A NEW SPECIES OF MICROCALE 



9 



Table 5 Altitudinal size variation in adult Microgale drouhardi. 





Altitude 



Altitude 





360m-920m 



1000m- 1250m 



Condyloincisive length 



20.5-22.3 



21.1-23.9 





21.4+0.47 2 



23.0±0.78 





(15) 



(23) 



Upper toothrow length 



9.7-10.5 



9.9-11.4 





10.1 ±0.23 



10.8±0.47 





(22) 



(25) 



Braincase breadth 



8.5-9.3 



8.6-9.8 





8.9±0.20 



9.4±0.31 





(22) 



(23) 



Ratio of tail length to 



2.5-2.9 



2.7-3.6 



condyloincisive length 



2.7+0.14 



3.1 ±0.21 





(20) 



(20) 



d'Andringitra (all juveniles) have a grey brown dorsum, grizzled 

 with yellowish buff. Although always present and distinctly demar- 

 cated, there is some variation in the width and length of the dorsal 

 stripe. The intensity of the rufous buff coloration of the venter, 

 undersurface of the tail and lateral surfaces of the hind feet also 

 shows within-population variability. The pelage of juveniles from all 

 localities is indistinguishable in coloration and degree of striping 

 from that of adults, which refutes the viewof Grandidier( 1934) that 

 striping is a juvenile characteristic and confirms MacPhee's obser- 

 vation that striping occurs also in dental adults. 



This species exhibits an exceptional degree of inter-population 

 size variation (see Table 4). Specimens from RS d'Ambatovaky and 

 RNI de Zahamena are notably smaller than those from PN de la 

 Montagne d' Ambre and Bekolosy, although the extremes shown by 

 these populations are bridged by specimens from PN de Mantady, 

 (and RS d'Analamazaotra, see Stephenson, 1995) which are inter- 

 mediate in size. Such a high degree of size variation is much greater 

 than encountered in any other species of Microgale so far investi- 

 gated. There is no apparent correlation between size and geographical 

 location, although there is some evidence of a link with altitude. 

 Specimens from lower altitudes are smaller, those from higher 

 altitudes average larger (see Table 5). 



COMPARISONS. Microgale drouhardi is most similar in size and 

 dentition to M. cowani and M. taiva Major, 1 896b. Microgale taiva 

 is another taxon regarded as a synonym of M. cowani by MacPhee 

 (1987), however recently collected specimens suggest that the two 

 species are distinct and the descriptions of both have been amplified 

 (see Jenkins el al., 1996). Microgale drouhardi is readily distin- 

 guished from both species by the presence of the sharply demarcated, 

 dark, mid-dorsal stripe; also in life, M. drouhardi has a much paler 



Table 6 Comparison of adult Microgale drouhardi, M. cowani and M. 

 taiva. Dimensions presented as range, mean±standard deviation and 

 number of specimens in parentheses. 





M. drouhardi 



M. cowani 



M. taiva 



Ratio of tail length to 



2.4-3.6 



2.5-3.1 



3.5^4.2 



condyloincisive length 



3.0±0.27 



2.9±0.19 



3.9±0.19 





(33) 



(14) 



(14) 



Condyloincisive length 



20.5-23.9 



2 1 .4-23.7 



22.1-23.5 





22.4±1.02 



22.5±0.52 



22.8±0.44 





(39) 



(16) 



(14) 



Ratio of anterior 



41.6-50.9 



52.8-56.4 



49.1-52.8 



dentition(I-P3) to 



48.8±1.87 



54.0±1.00 



50.7±0.88 



upper toothrow length 



(41) 



(16) 



(14) 



Braincase breadth 



8.5-9.8 



9.8-10.4 



9.6-10.3 





9.2±0.36 



10.1 ±0.19 



9.9±0.22 





(40) 



(18) 



(14) 



venter than M. cowani and M. taiva. Microgale cowani is distin- 

 guished from M. drouhardi by the more elongated rostrum with 

 longer diastemata between the teeth of the anterior dentition, by the 

 broader, deeper braincase and by the presence of all elements of the 

 talonid of m3 (see Table 6). Microgale taiva has a relatively broader, 

 deeper braincase than that of M. drouhardi, the tail is relatively 

 longer, and the ratio of the anterior teeth (from II to P3) to the upper 

 toothrow rs greater on average (see Table 6). 



