Family / Scientific name - Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania

Rufiji Environment Management Project 1 

Environmental Management and Biodiversity Conservation of Forests, 

Woodlands, and Wetlands of the Rufiji Delta and Floodplain 

Biodiverstity of Rufiji District – A Summary 

Doody, K., & Hamerlynck, O. 

Technical report No. 44 

Oct 2003 

For more information please contact 

Project Manager, 

Rufiji Environment Management Project 

P O Box 13513 

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Tel: 44 Utete Rufiji or 73731 / 0811 322366 Dar es Salaam 

Email: rempute1@bushmail.net or iucndar@epiq.or.tz 

1 The Rufiji District Council implements Rufiji Environment Management Project with technical assistance from IUCN – The World 

Conservation Union, and funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy.

Rufiji Environment Management Project - REMP 

Project Goal 

To promote the long-term conservation through ‘wise use’ of the lower Rufiji forests, 

woodlands and wetlands, such that biodiversity is conserved, critical ecological functions are 

maintained, renewable natural resources are used sustainably and the livelihoods of the area’s 

inhabitants are secured and enhanced. 

Objectives 

�� To promote the integration of environmental conservation and sustainable development 

through environmental planning within the Rufiji Delta and Floodplain. 

�� To promote the sustainable use of natural resources and enhance the livelihoods of local 

communities by implementing sustainable pilot development activities based on wise use 

principles. 

�� To promote awareness of the values of forests, woodlands and wetlands and the 

importance of wise use at village, district, regional and central government levels, and to 

influence national policies on natural resource management. 

Project Area 

The project area is within Rufiji District in the ecosystems affected by the flooding of the river 

(floodplain and delta), downstream of the Selous Game Reserve and also including several 

upland forests of special importance. 

Project Implementation 

The project is run from the district Headquarters in Utete by the Rufiji District Administration 

through a district Environmental Management Team coordinated by the District Executive 

Director. The Project Manager is employed by the project and two Technical Advisers are 

employed by IUCN. 

Project partners, particularly NEMC, the Coast Region, RUBADA, The Royal Netherlands 

Embassy and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, collaborate formally through 

their participation in the Project Steering Committee and also informally. 

Project Outputs 

At the end of the first five –year phase (1998-2003) of the project the expected outputs are: 

An Environmental Management Plan: an integrated plan for the management of the 

ecosystems (forests, woodlands and wetlands) and natural resources of the project area that 

has been tested and revised so that it can be assured of success - especially through 

development hand-in-hand with the District council and the people of Rufiji. 

Village (or community) Natural Resource Management Plans: These will be produced in pilot 

villages to facilitate village planning for natural resource management. The project will 

support the implementation of these plans by researching the legislation, providing training 

and some support for zoning, mapping and gazettement of reserves. 

Established Wise Use Activities: These will consist of the successful sustainable development 

activities that are being tried and tested with pilot village and communities and are shown to 

be sustainable 

Key forests will be conserved: Forests in Rufiji District that have shown high levels of plant 

biodiversity, endemism or other valuable biodiversity characteristics will be conserved by 

gazettement, forest management for conservation, and /or awareness-raising with their 

traditional owners.

REMP Technical Report 44: Biodiversity Summary 

Executive Summary 

This report summarises biodiversity information from a wide selection of sources. These are listed 

at the beginning of the relevant section. Where possible, details of species endemism, forest 

dependence and conservation status have been given for each species. 

Table 1 below summaries the number of species, families, forest dependents, endemic species and 

species with conservation status. 

Table 1: Summary number of species and families for different groups in Rufiji District. 

Taxa Number of 

Species 

Number of 

Families 


Forest 

Dependents 


Endemic 

Species 


threatened species 

(i.e. listed by IUCN 

or CITES) 

Plants 449 89 30 88 20 

Marine Macro Algae 15 / / / / 

Sea grass 4 / / / / 

Amphibians 27 9 6 2 1 

Reptiles 87 25 8 12 5 

Birds 431 79 25 / 9 

Mammals 117 39 11 / 24 

Fish (Marine) 15 16 / / / 

Fish (Freshwater) 46 15 / / / 

Butterflies 42 8 18 14 / 

Dragonflies 69 / 9 9 8 (pending) 

