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News tagged with madagascar

New carnivorous mammal discovered in Madagascar - first in 24 years

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new species of small carnivore, known as Durrell’s vontsira (Salanoia durrelli) has been identified by researchers from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Natural History ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 11, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (16) | comments 4 | with audio podcast

Bizarre fossil crocodile dispels notion that these reptiles are static and unchanging

(PhysOrg.com) -- We all know that crocodiles are reptiles with long snouts, conical teeth, strong jaws and long tails. But according to researchers at Stony Brook University in New York, we don't know what ...

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Dec 08, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (13) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Rapidly evolving gene contributes to origin of species

A gene that helped one species split into two species shows evidence of adapting much faster than other genes in the genome, raising questions about what is driving its rapid evolution.

Biology /

created Feb 05, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (11) | comments 1

Scientists discover largest orb-weaving spider

Researchers from the United States and Slovenia have discovered a new, giant Nephila species (golden orb weaver spider) from Africa and Madagascar and have published their findings in the Oct. 21 issue of the ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 21, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (10) | comments 0

Elephant bird probably wiped out by nest raiders and habitat loss

(PhysOrg.com) -- Sir David Attenborough has returned to the island of Madagascar to discover the fate of the elephant bird, the largest bird ever to live on Earth, and to make a BBC documentary about it: "Attenborough ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Dec 21, 2010 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (9) | comments 1 | with audio podcast report

Ancient snakes living on Madagascar

"Blindsnakes are not very pretty, are rarely noticed, and are often mistaken for earthworms," admits Blair Hedges, professor of biology at Penn State University. "Nonetheless, they tell a very interesting ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Mar 31, 2010 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (8) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Hippo's island life helps explain dwarf hobbit (w/Video)

Ancient Madagascan hippos have shed light on the origins of the small brain of the 1-metre-tall human, known as the hobbit, scientists at the Natural History Museum report in the journal Nature today.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created May 07, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (6) | comments 0

Migratory route of Eleonora's falcon revealed for first time

Satellite tracking has allowed a research team to uncover the mysteries of the migration of Eleanora's falcon for the first time. In total, the bird flies more than 9,500 kilometres across the African continent ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 16, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Research group suggests Madagascar's unique animals arrived on rafts

(PhysOrg.com) -- Ever since the island of Madagascar was first visited by people, some two thousand years ago, there has been speculation about the unique plants and animals that live on the world’s ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Mar 20, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (4) | comments 0 | with audio podcast report

Scientists study hands of fearsome, meat-eating dinosaur

(PhysOrg.com) -- 66 million years ago, the fearsome, meat-eating dinosaur Majungasaurus crenatissimus prowled the semi-arid lowlands of Madagascar. Its powerful jaws bristled with bladelike teeth, and its st ...

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Jan 11, 2012 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (4) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Scratching the surface of social interaction

It can be difficult to uncover the behavior of small, shy, nocturnal primates like the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus), especially in the dense rainforests of Madagascar where this lemur lives. New re ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Mar 26, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Sucker-footed bats don't use suction after all (w/ Video)

There are approximately 1,200 species of bats worldwide. Of that total, only six are known to roost with their heads pointed upward. Investigators did not know why, because they knew next to nothing about ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Mites On Hissing Coackroach May Benefit Humans With Allergies

(PhysOrg.com) -- Tiny mites living on the surface of Madagascar hissing cockroaches help decrease the presence of a variety of molds on the cockroaches' bodies, potentially reducing allergic responses among ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Apr 29, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 1

Termites travel with fungi as take-away food

Fungi travelled to Madagascar in the intestines of termites. Fungus serves as a source of food and helps in cellulose conversion.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 08, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 0

New primate species discovered on Madagascar

A Malagasy-German research team has discovered a new primate species in the Sahafina Forest in eastern Madagascar, a forest that has not been studied before.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jan 09, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Madagascar

Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic, French: République malgache), is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to Madagascar.[citation needed] They include the lemur infraorder of primates, the carnivorous fossa, three bird families and six baobab species. Two thirds of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

For more information about Madagascar, read the full article at Wikipedia.
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