Patrick K. Malonza, Victor D. Wasonga, Vincent Muchai , Damaris Rotich,
Beryl A. Bwong Department of Herpetology, National Museums of Kenya
Aaron M. Bauer
Department of Biology, Villanova University
Herpetofaunal surveys of the Tana River Primate
National Reserve were conducted between December 1998 and January
2002 to generate a species list. Systematic search–and–seize,
visual encounter survey and pitfalls with drift fence methods were
used. Additional data derived from the collection of the National
Museums of Kenya and the literature were also used. A total of 40
species comprising 16 amphibians (all anurans), and 24 reptiles
(14 lizards, 1 crocodile, 8 snakes, 1 tortoise) were recorded.
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Francesco Rovero
Sezione di Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Museo Tridentino di Scienze
Naturali, Via Calepina 14, I-38100 Trento, Italy
francesco.rovero@mtsn.tn.it
Galen
B. Rathbun
Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy, California Academy of Sciences
(San Francisco), and IUCN-SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group, c/o P.O.
Box 202, Cambria, California 93428-0202, U.S.A
GRathbun@CalAcademy.org
Based
on visual sightings and camera-trap photographs, an unusual form
of giant sengi or elephant-shrew in the genus Rhynchocyon is identified
from the Udzungwa Mountains of south-central Tanzania, which are
already known for their extremely high biodiversity and endemism.
This unique sengi appears to occur only in the Ndundulu, Mount Luhomero,
and, possibly, Mwanihana forests and may therefore be of considerable
conservation concern. A full description of this taxon, including
formal naming, must await the collection and analysis of voucher
specimens, which probably will take many months. In the meantime,
it is important that conservationists focussing on the Eastern Arc
Mountains be aware of the occurrence of this potentially new Rhynchocyon
and field biologists participate in gathering additional information,
especially on its distribution.
Keywords:
Eastern Arc Mountains, elephant-shrew, Rhyncocyon, sengi, Udzungwa
Mountains.
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Alan Channing, K. Siobain
Finlow-Bates
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Department, University of
the Western Cape
Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
achanning@uwc.ac.za; siobain_fb@hotmail.com
Svein
Erik Haarklau
WWF-Norway, P.O. Box 6784 St. Olavs Plass, N-0130 Oslo, Norway
sehaarklau@wwf.no
Peter
G. Hawkes
379 Bakenkloof Street, Pretoria North, Pretoria, South Africa
phawkes@iafrica.com
The
ovoviviparous Kihansi spray toad Nectophrynoides asperginis is known
from only one locality in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. At the
time of discovery in 1996 the species occurred in a spray wetland
habitat of about 4 ha maintained by spray from falls on the Kihansi
River. River flow was diverted for hydropower production in late
1999, causing the habitat to desiccate, threatening the toad population
and other plants and animals dependent on the spray wetland habitat.
We conducted field studies from January 2001 to November 2002 in
12 visits, with additional counts through to June 2003. Here we
report on the changes in population numbers in the light of the
mitigation measures introduced from 2001 in an attempt to maintain
a habitat suitable for the Kihansi spray toad. Some data on life
history are presented. This small toad is now restricted to an area
of less than 2 ha. Due to a reported population crash in late 2003,
variously attributed to pesticide use upstream, chytrid fungus,
or safari ants (Dorylus sp.), the Kihansi spray toad may be effectively
extinct in the wild. The actual cause of the population crash is
not known.
Keywords:
Tanzania, Kihansi spray toad, Hydropower, Threatened, Nectophrynoides,
Mitigation.
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Viola Clausnitzer
Gräfestr. 17, 06110 Halle, Germany
violacl@gmx.de
The
dragonfly fauna of the Rufiji District was studied during several
field trips in 2001–2003 covering the rainy and the dry season.
A total of 73 species were recorded by capture with net and visual
identification of imagos. Ceriagrion mourae was seen for the first
time since its description from Mozambique in 1969. Ceriagrion mourae,
Teinobasis alluaudi, Gynacantha immaculifrons, Paragomphus magnus
and Paragomphus sabicus are first records for Tanzania. Coryphagrion
grandis, Ceriagrion mourae, Teinobasis alluaudi and Hadrothemis
scabrifrons are globally endangered habitat specialists confined
to coastal forests of Eastern Africa.
The majority of the species are common and widespread and inhabits
the Rufiji River and its floodplains, while a smaller proportion
are only found in permanent streams draining into the Rufiji or
in forest habitats. The high overall species richness is a result
of the variety of habitats and their connectivity, combined with
the dynamics of the floods. The habitat specialists found in Ngumburuni
forest and in the forests of the Kichi and Kiwengoma Hills are globally
endangered species and require special attention with regard to
conservation.
Keywords:
dragonflies, coastal forest, Tanzania, conservation
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Caspar Schöning
Institute of Biology, Department of Population Biology, University
of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, DENMARK.
caspar@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Wanja
Kinuthia
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, P.O.
Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, KENYA.
eafrinet@africaonline.co.ke
Jacobus
J. Boomsma
Institute of Biology, Department of Population Biology, University
of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, DENMARK.
jjboomsma@bi.ku.dk
Swarm-raiding
army ants are extremely polyphagous nomadic predators inhabiting
tropical forests. They are considered keystone species because their
raids can regulate the population dynamics of their prey and because
a plethora of both invertebrate and vertebrate species are obligatorily
or facultatively associated with them. Field observations and mathematical
modelling suggest that deforestation and accompanying forest fragmentation
cause local extinctions of the neotropical swarm-raiding army ant
Eciton burchellii which in turn have negative effects on its associated
fauna. The aim of this study was to examine whether afrotropical
army ants are affected by forest fragmentation in the same way.
Surveys of Dorylus (Anomma) molestus colonies were carried
out in forest fragments of different sizes and in the matrix habitat
at two sites in Eastern Kenya, along the Lower Tana River and in
the Taita Hills. There was no significant relationship between the
presence of D. molestus, forest patch size and distance to the nearest
neighbouring patch at either of the sites. Colonies were often found
outside the forest and can survive long enough in dry scrubland
areas to reach new forest patches as far as 2 km away. We conclude
that populations of this army ant species are less vulnerable to
fragmentation than those of the neotropical E. burchellii, and that
D. molestus can survive better in matrix habitat between forests
because of several key differences in the foraging and nesting behaviour
of the two species. Finally, we present a simple scenario describing
the complex D. molestus population dynamics along the Lower Tana
River and discuss the implications of our findings for conservation-oriented
management of the two forest systems.
Keywords:
Dorylinae, forest fragmentation, riverine forest, Tana River, Taita
Hills.
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John K. Maingi
Department of Geography, Shideler Hall, Room 233A
Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056
maingijk@muohio.edu
Growth
rings of 19 tree species obtained from the Tana riverine forests
in Kenya were studied for potential usefulness in dendrochronology.
Among the growth ring characteristics used to qualitatively evaluate
the potential usefulness of each species for dendrochronology included:
distinctiveness of ring boundaries, ring circuit uniformity, ring
wedging and ring sensitivity. Five species were identified as having
the most desirable growth ring characteristics and therefore presented
the best opportunity to crossdate ring width series among different
trees. Crossdating among different trees would lead to the development
of tree ring chronologies. These species included Acacia elatior,
Acacia robusta, Tamarindus indica and Newtonia hildebrandtii, common
on inactive levees occurring toward the edge of the floodplain,
and Rinorea elliptica, an understory species found on levees. The
timing of growth ring formation and exogenous factors responsible
for its formation are yet to be identified. Drought conditions during
the low river flow months of August and September are thought responsible
for initiation of ring formation as these species grow in a semi-arid
region and are thus entirely dependent on ground water.
Keywords:
cross dating, tree ring analysis, marginal parenchyma, periodicity,
wood anatomy
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Emily Wabuyele
East African Herbarium, P.O.Box 45166, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
and Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box1045, 0316
Oslo, Norway
ewabuyeley@yahoo.com
Charlotte
Sletten Bjorå,
Botanical Garden & Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172,
0318 Oslo, Norway
charlotte.bjora@nhm.uio.no
Inger
Nordal
Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1045, 0316,
Oslo, Norway
inger.nordal@bio.uio.no
Leonard
E. Newton
Department of Plant & Microbial Sciences, Kenyatta University,
P.O. Box 43844,Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
ellyen@yahoo.com
The
genus Aloe is common in Kenya, with about 60 taxa recognised. Observations
from this study indicate that most of the taxa have a restricted
distribution, with only Aloe secundiflora var. secundiflora being
widespread in the country. The diversity patterns indicate a high
concentration of taxa in three areas that are identified as Aloe
hot spots and thus of high priority for conservation of the genus:
The Kulal–Nyiro–Ndotos–Marsabit area in the north,
the Taita-Shimba Hills zone to the southeast and the Naivasha–Baringo
area in the Rift Valley. Most of the microendemic taxa are concentrated
in the Kulal complex, a few in the Taita complex while the Naivasha
complex includes mainly the widespread ones. Based on the computed
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and the threats to individual populations
of endemic taxa about 36% were assessed as being Critically endangered,
32% as Endangered, 12 % as Vulnerable, 12% as being Near Threatened
and 8% of Least Concern, according to IUCN (2001) Red Listing Criteria.
Key
words: mapping, endemic, extent of occurrence, species richness,
terrain diversity
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Paulo Wilfred
The Open University of Tanzania
P.O. Box 13879 , Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
pwilfried@yahoo.com
Seif S. Madoffe
Department of Forest Biology, Sokoine University of Agriculture
P.O. Box 3010, Morogoro, Tanzania
madoffe@suante.ac.tz
Emanuel
J. Luoga
Department of Forest Mensuration and Management, Sokoine University
of Agriculture,
P.O. Box 3013, Morogoro, Tanzania
formens@suanet.ac.tz
To
assess plant uses and use values in Uluguru Mountains a study was
carried out using household surveys and interviews on various uses
of the plants. Descriptive statistics and use-value analysis techniques
were used in data analysis. Of the plant species identified, 92%
were used for fuel wood and 83% were used for construction materials.
A significant difference in use values among the species was realized
(?2 = 7.815, Hc =16.585, p<0.05). Newtonia buchananii had the
highest use value of 2.81 where as Piper nigrum had the lowest use
value of 0.08. Villagers know which tree species are best for building
poles or good as fuel wood, which wild fruits are edible and which
are good for medicine. This knowledge is an important ingredient
in the going on effort to reverse the trend of environmental degradation
in the area.
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