Document of bibliographic reference 301540

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Book/Monograph

Type of document

Dissertation

BibLvlCode

M

Title

Carte paléontologique de Madagascar: inventaire et mise en valeur du patrimoine paléontologique

Abstract

Madagascar has been isolated from Gondwana during the Mesozoic : she separated from the African continent, ca. 180 Ma, and from the indian subcontinent, ca 150 Ma. Since then, biological evolution followed its own rythm, what Philibert COMMERSON had yet foreseen in 1771, writing that Madagascar was the "laboratory of nature" and that "Madagascar was the true land of promise for naturalists". After almost two hundred years of paleontological researches, it is time for a mapped balance sheet of Madagascar : it is the subject of this thesis. The literature on Madagascar is extremely abundant, and we brought together more than 2000 publications, printed between 1829 and 2014, in relation to the paleontology of the Island. They allowed to identify nearly 3500 fossil species, 3% of Plants (104 taxa), 89% of "Invertebrates" (231 Foraminifera, 183 Cnidarians, 14 Bryozoans, 56 Brachiopods, 6 Annelids, 392 Bivalves, 206 Gasteropods, 1746 Cephalopods, 129 Crustaceans, 60 terrestrial Arthropods and 85 Echinoderms) and 8% of Vertebrates (76 "Fishes", 7 Amphibians, 29 "Reptiles", 24 non avian Archosauromorphs, 52 Birds and 82 Mammals). These taxa are distributed in over 400 paleontological sites from the upper Paleozoïc (Permian) to the Quaternary (Holocen), distributed as follows : twenty Permian sites, 24 Triassic, over 110 Jurassic, over 130 Cretaceous, 16 Tertiary et 42 Quaternary sites. Some taxonomic groups are over-represented (eg ammonites), while others should promise new discoveries (archosaurs, mammals!…). The periods themselves have a different focus (Mesozoic vs. Cenozoic) and in the same vein, the paleontological sites are unevenly distributed in the territory (the Northwest is the most explored). The research potential is still very high. Fossils and paleontological sites are placed in a map database with comments. Thus we have achieved, at least we hope, an useful basic tool for scientists, also a "global" book for teachers and naturalists, and a support to reflection and decision for Madagascar administrators and politicians at both regional and national levels.

Bibliographic citation

Rakotovao Andrianavah, M. (2015). Carte paléontologique de Madagascar: inventaire et mise en valeur du patrimoine paléontologique. PhD Thesis. Université de Toulouse/Université de Mahajanga: Toulouse, Mahajanga. 488 pp.

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true