Molluscs (Terrestrial) 16 / / / / 

Molluscs (Marine) 25 / / / / 

Echinoderm 11 / / / / 

Total 1354 280 107 125 59 

The species lists presented are not presumed to be complete, the need for further research is fully 

recognised and encouraged. 

i


Table of Contents 

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................... i 

Table of Contents............................................................................................................................................. ii 

1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 1 

1.1 Definitions........................................................................................................................................ 2 

1.2 Conservation status........................................................................................................................... 3 

2 Plants........................................................................................................................................................ 4 

2.1 Terrestrial and Freshwater Plants ..................................................................................................... 4 

2.2 Marine Plants and Alage ................................................................................................................ 24 

3 Amphibians............................................................................................................................................ 25 

4 Reptiles................................................................................................................................................... 28 

5 Birds ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 

6 Mammals ............................................................................................................................................... 55 

7 Fish ......................................................................................................................................................... 65 

7.1 Freshwater Fish .............................................................................................................................. 65 

7.2 Marine Fish .................................................................................................................................... 67 

8 Invertebrates.......................................................................................................................................... 68 

8.1 Butterflies....................................................................................................................................... 68 

8.2 Dragonflies..................................................................................................................................... 70 

8.3 Molluscs ......................................................................................................................................... 73 

8.4 Echinoderms................................................................................................................................... 75 

9 References and Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 76 

10 Appendices ........................................................................................................................................ 80 

10.1 Appendix 1: Rufiji Odonates.......................................................................................................... 80 

10.2 Appendix 2: Galago and nocturnal mammal surveys within the Rufiji Environmental Management 

Project area.................................................................................................................................................. 90 

List of Tables 

Table 1: Summary number of species and families for different groups in Rufiji District................................. i 

Table 2: Plant Species recorded in Rufiji District.............................................................................................. 6 

Table 3: Marine Plants and Algae Species in Rufiji District ........................................................................... 24 

Table 4: Amphibian Species in Rufiji District................................................................................................. 26 

Table 5: Endemic Reptile Species ................................................................................................................... 28 

Table 6:Reptile Species recorded in Rufiji District ......................................................................................... 29 

Table 7 Bird species recorded in Rufiji District............................................................................................... 37 

Table 8: Mammal Species recorded in Rufiji District...................................................................................... 57 

Table 9: Bat species recorded in Rufiji District ............................................................................................... 63 

Table 10: Freshwater Fish in Rufiji District .................................................................................................... 65 

Table 12: Marine Fish Species......................................................................................................................... 67 

Table 14: Butterfly species recorded in Rufiji District .................................................................................... 68 

Table 15: Dragonflies recorded from the Rufiji region.................................................................................... 70 

Table 16: Marine Mollusc Species in Rufiji District ....................................................................................... 73 

Table 17: Terrestrial Mollusc Species in Rufiji District .................................................................................. 74 

Table 18: Sea Cucumber Species In Rufiji District ......................................................................................... 75 

List of Figures 

Figure 1: Location of Coast Region in Tanzania (Map from Durand, 2003)..................................................... 1 

Figure 2: Landscape Designations in Rufiji District (Map from Durand, 2003) ............................................... 2 

ii

1 Introduction 


1.1 Aim 

The aim of this report is to compile biodiversity information for Rufiji District into one volume. It 

should be noted that no additional survey work was undertaken in compiling this report, and thus 

full acknowledgement is given to the authors of the various studies used to compile this report. The 

relevant studies are listed at the beginning each section. 

This report compiles information known to date, it is not expected that species lists presented are 

exhaustive, particularly for little known groups such as invertebrates. 

The species lists are assembled giving where possible details of forest dependence, endemism and 

conservation status, these are defined below in section 1.3. 

1.2 Location 

Rufiji District is located in Coast (Pwani) Region in Eastern Tanzania (see figure 1 below) and is 

dominated by the Rufiji River. 

Figure 1: Location of Coast Region in Tanzania (Map from Durand, 2003) 

Rufiji 

District 

‘The lower Rufiji valley starts downstream from Stiegler’s Gorge, some 180 km from the Indian 

Ocean, in the Selous Game Reserve. Below the gorge the river fans out in an inner delta with 

numerous lakes and subsequently enters its lower floodplain, which gradually widens until the river 

branches out and forms the Rufiji Delta. The floodplain, which covers approximately 1450 km², 

comprises a mosaic of former river channels, levees and shallow depressions supporting sparse 

shrub, intensive cultivation (mainly rice), scattered tree crops (mango, banana) or tall grassland. 

