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From iconic big cats and great apes to unique birds; from elephants and rhinos to thousands of amphibian and reptile species; the African wildlife is a biodiversity treasure as well as a constant source of surprises for zoologists, ecologists, geneticists. Scientists keep learning about the biology and behaviour of African animals, while working to preserve them from old and new threats like poaching, habitat loss and climate change.
Here, the authors produce an updated termite classification with genomic scale analyses, highlighting thirteen family-level lineages and resilience of their classification to future termite research.
Assessment of the impact of armed conflict on large herbivores in Africa between 1946 and 2010 reveals that high conflict frequency is an important predictor of wildlife population declines.
The biogeographic drivers of reptile diversity are poorly understood relative to other animal groups. Here, using a dataset of distributions of African squamates, the authors show that environmental filtering explains diversity in stressful habitats while competition explains diversity in benign habitats.
The extent and impact of global insect movements is hindered by tracking limitations. This study reveals a 4,200âkm transatlantic journey by butterflies from West Africa to South America, lasting 5-8 days, highlighting the remarkable capacity of certain insects to disperse over vast distances.