or presence of ceasefires in the north and southeast did not solely explain deforestation patterns. Rather than consider ceasefire or war as a singular explanatory variable effecting forest cover change, we demonstrate the need to analyze armed conflict as a dynamic multisited and diffuse phenomenon, which is simultaneously integrated into broader political economy and geopolitical forces.
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Chomdej S, Pradit W, Suwannapoom C, Pawangkhanant P, Nganvongpanit K, Poyarkov NA, Che J, Gao Y, Gong S. Phylogenetic analyses of distantly related clades of bent-toed geckos (genus Cyrtodactylus) reveal an unprecedented amount of cryptic diversity in northern and western Thailand. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2328. [PMID: 33504821 PMCID: PMC7840752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70640-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyrtodactylus species are the most diverse of the geckos and are widely distributed in Southeast Asia, including Thailand. However, their patterns of distribution, especially in northern and western parts of Thailand, remain unknown because few Cyrtodactylus species in these regions have been described. Thus, a data set of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 2 (ND2) gene and flanking tRNAs from Cyrtodactylus found in northern and western Thailand, including contiguous areas, was assembled to elucidate phylogenetic relationships and identify the distribution patterns of these geckos. The results showed four well-supported clades, a northwestern clade (A), a northern clade (B), a western clade (C), and a special clade characterized by specific morphological features (D). Clades A-C were grouped with strong support by the geography of their localities from northern Thailand (Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai Provinces) along the Tenasserim mountain ranges to Phang-Nga Province, Thailand. Clade D is a distinct clade of Cyrtodactylus species characterized by a tuberculate and prehensile tail and distributed widely in mainland Southeast Asia. Overall, the results suggest a pattern of geographic separation and distribution of Cyrtodactylus in northern and western Thailand. Additionally, this study provides evidence of a hidden biodiversity of Cyrtodactylus in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siriwadee Chomdej
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
- Research Center in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
| | - Waranee Pradit
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | | | - Parinya Pawangkhanant
- School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
| | - Korakot Nganvongpanit
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Nikolay A Poyarkov
- Biological Faculty, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 119234
- Laboratory of Tropical Ecology, Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Jing Che
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar
| | - Yangchun Gao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, 510260, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiping Gong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, 510260, Guangdong, China.
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Quah ESH. BOOK REVIEWS. COPEIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1643/ct2020109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Evan S. H. Quah
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia;
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Prioritizing areas for conservation action in Kawthoolei, Myanmar using species distribution models. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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10
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Grismer LL, Wood PL, Le MD, Quah ESH, Grismer JL. Evolution of habitat preference in 243 species of Bent-toed geckos (Genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827) with a discussion of karst habitat conservation. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13717-13730. [PMID: 33391675 PMCID: PMC7771171 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the processes that underpin adaptive evolutionary shifts within major taxonomic groups has long been a research directive among many evolutionary biologists. Such phenomena are best studied in large monophyletic groups that occupy a broad range of habitats where repeated exposure to novel ecological opportunities has happened independently over time in different lineages. The gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus is just such a lineage with approximately 300 species that range from South Asia to Melanesia and occupy a vast array of habitats. Ancestral state reconstructions using a stochastic character mapping analysis of nine different habitat preferences were employed across a phylogeny composed of 76% of the known species of Cyrtodactylus. This was done in order to ascertain which habitat preference is the ancestral condition and from that condition, the transition frequency to more derived habitat preferences. The results indicate that a general habitat preference is the ancestral condition for Cyrtodactylus and the frequency of transitioning from a general habitat preference to anything more specialized occurs approximately four times more often than the reverse. Species showing extreme morphological and/or ecological specializations generally do not give rise to species bearing other habitat preferences. The evolution of different habitat preferences is generally restricted to clades that tend to occur in specific geographic regions. The largest radiations in the genus occur in rocky habitats (granite and karst), indicating that the transition from a general habitat preference to a granite or karst-dwelling life style may be ecologically uncomplicated. Two large, unrelated clades of karst-associated species are centered in northern Indochina and the largest clade of granite-associated species occurs on the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Smaller, independent radiations of clades bearing other habitat preferences occur throughout the tree and across the broad distribution of the genus. With the exception of a general habitat preference, the data show that karst-associated species far out-number all others (29.6% vs. 0.4%-10.2%, respectively) and the common reference to karstic regions as "imperiled arcs of biodiversity" is not only misleading but potentially dangerous. Karstic regions are not simply refugia harboring the remnants of local biodiversity but are foci of speciation that continue to generate the most speciose, independent, radiations across the genus. Unfortunately, karstic landscapes are some of the most imperiled and least protected habitats on the planet and these data continue to underscore the urgent need for their conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Lee Grismer