The floodplain also has palm (Borassus, Hyphaene and Phoenix) and Acacia woodland while 

riparian forest is found on the higher riverbanks. There is also riparian/groundwater forest around 

the edges of a series of lakes that are connected to the river during the annual floods. The large 

floodplain lakes in the Lower Rufiji valley occupy roughly 2850 ha (or 56 %) of the surface of 

standing water bodies in the valley (Mwalyosi, 1990). The higher ground North of the floodplain is 

covered by a woodland/coastal forest mosaic. To the south of the Rufiji river are a series of hills 

1


with important forested areas, dense woodlands and coastal shrub (often referred to as "thicket")’ 

(Ochieng, 2002). There is an as yet undefined relationship between coastal forests found in Rufiji 

District and the forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains. The details are not fully understood but a 

number of endemic plant and animal species occur in both the Coastal and Eastern Arc Forests. 

‘The Rufiji delta contains the largest area of estuarine mangrove in East Africa (approx. 532 km² in 

1990 but increasingly cleared for rice farming). The deltaic plain formed at the Indian Ocean by the 

Rufiji river is approximately 23 km wide and 70 km long (Chen and Dyke, 1998). The wealth of 

natural resources in this area supports the livelihoods of some 150,000 people. The lower Rufiji and 

delta area has been identified as one of the most important wetland areas in East Africa, owing to 

its rich biodiversity and its high productivity’ (Ochieng, 2002). 

Figure 2: Landscape Designations in Rufiji District (Map from Durand, 2003) 

1.3 Definitions 

1.3.1 Habitat 

For the purposes of this report the habitat presence for each species is listed where possible 

according to the following classification: 

�� F – Forest-dependent- species only found in and dependent on closed canopy forest. 

�� O - Other habitats – species may use forest edge, woodlands and wooded grasslands. 

�� N - Non-forest – species may use open wetlands, grasslands, savannah, cliffs and other open 

areas. 

�� Tr W – Tropical Waters 

2


1.3.2 Conservation status 

Where possible the conservation status of each species listed is given, these are based on IUCN red 

data categories (Hilton-Taylor, 2000) 

�� CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) - A taxon is Critically Endangered when it is facing an 

extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future, as defined by any of the 

criteria (A to E) as described below. 

�� ENDANGERED (EN) - A taxon is Endangered when it is not Critically Endangered but is 

facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, as defined by any of the 

criteria (A to E) as described below. 

�� VULNERABLE (VU) - A taxon is Vulnerable when it is not Critically Endangered or 

Endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future, as 

defined by any of the criteria (A to E) as described below. 

�� LOWER RISK (LR) - A taxon is Lower Risk when it has been evaluated, does not satisfy the 

criteria for any of the categories Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Taxa 

included in the Lower Risk category can be separated into three subcategories: 

Conservation Dependent (cd). Taxa which are the focus of a continuing taxon-specific or 

habitat-specific conservation programme targeted towards the taxon in question, the 

cessation of which would result in the taxon qualifying for one of the threatened categories 

above within a period of five years. 

Near Threatened (nt). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent, but which 

are close to qualifying for Vulnerable. 

Least Concern (lc). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent or Near 

Threatened. 

�� DATA DEFICIENT (DD) A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to 

make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or 

population status. A taxon in this category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but 

appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution is lacking. Data Deficient is therefore not a 

category of threat or Lower Risk. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more 

information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will show that 

threatened classification is appropriate. It is important to make positive use of whatever data are 

available. In many cases great care should be exercised in choosing between DD and threatened 

status. If the range of a taxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, if a considerable 

period of time has elapsed since the last record of the taxon, threatened status may well be 

justified. 

1.3.3 Endemism 

Where possible endemic species are noted. 

�� CF End – Coastal Forest Endemic – endemic to Coastal Forests as defined in Burgess, 2000. 

�� Tz End – Endemic to Tanzania 

�� N End – Near Endemic - occurs in Tanzania and few selected location in nearby countries. 

