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Andolalao Rakotoarison

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Andolalao Rakotoarison
Born1982 (age 41–42)
NationalityMalagasy
Alma materTechnical University of Braunschweig
Scientific career
FieldsHerpetology
Thesis Integrative systematics of the narrow-mouthed frogs of Madagascar (Amphibia: Microhylidae: Cophylinae)  (2017)
Doctoral advisorMiguel Vences

Andolalao Rakotoarison (born 1982 in Mahajanga) is a Malagasy herpetologist.

Life and research

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Rakotoarison conducted her Master's thesis at the University of Antananarivo in 2011.[1] She then conducted her PhD at the Technical University of Braunschweig on the systematics of the frogs of the Madagascar-endemic narrow-mouthed frog subfamily Cophylinae,[2] under the supervision of Professor Miguel Vences. As of mid-2020, she has co-authored the description of 52 frog species and two reptiles (one gecko and one chameleon).[3] In particular, Rakotoarison has contributed to knowledge of Madagascar's smallest frogs. In 2017, she led a study published as a monograph with sixteen other coauthors, describing 26 new species of the genus Stumpffia, including several frogs that number among the smallest in the world,[4][5][6] and in 2020, she was also involved in the description of five more miniaturised frogs, including the new genus Mini and its three diminutive species.[7][8][9]

After completing her PhD thesis in 2017, Rakotoarison was appointed as a lecturer at Soavinandriana in Itasy, Madagascar, an affiliate of the University of Antananrivo.[1] In 2017 she also became co-chair of the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group for Madagascar,[10][1] a position she still holds today.[10] Currently, Rakotoarison is the Academic Director for the 'Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management' study abroad programme of the SIT Graduate Institute.[1]

Matronyms

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In 2019, the frog species Platypelis ando was named in honour of Rakotoarison[11] in recognition of her contributions to research on the amphibians of Madagascar.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d School for International Training. "Andolalao Rakotoarison, PhD". School for International Training. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. ^ Rakotoarison, Andolalao (2017). Integrative systematics of the narrow-mouthed frogs of Madagascar (Amphibia: Microhylidae: Cophylinae). Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig. OCLC 1015308724.
  3. ^ Scherz, Mark D. (14 August 2019). "Herpetofauna of Madagascar". Dr Mark D. Scherz. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. ^ Rakotoarison, A.; Scherz, M.D.; Glaw, F.; Köhler, J; Andreone, F.; Franzen, M.; Glos, J.; Hawlitschek, O.; Jono, T.; Mori, A.; Ndriantsoa, S.H.; Raminosoa Rasoamampionona, N.; Riemann, J.C.; Rödel, M.-O.; Rosa, G.M.; Vieites, D.R.; Crottini, A.; Vences, M. (2017). "Describing the smaller majority: Integrative fast-track taxonomy reveals twenty-six new species of tiny microhylid frogs (genus Stumpffia) from Madagascar". Vertebrate Zoology. 67 (3): 271–398. doi:10.3897/vz.67.e31595. S2CID 257190990.
  5. ^ Müller-Jung, Joachim. "26 neue Zwergfrosch-Arten: Ein gigantischer Clan". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  6. ^ "26 neue Arten von Stumpffia-Fröschen aufgespürt - derStandard.de". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  7. ^ Scherz, Mark D.; Hutter, Carl D.; Rakotoarison, Andolalao; Riemann, Jana C.; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Ndriantsoa, Serge H.; Glos, Julian; Roberts, Sam Hyde; Crottini, Angelica; Vences, Miguel; Glaw, Frank (2019-03-27). "Morphological and ecological convergence at the lower size limit for vertebrates highlighted by five new miniaturised microhylid frog species from three different Madagascan genera". PLOS ONE. 14 (3): e0213314. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1413314S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0213314. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6436692. PMID 30917162.
  8. ^ "New staple-size frog is one of the tiniest ever discovered". National Geographic. 2019-03-27. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  9. ^ Solly, Meilan. "Meet Mini mum, Mini scule and Mini ature, Three New Frog Species Among the World's Smallest". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  10. ^ a b "Regional Working Groups – IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group". Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  11. ^ Scherz, Mark D.; Köhler, Jörn; Vences, Miguel; Glaw, Frank (2019-06-26). "A new yellow-toed Platypelis species (Anura, Microhylidae, Cophylinae) from the Maroantsetra region, northeastern Madagascar". Evolutionary Systematics. 3 (1): 75–83. doi:10.3897/evolsyst.3.33417. ISSN 2535-0730.