- Herpetology LaboratoryDepartment of BiologyLa Sierra UniversityRiversideCAUSA
| | - Perry L. Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences & Museum of Natural HistoryAuburn UniversityAuburnALUSA
| | - Minh Duc Le
- Department of Environmental EcologyFaculty of Environmental SciencesUniversity of ScienceVietnam National University, HanoiHanoiVietnam
- Central Institute of Natural Resources and Environmental StudiesVietnam National University, HanoiHanoiVietnam
- Department of HerpetologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Evan S. H. Quah
- Herpetology LaboratoryDepartment of BiologyLa Sierra UniversityRiversideCAUSA
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable DevelopmentUniversiti Malaysia TerengganuTerengganuMalaysia
| | - Jesse L. Grismer
- Herpetology LaboratoryDepartment of BiologyLa Sierra UniversityRiversideCAUSA
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Land use and land cover changes along the China-Myanmar Oil and Gas pipelines - Monitoring infrastructure development in remote conflict-prone regions. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237806. [PMID: 32813694 PMCID: PMC7437919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy infrastructures can have negative impacts on the environment. In remote and / or sparsely populated as well as in conflict-prone regions, these can be difficult to assess, in particular when they are of a large scale. Analyzing land use and land cover changes can be an important initial step towards establishing the quantity and quality of impacts. Drawing from very-high-resolution-multi-temporal-satellite-imagery, this paper reports on a study which employed the Random Forest Classifier and Land Change Modeler to derive detailed information of the spatial patterns and temporal variations of land-use and land-cover changes resulting from the China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipelines in Ann township in Myanmar’s Rakhine State of Myanmar. Deforestation and afforestation conversion processes during pre- and post-construction periods (2010 to 2012) are compared. Whilst substantial forest areas were lost along the pipelines, this is only part of the story, as afforestation has also happened in parallel. However, afforestation areas can be of a lower value, and in order to be able to take quality of forests into account, it is of crucial importance to accompany satellite-imagery based techniques with field observation. Findings have important implications for future infrastructure development projects in conflict-affected regions in Myanmar and elsewhere.
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Poyarkov NA, Pawangkhanant P, Gorin VA, Juthong W, Suwannapoom C. A new species of miniaturised narrow-mouth frog of the genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from northern Tenasserim, Thailand. J NAT HIST 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2020.1804005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay A. Poyarkov
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Tropical Ecology, Joint Russian–Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Parinya Pawangkhanant
- Division of Fishery, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Vladislav A. Gorin
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Watinee Juthong
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Chatmongkon Suwannapoom
- Division of Fishery, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
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Nomura K, Mitchard ETA, Patenaude G, Bastide J, Oswald P, Nwe T. Oil palm concessions in southern Myanmar consist mostly of unconverted forest. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11931. [PMID: 31417153 PMCID: PMC6695397 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48443-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased demand for palm oil has led to an expansion of oil palm concessions in the tropics, and the clearing of abundant forest as a result. However, concessions are typically incompletely planted to varying degrees, leaving much land unused. The remaining forests within such concessions are at high risk of deforestation, as there are normally no legal hurdles to their clearance, therefore making them excellent targets for conservation. We investigated the location of oil palm plantations and the other major crop – rubber plantations in southern Myanmar, and compared them to concession boundaries. Our results show that rubber plantations cover much larger areas than oil palm in the region, indicating that rubber is the region’s preferred crop. Furthermore, only 15% of the total concession area is currently planted with oil palm (49,000 ha), while 25,000 ha is planted outside concession boundaries. While this may in part be due to uncertain and/or changing boundaries, this leaves most of the concession area available for other land uses, including forest conservation and communities’ livelihood needs. Reconsidering the remaining concession areas can also significantly reduce future emission risks from the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Nomura
- University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom.