Microgale parvula Grandidier, 1934 



Microgale pulla Jenkins, 1988 



HOLOTYPE. MCZ 45465, juvenile male, body in alcohol, skull 

 extracted, collected by Monsieur Drouhard. 



Type LOCALITY, environs of Diego-Suarez[Antsiranana,c. 12°16'S 

 49°18'E - see MacPhee, 1987] 



Referred material. Camp 1, Antomboka River, PN de la 

 Montagne d' Ambre, Antsiranana Fivondronana, Antsiranana Prov- 

 ince, 12°32'S 49°10'E, 1125-1225m, rain forest: UMMZ 

 171043-171044. 



Bekolosy, RS de Manongarivo, Ambanja Fivondronana, 

 Antsiranana Province, 14°03'S 48°18'E: BMNH 96.282. 



RNI de Marojejy, Andapa Fivondronana, 14°26'S 49°46'E, 650- 

 900m: UMMZ 171045-171051. 



Foretd'Anandrivola, c 10 km southwest of Maintimbato Village, 

 c 40 km southwest of Maroantsetra, northeast Madagascar, 15°46'S 

 49°35'E, 450-625 m: BMNH 87.132 (holotype of M. pulla). 



RNI de Zahamena, Ambatondrazaka Fivondronana 17°40'S 

 48°46'E, 1180-1270m: UMMZ 171052-171053. 



RS d'Ambohitantely, Ankazobe Fivondronana 18°1 l'S 47°17'E: 

 UMMZ 171054. 



PN de Mantady, Moramanga Fivondronana, Toamasina Prov- 

 ince, 18°51'S 48°28'E, 1100m: UMMZ 171040-171042; BMNH 

 96.283. 



38 km S of Ambalavao, along Volotsangana River, RNI 

 d'Andringitra, 22°11'S 46°58'E, 1625 m: FMNH 151623; FMNH 

 151723; FMNH 151793-151794; FMNH 151801; FMNH 

 151805-151806. 40 km S of Ambalavao, along Volotsangana 

 River, RNI d'Andringitra, 22°13'S 46°58'E, 1210 m: FMNH 

 151722; FMNH 151764; FMNH 151766. 43km S of Ambalavao, 

 junction of Sahanivoraky and Sahavatoy Rivers, RNI 

 d'Andringitra, 22°13'S 47°00'E, 810 m: FMNH 151622. 45 km S 

 of Ambalavao, east bank of Iantara River, along Ambalaman- 

 enjana-Ambatamboay Trail, edge of RNI d'Andringitra, 22°13'S 

 47°01'E 720 m: FMNH 151621. 



Ampamakiesiny Pass, Tolanaro Fivondronana, Toliara Province, 

 24°32'S 46°51'E, 750-850m. UMMZ 167258; UMMZ 167261- 

 167263. 



Marosohy Forest, 16 km WNW of Ranomafana-Sud, 

 Fivondronana Tolagnaro [Tolanaro Fivondronana], Toliara Prov- 

 ince, 24°34'S 46°48'E, 700-800m: USNM 578784-578785; 

 Marosohy Forest, near Tsitongatona River, 15 km WNW of 

 Ranomafana-Sud, Fivondronana Tolagnaro [Tolanaro Fivon- 

 dronana], Toliara Province, 24°34'S 46°48'E, 580m: USNM 578786. 



Nahampoana, Vohimena Mountains; Tolanaro Fivondronana, 

 24°58'S 46°58'E, 120m: UMMZ 167233. 



Manantantely, Vohimena Mountains, Tolanaro Fivondronana, 

 24°59'S 46°58'E, 100-300m: UMMZ 167222-167223; UMMZ 

 167228-167229; UMMZ 167231. 



TAXONOMIC NOTES. Microgale parvula was described originally 

 from a single specimen, erroneously considered to be adult by the 