�� Tz/K End – Endemic to Tanzania and Kenya 

3

2 Plants 


2.1 Terrestrial and Freshwater Plants 

A summary of terrestrial and freshwater plant species recorded in Rufiji District was compiled from 

various sources, detailed below: 

�� Mwasumbi et al, 2000. A Preliminary Biodiversity (Floral) Assessment of Selected Forests in 

Rufiji District. REMP Technical Report No. 10 (Mwa 2000) 

�� Malimbwi et al, 2000. Timber Resources of Rufiji District. REMP Technical Report 12. (Mal 

02) 

�� Burgess, N.D. and Clarke, G.P. (eds) 2000. The Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa, IUCN 

Conservation Programme, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, England. (Bur00) 

�� Semesi, 1991. Management Plan for the Mangrove Ecosystem of Mainland Tanzania: Vol. 7 

Mangrove Management Plan of Rufiji Delta. Forest and Beekeeping Division, MNRT Dar es 

Salaam. (Sem91) 

�� Durand, 2003. Implementation of the Rufiji Forest Action Plan. With Special Emphasis on 

Community Based Natural Resources Management and a Case Study of Ngumburuni Forest. 

REMP Technical Report 45. (Dur03) 

�� Pijnappel, H., 2002. Lakes of the Lower Rufiji Floodplain, Tanzania. The water balance of 

Lake Lugongwe and the ecohydrological connectivity of the Rufiji lakes with the Rufiji River. 

University of Nijmegen – Department of Environmental Studies (unpubl.), 170 pp. Note: 

information for 9 lakes (Mtanza, Zumbi, Lugongwe, Chem Chem, Ruwe, Uba, Weme and 

Zimbwini) have been combined into one column. (Pij 02) 

�� Songas, 2002. Assessment of the Flora Biodiversity along the Songo Songo Gas to Electricity 

Pipeline Corridor. Songas Dar es Salaam. (Son02) 

Habitat descriptions and endemism are taken from Burgess et al, 2000. Conservation Status is taken 

from Hilton-Taylor, 2000. 

A total of 449 plant species from 89 families have been recorded in Rufiji District, these are listed 

in Table 1 on page 6. Of these 88 species are endemic to Coastal Forests as defined by Burgess 

(2000), one is endemic to Kenya/Tanzania and another is a Tanzania endemic. 

30 of the recorded species are forest dependent (but it should be noted that habitat information is 

not yet available for all species listed). 15 of the recorded plant species are listed as ‘vulnerable’ by 

IUCN (Hilton-Taylor, 2000), detailed below: 

�� Lettowianthus stellatus Diels Annonaceae 

�� Uvariodendron gorgonis Verdc. Annonaceae 

�� Dialium holtzii Harms Caesalpinaceae 

�� Isoberlinia scheffleri (Harmns) Greenway Caesalpinaceae 

�� Milbraedia carpinifolia (Pax) Hutch. Euphorbiaceae 

�� Erythrina sacleuxii Hua Fabaceae 

�� Baphia kirkii Bak. Fabaceae 

�� Xylotheca tettensis Flacoutiaceae 

�� Newtonia paucijuga (Harms) Brenan Mimosaceae 

�� Millettia bussei Harms Papilionaceae 

�� Rothmannia macrosiphon (Engl.) Bridson Rubiaceae 

�� Rytigynia binata (K. Schum.) Robyns Rubiaceae 

�� Tarenna drummondii Brids. Rubiaceae 

�� Zanthoxylum holtizianum (Engl.) Waterm. Rutaceae 

�� Zanthoxylum lindense (Engl.) Kokwaro Rutaceae 

4


Two species are listed as Endangered, detailed below: 

�� Baikiaea ghesquireana J. Leonard Caesalpinaceae 

�� Tessmannia densiflora Harms Caesalpinaceae 

Three species are listed as Lower Risk Near Threatened, detailed below: 

�� Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr. Fabaceae 

�� Pterocarpus angolensis 

�� Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg 

Papilionaceae 

Moraceae 

5


Table 2: Plant Species recorded in Rufiji District 

RL= Rufiji Lakes, MO= Mohoro Forest, CM= Chumbi-Msumi Floodplain, RU= Ruhoi River Bank, MV = Mangroves, NG= Ngumburuni Forest, KW = Kiwengoma Forest, NK - Namakutwa 

Forest, MC - Mchungu Forest, KH – Kichi Hills, WE – Weme Forest, IL – Ilu Forest. Mal 02 – Malimbwi, 2002. Ecol Status – based on Burgess (2000), Endemic Status based on Burgess 

Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

Mwa 00 

(2000), Conservation Status based on Hilton-Taylor, (2000). Life Form based on Mwasumbi, (2000) and LEAP. Mwa 2000 – Mwasumbi et al, (2000) EX= Exotic Species 

Fam. Species Ecol End. Cons. RL MO CM 

MV NG Mal 02 KW NK MC KH 

Status Status Status Pij 02 Son02 Son02 

Sem 91 Son02 

Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 

RU 

Son02/ 

Dur03 

ACANTHACEAE 

Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anders X X X H 

Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) Roth. X H 

Dicliptera sp. X 

Isoglossa lacteal X X X H 

AGAVACEAE 

Dracaena deremensis Engl. X 

Dracaena usambarensis Engl. X 

ALISMATACEAE 

Sagittaria guayanensis O X 

AMARANTHACEAE 

Achyranthes aspera L. X H 

Psilotricum scleranthum Thw. X X X S 

ANACARDIACEAE 

Anacardium occidentale L. X 

Lannea antiscorbitica (Hiern) Engl. X 

Lannea humilis X X T 

Lannea schweinfurthii (Engl) X X X ST 

Ozoroa insignis Del. X ST 

Rhus natalensis X T 

Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. X X X T 

Sorindeia madagascariensis DC. X X X X X X T 

ANNONACEAE 

Annona senegalensis Pers. X X S/T 

Artabotrys brachypetalus Benth. X X L 

Asteranthus lutea Vollesen O CF End X S 

Cleistochlamys kirkii (Benth.) Oliv. X T 

Isolona heinsii Engl. & Diels X 

Table 1: Plant Species In Rufiji District 6


Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 

Fam. Species Ecol 

Status 

Dur03 

Lettowianthus stellatus Diels F CF End VU X X X X X X T 

Monanthotaxis buchananii (Engl.) Verdc. X X X SS 

Monodora junodii Engl. & Diels X 

Monodora grandidieri CF End X 

Ophrypetalum odoratum Diels F CF End X X T, S 

Polyalthia tanganyikensis Vollesen O CF End X S 

Uvaria acuminata Oliv. F CF End X T, S, L 

Uvaria kirkii X S 

Uvariodendron gorgonis Verdc. F CF End VU X T 

Xylopia odoratissima Oliv. X T 

Xylopia parviflora (A. Rich.) Benth. X X X X T 

ANTHERICACEAE 

Chlorophytum sp. nov. X 

APOCYNACEAE 

Carissa edulis X S 

EX Dicyophleba lucida X L 

Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Muell. Arg.) 

X X S 

Pichon 

Landophia kirkii Dyeri X X C 

Rauvolfia mombasiana Stapf O CF End X X ST 

EX Saba comorensis (Bojer) Pichon X X X L 

Sapium armatum Pax & K. Schum. X X X S 

Schizozygia coffaeoides (Bojer) Baill. X X S 

Strophanthus courmontii Franch. X C 

Tabernaemontana elegans Stapf. O CF End X T,S 

Voacanga africana X X T 

Voacanga thouarsii Stapf X X X T 

APOLACEAE 

Holarrhena pubescens (Burch. Ham.) Wall X X X T 

ARACEAE 

Pistia stratiotes O X 

Stylochiton natalensis Schott X H 

ARALIACEAE 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Cussonia zimmermannii Harms O CF End X X T 

Polyscias stuhlmannii X T 

ARECACEAE 

Phoenix reclinata X 

ASCLEPIADIACEAE 

Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv. X 

EX Mondia ecornuta Bullock X 

ASPARAGACEAE 

Asparagus racemosus X H 

ASTERACEAE 

Crassocephalum rubens (Jacq.) S. Moore X H 

Elephantopus scaber L. X S 

AVICENNIACEAE 

Avicennia marina (Forsks.) Vierh. X 

AZOLLACEAE 

Azolla africana O X 

BALANITACEAE 

Balanites maughamii Sprague X 

Balanites wilsoniana Dawe & Sprague O CF End X T 

BARRINGTONIACEAE 

Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng. X 

BIGNONIACEAE 

Fernandoa magnifica Seem O CF End X X X T 

Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. X X X X X T 

Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum. X X T 

Markhamia acuminata (Klotzsch.) K. Schum. 