| | - Edward T A Mitchard
- University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom
| | - Genevieve Patenaude
- University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom
| | - Joan Bastide
- Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 10, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Oswald
- OneMap Myanmar, No. E2 New University Yeik Mon, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thazin Nwe
- Biodiversity Conservation Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, 666303, China
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O’Connell KA, Aryal PC, Sherchan AM, Dhakal B, Chaudhary HK, Ranabhat R, Karmacharya D. A herpetological survey of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, and phylogenetic identification of Megophrys ( Xenophrys) zhangi. J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1655106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A. O’Connell
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Global Genome Initiative, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Prakash C. Aryal
- Department of Biology, Goldengate International College, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Adarsh M. Sherchan
- Department of Wildlife Genetics, Center for Molecular Dynamics, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Bimala Dhakal
- Department of Wildlife Genetics, Center for Molecular Dynamics, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Rishi Ranabhat
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Dibesh Karmacharya
- Department of Wildlife Genetics, Center for Molecular Dynamics, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Diversification of bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus) on Sumatra and west Java. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 134:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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Poyarkov NA, Nguyen TV, Duong TV, Gorin VA, Yang JH. A new limestone-dwelling species of Micryletta (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from northern Vietnam. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5771. [PMID: 30310757 PMCID: PMC6174876 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on a new species of the genus Micryletta from limestone karst areas in northern Vietnam, which is described on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence. Micryletta nigromaculata sp. nov. is restricted to narrow areas of subtropical forests covering karst massifs in Cat Ba National Park (Hai Phong Province) and Cuc Phuong National Park (Ninh Binh Province) at elevations of 90-150 m a.s.l. In the phylogenetic analyses, the new species is unambiguously positioned as a sister lineage to all remaining species of Micryletta. We also discuss genealogical relationships and taxonomic problems within the genus Micryletta, provide molecular evidence for the validity of M. erythropoda and discuss the taxonomic status of M. steinegeri. We suggest the new species should be considered as Endangered (B1ab(iii), EN) following the IUCN's Red List categories. A discussion on herpetofaunal diversity and conservation in threatened limestone karst massifs in Southeast Asia is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay A. Poyarkov
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Tropical Ecology, Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tan Van Nguyen
- Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, Ninh Binh, Vietnam
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang City, Vietnam
| | - Tang Van Duong
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Vladislav A. Gorin
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jian-Huan Yang
- Kadoorie Conservation China, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong, China
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17
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Grismer LL, Wood PL, Quah ES, Murdoch ML, Grismer MS, Herr MW, Espinoza RE, Brown RM, Lin A. A phylogenetic taxonomy of the Cyrtodactylus peguensis group (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) with descriptions of two new species from Myanmar. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5575. [PMID: 30258710 PMCID: PMC6151117 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A phylogenetic taxonomy of species in the Cyrtodactylus peguensis group from the Ayeyarwady Basin of Myanmar is constructed based on color pattern, morphology, and molecular systematic analyses using the mitochondrial gene NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2. Newly collected samples from the type locality of C. peguensis and other localities indicate that this clade is endemic to central Myanmar and contains at least seven species, four of which are undescribed. Three species, including C. peguensis occur in the low hills of the Bago Yoma Range within the central portion of the Ayeyarwady Basin. Two of these, C. myintkyawthurai sp. nov. from the northern and central Bago Yoma and C. meersi sp. nov. which is syntopic with C. peguensis in the southern Bago Yoma are described herein. As more lowland hilly areas bordering, and within the Ayeyarwady Basin are surveyed, more new species of this group are likely to be discovered. These discoveries continue the recent surge of descriptions of new species of Cyrtodactylus that are being discovered in Myanmar.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Perry L. Wood
