Discovery of Macrotarsomys bastardi at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, southwest Madagascar, with observations on the dynamics of small mammal interactions

We report the presence of Macrotarsomys bastardi, Bastard’s big - footed mouse, at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar. Despite years of fieldwork, including field research targeting the nocturnal mammals, this species had never been reported here previously. A program of intensive and random capture of nocturnal mammals was established over a period of one year (October 2006 to September 2007). We monitored the relative abundances and microhabitat preferences of small - bodied nocturnal mammals in three forests at Beza, as reflected in trapping success both on the ground and at heights of one to two meters in the trees. Three species are common at Beza (although they have different apparent habitat preferences): Microcebus griseorufus, Rattus rattus, and Echinops telfairi. Endemic rodents appear to be rare. Possible interactions between introduced rodents (rats and mice) and endemic species of rodents (Macrotarsomys and Eliurus) are also discussed