By Daily Mail Reporter


Discovery: The 10cm long Berthe's mouse lemur is the world's smallest-known primate. It is one of more than 615 species found in Madagascar between 1999 and 2010


More than 600 new species, including the world's smallest primate and a colour-changing gecko, have been found in Madagascar in just over a decade.

But many of the newly discovered plants and creatures are under threat, particularly from the destruction of the island's forests, a report by conservation charity WWF warned.

Experts identified more than 615 new species on Madagascar between 1999 and 2010 - 41 mammals, 385 plants, 69 amphibians, 61 reptiles, 17 fish and 42 invertebrates.

Key discoveries include a 10cm long Berthe's mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), found in 2000, which is the world's smallest known primate, and the Tahina palm (Tahina spectabilis), a massive fan palm which flowers just once in a lifetime.

Researchers also found the Komac's golden orb spider (Nephila komaci), which spins golden webs that can be more than one metre across.

In 2009, a colour-changing gecko which resembles the bark of tree but can quickly change from brown to bright blue during courtship was discovered.

Colourful: A female furcifer timoni. WWF said many of the newly-discovered species are facing a bleak future, largely due to deforestation


WWF said many of the newly discovered species are facing a bleak future, largely due to deforestation.

According to the wildlife group, Madagascar has lost more than a million hectares of forest in the past 20 years, and in the aftermath of a coup in March 2009 and the subsequent political turmoil tens of thousands of hectares were raided for hardwoods.

Mark Wright, conservation senior adviser at WWF-UK, said: 'This report highlights the unique and irreplaceable ecosystems that exist in Madagascar.

'WWF is working hard to establish a network of protective areas across the island and to promote sustainable livelihood alternatives, which would help people in Madagascar to live in harmony with the natural world surrounding them.'

He added: 'Consumers can play a vital role and so we are trying to raise awareness of the enormous global trade in illegal timber and encourage people to only choose responsibly sourced and sustainable wood and paper.'

This brightly coloured liophidium pattoni was also found by astonished researchers

A tiny boophis bottaeas tree frog covers the fingertip of a researcher


source:dailymail