Symbiosis and diversity in the biosystem of Madagascar

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Madagascar has been an isolated island for a long geological time, and has developed a unique fauna with a high level of combined species richness and endemism. Molecular phylogenetic studies were carried out in order to clarify the origins and evolution of several endemic groups of Madagascar ; (1)phylogenetic relationships among Malagasy prosimians (lemurs) including Lemuridae, Cheirogaleidae, Indridae, and Daubentoniidae relative to other prosimians in Africa and Asia, (2)phylogenetic relationships among Tenrecidae including Tenrecinae, Geogalinae, Oryzorictinae (Microgale, Oryzorictes, and Limnogale), and their African relatives such as Potamogale and Micropotamogale, (3)phylogenetic position of the Malagasy endemic frogs, the family Mantellidae, relative to Rhacophoridae (tree frogs) and other frogs, and (4)phylogenetic relationships among endemic Malagasy baobab (Adansonia) species relative to other Adansonia species in Africa and Australia. The origins of these groups of Malagas … More y organisms were attributed either to vicariance due to continental drift or trans-oceanic migration.Flower visitors of various flowering plants at six vegetation types of forests in Madagascar were surveyed. The Madagascar honeybee was most dominant all over the Madagascar. Birds, moths and beatles were also recorded as pollinators on various plant species. Pollination by long-tongued tipulid midges was characteristically observed on various plants. Obligate pollination mutualism with gracillariid moths was suggested in Phyllanthus plants. This is the first record of obligate pollination mutualism in Phyllanthaceae from Madagascar.To accumulate scientific information about the interrelationship between nature and human in Madagascar, floristic survey of seaweeds and mangrove algae was carried out. Endosymbiosis of cryptomonads was investigated to elucidate the genetical and cytological mechanisms how transfer, unify, re-arrange and disappear the genes derived from symbiont after cell fusion between the host and symbiont. An ecological anthropology study was conducted among the Tanalana for elucidating their survival strategies in the arid land of southwest Madagascar. Less