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Evan S.H. Quah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Penang, Malaysia
| | | | - Marta S. Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Mark W. Herr
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Robert E. Espinoza
- Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA, USA
| | - Rafe M. Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Aung Lin
- Department of Biology, Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
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18
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Community use and perceptions of a biodiversity corridor in Myanmar's threatened southern forests. Glob Ecol Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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19
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Mulcahy DG, Lee JL, Miller AH, Chand M, Thura MK, Zug GR. Filling the BINs of life: Report of an amphibian and reptile survey of the Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) Region of Myanmar, with DNA barcode data. Zookeys 2018:85-152. [PMID: 29780268 PMCID: PMC5958176 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.757.24453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite threats of species extinctions, taxonomic crises, and technological advances in genomics and natural history database informatics, we are still distant from cataloguing all of the species of life on earth. Amphibians and reptiles are no exceptions; in fact new species are described nearly every day and many species face possible extinction. The number of described species continues to climb as new areas of the world are explored and as species complexes are examined more thoroughly. The use of DNA barcoding provides a mechanism for rapidly estimating the number of species at a given site and has the potential to record all of the species of life on Earth. Though DNA barcoding has its caveats, it can be useful to estimate the number of species in a more systematic and efficient manner, to be followed in combination with more traditional, morphology-based identifications and species descriptions. Herein, we report the results of a voucher-based herpetological expedition to the Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) Region of Myanmar, enhanced with DNA barcode data. Our main surveys took place in the currently proposed Tanintharyi National Park. We combine our results with photographs and observational data from the Chaung-nauk-pyan forest reserve. Additionally, we provide the first checklist of amphibians and reptiles of the region, with species based on the literature and museum. Amphibians, anurans in particular, are one of the most poorly known groups of vertebrates in terms of taxonomy and the number of known species, particularly in Southeast Asia. Our rapid-assessment program combined with DNA barcoding and use of Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) of voucher specimens reveals the depth of taxonomic diversity in the southern Tanintharyi herpetofauna even though only a third of the potential amphibians and reptiles were seen. A total of 51 putative species (one caecilian, 25 frogs, 13 lizards, 10 snakes, and two turtles) were detected, several of which represent potentially undescribed species. Several of these species were detected by DNA barcode data alone. Furthermore, five species were recorded for the first time in Myanmar, two amphibians (Ichthyophis cf. kohtaoensis and Chalcorana eschatia) and three snakes (Ahaetulla mycterizans, Boiga dendrophila, and Boiga drapiezii).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Mulcahy
- Global Genome Initiative, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10th & Constitution Ave., Washington, DC, 20013 USA
| | - Justin L Lee
- College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park Maryland, 20742 USA
| | - Aryeh H Miller
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC 28804 USA
| | - Mia Chand
- College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187 USA
| | - Myint Kyaw Thura
- Myanmar Environment Sustainable Conservation (MESC), Yangon, Myanmar
| | - George R Zug
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013 USA
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20
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Grismer LL, Wood PL, Thura MK, Quah ES, Murdoch ML, Grismer MS, Herr MW, Lin A, Kyaw H. Three more new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Salween Basin of eastern Myanmar underscore the urgent need for the conservation of karst habitats. J NAT HIST 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1449911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Perry L. Wood
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | | | - Evan S.H. Quah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Matthew L. Murdoch
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Marta S. Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Mark W. Herr
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Aung Lin
- Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htet Kyaw
- Fauna and Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
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21