X X S 

Syn. M. zanzibarica 

Markhamia obtusifolia (Bak.) Sprague X X X X X T 

Stereospermum kunthianum Cham. X X X T 

BOMBACACEAE 

Adansonia digitata X T 

Bombax rhodognaphalon K. Schum. O CF End X X X X T 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

Dur03 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

BORAGINACEAE 

Cordia goetzii X S 

Cordia faulkenerae Verdc. O CF End X S 

Ehretia cymosa Thonn. X 

BURSERACEAE 

Commiphora eminii Engl. X T 

Commiphora serrata Engl. O CF End X X T,S 

Commiphora zanzibarica (Baill.) Engl. O CF End X T 

Commiphora zimmermannii (Engl.) Gillett X 

CAESALPINACEAE 

Afzelia quanzensis Welw. X X X X X X T 

Baikiaea ghesquireana J. Leonard F CF End EN X T 

Bauhinia tomentosa L. X 

Brachystegia bussei X 

Brachystegia microphylla Harms X 

Brachystegia sp. X 

Brachystegia spiciformis Benth. X X T 

Bussea eggelingii F CF End X T 

Cassia burttii Baker f. O CF End X X T, S 

Cassia petersiana (Bolle) Lock X 

Cassia sp. (Exotic) X 

Cassia zambesiaca Oliver O CF End X H 

Cassia abbreviata Oliv. X X X X T 

Cordyla africana Lour. X X T 

Cynometra suahiliensis X X T 

Cynometra webberi Bak.f F CF End X 

Cynometra sp. X 

Dialium holtzii Harms O CF End VU X X X X X T 

Hymenaea verrucosa Gaert.. X X X X X X T 

Isoberlinia scheffleri (Harmns) Greenway F VU X 

Julbernardia globiflora X X T 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Piliostigma thonningii X X T 

Tamarindus indica L. X X X X X T 

Tessmannia densiflora Harms F CF End EN X X T 

Scorodophloeus fischeri (Taub.) J. Leon. F CF End X X T 

Swartzia madagascariensis X S 

CAPPARACEAE 

Boscia salsifolia X T 

Capparis sepiaris L. X X SS 

Thylachium africana Lour. X S 

Maerua kirkii (Oliv.) F. white X S 

Maerua triphylla A. Rich. X 

O CF End X X ST 

CELASTRACEAE 

Elaeodendron schweinfurthianum (Loes.) 

Loes. 

Elaeodendron schlechterina X 

Loesneriella africana X C 

Maytenus acuminata X S 

Maytenus undatus X S 

Maytenus putterlickioides X S 

Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Thunb.) Loes. X 

Salacia leptoclada Tul. X SS 

Salacia madagascariensis (Lam.) DC. X X X SS 

CERATOPHYLLACEAE 

Ceratophyllum demersum O X 

CHARACEAE 

Chara sp. O X 

CHRYSOPHYLLACEAE 

Parinari curatellifolia Benth. X 

COMBRETACEAE 

Combretum adenogonium A. Rich. X X 

Combretum molle G. Don. X X T 

Combretum pentagonum Laws. X SS 

Combretum zeyheri Sond. X X X S/T 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Pteleopis myrtifolia (Laws.) Engl. Diels X X X X T 

Pteleopsis apetala Vollesen O CF End X 

Terminalia sericea DC. X X X T 

COMMELINACEAE 

Aneilema aequinoctiale (P. Beauv.) Kunth. X X H 

Commelina benghalensis L. X X X H 

COMPOSITAE 

EX Ageratum conyzoides X 

EX Bidens pilosa X S 

CONNARACEAE 

Agelaea setulosa Schellenb. O CF End X SS 

Byrsocarpus orientalis X SS 

Ellipanthus hemandradenioides Brenan F CF End X 

Rourea orientalis Baill. X X X S 

CYPERACEAE 

Cyperus alopeculoides O X 

Cyperus articulatus O X 

Cyperus denudatus O X 

Cyperus difformis O X 

Cyperus digitatus O X 

Cyperus esculentus O X 

Cyperus exaltatus Retz. X X G 

Cyperus longus O X 

Kyllinga nemoralis O X 

Mariscus hemisphaericus (Boeck.) C.B. Cl. X G 

Scirus sp. O X 

DICHAPETALACEAE 

Dichapetalum aneranium Bret. O CF End X SL 

Dichapetalum edule O CF End X X SL 

Dichapetalum ruhlandii X S 

Dichapetalum stuhlmannii Engl. X X SS 

DILLENIACEAE 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Tetracera boiviniana Baill. O CF End X T, S 

