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Species diversity of terrestrial vertebrates in the mountains of Indochina

Indochina is known as one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world with high diversity of plant and animal species. For terrestrial vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles and mammals), recent studies have discovered many new and cryptic species in the mountains of Vietnam and Laos. Intensive surveys of the species diversity of terrestrial vertebrates in these regions are expected to clarify various factors that form the species diversity of the Indochinese mountains. However, integrated and international research in these mountainous areas is not enough to understand the species diversity.

Therefore, in this project, researchers from Japan, Vietnam, and Laos will cooperate to conduct taxonomic and museum studies on terrestrial vertebrates, make the species inventories, prepare museum specimens, promote the capacity building of young researchers and disseminate research results to society.

 

 

Implementation Organisations (as of 10 April 2023)

Principal investigator

Dr. Masaharu Motokawa
Professor, The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University

Collaborators

Japan Dr. K. Nishikawa
(Professor, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University)
+ two young researchers and two Ph.D. students
Laos Dr. D. Sanamxay
(Faculty of Environmental Studies, National University of Laos)
+ one researcher
Vietnam Dr. N.T. Son
(Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology）
+ two researchers and one Ph.D. student

 

Project Updates

The survey was conducted in Vietnam from September 24th to October 12th, 2023.

  • Duration of the field survey: September 25th to October 8th, 2023
  • Location: The mountainous area at an altitude of around 1,300 m in the Leng Su Sin District of the Muong Nhe Nature Reserve, Dien Bien Province, west of the capital Hanoi
  • Activity photos: PDF 668KB)

The survey was conducted in Lao PDR from November 22 to December 12, 2023.

Seminars and workshops were held in Vietnam and Laos on March 19 and 20, 2024. The outline is as follows:

  • Date and location: March 19 (Faculty of Biology, VNU University of Science: Hanoi, Vietnam) and March 20 (National University of Laos: Vientiane, Laos).
  • Outline: These seminars and workshops are introduced on Professor Motokawa's website. Please click here (to visit the corresponding page on the Motokawa Vertebrate Zoology Team's website).

The survey was conducted in Vietnam from August 3 to 25, 2024.

  • Duration of the field survey: August 4 to 17, 2024.
  • Location: Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, Son La Province, northern Vietnam.
  • Activity photos: PDF 13.5MB

Two collaborative researchers each from Vietnam and Laos were invited to Japan from August 25 to September 11, 2024. The outline of their activities is as follows:

  • Invited researchers and their affiliation:
    • Mr. Vu Kim Luong (Vietnam National Museum of Nature)
    • Dr. Nguyen Truong Son (Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, VAST)
    • Dr. Bounsavane Douangboubpha (National University of Laos)
    • Mr. Vilakan Xayaphet (National University of Laos)
  • Main activities:
    • August 26 – 28 Conduct mammal field-surveys at Fuji Iyashinomori Woodland Study Center, the University of Tokyo in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and the National Museum of Nature and Science.
    • August 29 Visit to the National Museum of Nature and Science (Ueno) and the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation.
    • August 30 Visit to the National Museum of Nature and Science (Tsukuba) for observing the collection facilities and examining the specimens.　
    • September 2 – 5 Visit to the Kyoto University Museum for observing the collection facilities and permanent- and special-exhibition and examining the specimens. A seminar entitled “Japan-Vietnam-Laos 1st Joint Seminar on Species Diversity of Terrestrial Vertebrates” was held on September 3 and 25 researchers and students participated, the poster being available here (PDF 2.1MB).
    • September 6 – 9 Participate in the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Mammal Society of Japan held at the University of Hyogo. In the Annual Meeting, Dr. Motokawa hosted the Free Meeting entitled “Species diversity of mammals in mountains of Indochina” on September 9, and 32 researchers participated.
    • September 10 – 11 Return to respective countries.

 

Project Reports & Deliverables

Scientific papers

  • Bui, T.H., S. Okabe, L.T. Hoang Le, N.T. Nguyen, and M. Motokawa. 2023. A new shrew mole species of the genus Uropsilus (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae) from northwestern Vietnam. Zootaxa, 5339(1): 59-78.

 

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Nagao Natural Environment Foundation
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Tokyo 130-0021 Japan
Phone : +81-3-6659-2070
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