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Nazarov RA, Pauwels OSG, Konstantinov EL, Chulisov AS, Orlov NL, Poyarkov NA. A new karst-dwelling bent-toed gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from Xiangkhoang Province, northeastern Laos. Zool Res 2018; 39:202-219. [PMID: 29683111 PMCID: PMC5968862 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new karst-dwelling Cyrtodactylus from Ban Thathom, Xiangkhoang Province, northeastern Laos. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by having four dark dorsal bands between limb insertions, a discontinuous nuchal loop, 10 precloacal pores in males or 10–12 precloacal pits (females) separated by a diastema from a series of enlarged femoral scales bearing 18 or 19 pores (male) or 8–10 pits (females) along each femur, 14–18 dorsal tubercle rows at midbody, no precloacal groove, 30–36 midbody scale rows across belly between ventrolateral skin folds, transversely enlarged subcaudal plates, and a maximal known snout-vent length of 75.5 mm. Our description brings to 22 the number of Cyrtodactylus species recorded from Laos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman A Nazarov
- Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, Moscow 125009, Russia; E-mail:
| | | | - Evgeniy L Konstantinov
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Kaluga State University named after K.I. Tsiolkovskii, Kaluga 248023, Russia
| | - Anatoliy S Chulisov
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Kaluga State University named after K.I. Tsiolkovskii, Kaluga 248023, Russia
| | - Nikolai L Orlov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Nikolay A Poyarkov
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119234, Russia.,Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, 63 Nguyen Van Huyen Road, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam;
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22
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Sampson C, McEvoy J, Oo ZM, Chit AM, Chan AN, Tonkyn D, Soe P, Songer M, Williams AC, Reisinger K, Wittemyer G, Leimgruber P. New elephant crisis in Asia-Early warning signs from Myanmar. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29534096 PMCID: PMC5849331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the southern Bago Yoma mountain range in Myanmar, Asian elephants are being killed at a disturbing rate. This emerging crisis was identified initially through a telemetry study when 7 of 19 of collared elephants were poached within a year of being fitted with a satellite-GPS collar. Subsequent follow up of ground teams confirmed the human caused death or disappearance of at least 19 elephants, including the seven collared individuals, within a 35 km2 area in less than two years. The carcasses of 40 additional elephants were found in areas located across south-central Myanmar once systematic surveys began by our team and collaborators. In addition to the extreme rate of loss, this study documents the targeting of elephants for their skin instead of the more common ivory, an increasing trend in Myanmar. Intensive research programs focused on other conservation problems identified this issue and are now encouraging local authorities to prioritize anti-poaching efforts and improve conservation policies within the country. Myanmar represents one of the last remaining countries in Asia with substantial wildlands suitable for elephants. Increasing rates of human-elephant conflict and poaching events in this country pose a dire threat to the global population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie Sampson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States of America
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - John McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
| | - Zaw Min Oo
- Myanma Timber Enterprise, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Myo Chit
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
| | - Aung Nyein Chan
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- WWF–Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - David Tonkyn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | | | - Melissa Songer
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
| | | | | | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Peter Leimgruber
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA, United States of America
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23
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Grismer LL, Wood PL, Thura MK, Zin T, Quah ESH, Murdoch ML, Grismer MS, Lin A, Kyaw H, Lwin N. Twelve new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from isolated limestone habitats in east-central and southern Myanmar demonstrate high localized diversity and unprecedented microendemism. Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Perry L Wood
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | | | - Thaw Zin
- Myanmar Environment Sustainable Conservation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Evan S H Quah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Matthew L Murdoch
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Marta S Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Aung Lin
- Fauna and Flora International, Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htet Kyaw
- Fauna and Flora International, Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ngwe Lwin
- Fauna and Flora International, Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar
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