In a recent expedition to Madagascar’s dense Makira forest, researchers made an astonishing rediscovery: a giant millipede species that hadn’t been sighted for 126 years.
This millipede, known as Spirostreptus sculptus, is only one of many species scientists identified during the multi-week survey, which involved trekking through forests, streams, and waterfalls in Madagascar’s largest, least-explored forest.
The survey, part of Re:wild‘s Search for Lost Species program, underscored Madagascar’s incredible biodiversity and spotlighted just how many species remain hidden in remote ecosystems like Makira.
The expedition’s main purpose was to uncover species classified as “lost,” meaning that, although they hadn’t been documented in decades, they were not yet declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These species remain elusive in their habitats, and many have only been spotted once or twice in scientific records.
Christina Biggs, a lost species officer with Re:wild, emphasized the urgency of this project by noting that “there are now 4,300 species that we know of around the world that have not been documented in a decade or more.”
This vast number highlights the need for explorations like this one to gain insight into the world’s disappearing biodiversity.
Makira: A Treasure Trove for Biodiversity Enthusiasts
Located in northeastern Madagascar, the Makira forest spans over 370,000 hectares and is one of the last bastions of dense, intact tropical forest on the island. It’s also home to some of the world’s rarest and most unique plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to Madagascar.
Conservationists, scientists, and local guides partnered to create a team of over 30 people, each with specific expertise in various fields, including mammals, reptiles, fish, and insects. This team spent several months planning and then conducting fieldwork in September 2023. They hoped to uncover species that had been missing from scientific records for decades.
According to Biggs, this expedition differed significantly from previous Search for Lost Species expeditions, which traditionally focused on one or two species per outing. This time, the team had a list of 30 species to locate in Makira alone.
She explained that they wanted to pilot a new approach to these searches in Madagascar due to its rich biodiversity and the fact that Makira itself remains understudied: “We convened a group of scientists to search for as many species as possible, and it proved successful.”
The Rediscovery of Makira’s “Lost” Fish
One of the main goals of the expedition was to locate several elusive fish species, including the Makira rainbow fish, which hadn’t been seen in over 20 years.
The search was challenging, to say the least. Tsilavina Ravelomanana, a fish biologist from Antananarivo University, had previously surveyed freshwater fish in Makira two decades prior and was familiar with the habitat.
Nonetheless, the first few days proved frustrating, with Ravelomanana explaining, “We sampled a small tributary of the Antainambalana River, then the main river, then upstream, and then downstream, but we still didn’t find any fish.”
The breakthrough came from local guides Melixon and Edmé, who ventured to remote villages in search of the elusive fish. After several days of traversing challenging terrain, they managed to capture a Makira rainbow fish, a small, semi-translucent species, which they brought back to the team in a bucket of water.
This success energized the team and highlighted the critical role local knowledge and guides play in conservation work. The guides also found the rare Ptychoromis makira, a fish believed to be native to a very restricted area near Andaparaty, underscoring the importance of safeguarding local water sources from environmental degradation.
Surprises from the Insect World: A Giant Millipede Returns
In addition to fish, the team discovered various insects, many of which hadn’t been seen for decades. The entomologists on the team were thrilled to find two species of ant-like flower beetles last documented in 1958.
However, the most unexpected find was the giant millipede, Spirostreptus sculptus, which was rediscovered by Dmitry Telnov, an entomologist and expedition team member.
He described the creature with awe, noting that “the longest specimen of this species we observed in Makira was a really gigantic female measuring 27.5 centimeters [10.8 inches] long.” This enormous millipede had only been described in scientific literature based on a single specimen collected in 1897.
The team’s success with insects went beyond their initial list. They found not only “lost” species but also several insects previously unknown to science. This aspect of the expedition demonstrated how many species remain undocumented, especially in isolated, biodiverse regions like Makira.
Arachnological Findings: New and Old Spider Species
The Makira forest is also a haven for spiders. The team documented five jumping spider species that had not been recorded by science in decades, as well as 17 entirely new spider species.
One notable rediscovery was the jumping spider Tomocyrba decollata, last documented in 1900. However, the most exciting spider discovery involved a new zebra spider species, recognized by Brogan Pett, the director of the SpiDiverse working group.
Pett recounted the moment he noticed the spider’s unique egg sacs in the entrance of a small cave: “Pendulous egg sacs are one of the characteristics of the family of zebra spiders this new species belongs to. I crawled a short way inside the cave and saw a few adult spiders guarding egg sacs—they were quite large spiders and it was remarkable that they had gone unrecognized for so long.”
This discovery underscored that even in the face of thorough surveys, some species remain elusive, hiding in places few would think to look. The zebra spider is a reminder of how evolution adapts creatures to their specific habitats, making each discovery in Makira not only a scientific success but also a testament to nature’s resilience and adaptability.
Species That Remain Unfound
While the team succeeded in finding a number of “lost” species, several key species eluded them, including the Masoala fork-marked lemur and a large chameleon known as Calumma vatososa, which translates to “beautiful stone” in Malagasy.
The lemur was last documented in 2004, and the chameleon in 2006. Both are iconic of Madagascar’s diverse but fragile ecosystem, and the team is hopeful that future expeditions may yield sightings of these elusive creatures.
Another species of interest was the dusky tetraka, a cryptic olive-and-yellow bird recently rediscovered in other parts of Madagascar during a different expedition in late 2022 and early 2023. Although Makira lies between the known locations of this species, ornithologists were unable to find any dusky tetrakas during the survey.
Nevertheless, the Makira forest is still considered a possible habitat for this rare bird, as Lily Arison Rene de Roland from the Peregrine Fund noted, “The Makira Forest has the potential for two rare bird species, the dusky tetraka, and the Madagascar serpent eagle, but we were not able to find them this time.”
The Global Importance of Madagascar’s Biodiversity
Madagascar is one of the world’s premier biodiversity hotspots, with a rate of species endemism found almost nowhere else on Earth. Its plants and animals have evolved in isolation for millions of years, creating entirely unique ecosystems.
Expeditions like this not only contribute to understanding species diversity but also serve as reminders of the urgent need to protect these irreplaceable habitats. Without conservation efforts and continued scientific exploration, countless species may remain lost or undiscovered, vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change.
Ultimately, the Makira expedition is a testament to human curiosity, collaboration, and the critical role of conservation. This journey brought scientists closer to lost species and illustrated the immense, often untapped, biodiversity found in remote regions.
The rediscovery of species like Spirostreptus sculptus, the Makira rainbow fish, and the zebra spider serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together to protect and study our planet’s natural heritage. As more species are cataloged and protected, the forests of Madagascar—and the planet’s remaining wildernesses—stand a better chance of survival in the face of environmental challenges.
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