Tetracera litoralis Gilg. F CF End X SS 

EBENACEAE 

Diospyros kabuyeana F. White F CF End X X T, S 

Diospyros loureireana O CF End X T 

Diospyros mespiliformis DC. X X X T 

Diospyros squarrosa Klotzsch X 

Diospyros usambarensis F. White X 

Diospyros verrucosa Hiern O CF End X X X ST 

Diospyros zombensis (B.L. Burtt.) F. White X 

Euclea divinorum X T 

ERYTHROXYLACEAE 

Erythroxylum emarginatum Thonn. X X S 

EUPHORBIACEAE 

Acalypha gillmannii A. R. Smith O CF End X S 

Acalypha neptunica Muell. Arg. X S/T 

Alchornea laxiflora (Benth.) Pax. & Hoffm. X X X X S 

Alchornea sp.(Kitwana) X S 

Antidesma venosum Tul. X X X X S 

Bridelia cathartica Bertol.f. X X SS/T 

Bridelia atroridis Mull. Arg. X 

Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. X 

Croton macrostachyus Del. X T 

Croton pseudopulchellus Pax X 

Croton sylvaticus Hochst. X X 

Drypetes arguta (Muell. Arg.) Hutch. X X T 

Drypetes natalensis (Harv.) Hutch. X X 

Drypetes reticulata Pax X X ST 

Drypetes sp. X 

Euphorbia candelabrum Kotschy X X T 

Euphorbia nyikae Pax & Burret X T 

Euphorbia usambarensis Pax O CF End X 



Fam. Species Ecol End. Cons. RL MO CM RU MV NG Mal 02 KW NK MC KH WE IL Life 

Status Status Status Pij 02 Son02 Son02 Son02/ Sem 91 Son02 

Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Form 

Dur03 

Euphorbia scarlatina X S 

Flueggea virosa Baill. X S 

Mallotus oppositifolius (Geisel.) Mull. Arg. X X 

Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) Webster X X X S 

Milbraedia carpinifolia (Pax) Hutch. F CF End VU X 

S 

Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn. X A 

Phyllanthus leucanthus Pax X 

H 

Phyllanthus nummulariifolius Poir. X 

Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir X SS 

Phyllanthus rhizomatosus A.R. Sm. O CF End X H 

Phyllanthus sp. X S 

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax X X X T 

Ricinodendron heudelotii (Baill.) Pierre X X 

Sapium ellipticum (Krauss) Pax X 

Spirostachys africana Sond. X X T 

Suregada zanzibariensis Baill X X X X X X X S 

Synadenium sp. X 

Tragia brevipes X H 

Tragia furialis Prain X C 

FABACEAE 

Abrus precatorius L. X 

C 

Crotolaria goodiiformis Vatke X X S 

Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr. LR/nt X X T 

Erythrina melanacantha X T 

Erythrina sacleuxii Hua F CF End VU X 

X T 

Lonchocarpus capassa Roffe X X X T 

Millettia stuhlmannii Taub. X X X T 

Xerroderis stuhlmannii (Taub.) Mend. & 

X X X X T 

Souza 

Baphia kirkii Bak. O CF End VU X X X X T 

FLACOURTIACEAE 

Casearia gladiformis X S 



Life 

Form 

Fam. Species Ecol End. Cons. RL MO CM RU MV NG Mal 02 KW NK MC KH WE IL 


Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 Mwa 00 

Dur03 

Bivinia jalbertii Tul. X X 

Caloncoba welwitschii (Oliv.) Gilg. X X X X S 

Canthium mombazense Baill. X 

Flacourtia indica X S 

Lindackeria bukobensis Gilg X S 

Scolopia rhamniphylla Gilg X 

Xylotheca tettensis (Klotzsch) O CF End VU X X X X S 

Oncoba spinosa Forssk. X X X ST 

FLAGELLARIACEAE 

EX Flagellaria indica X 

GESNERIACEAE 

Saintpaulia ionantha H. Wendl. F CF End X H 

GRAMINEAE 

Cynodon dactylon O X 

EX Digitaria abyssinica X 

Digitaria gymnostachya Pilg X 

Echinochloa stagnina O X 

EX Pennisetum purpureum X 

X 

Phragmites mauritianus O X 

Setaria megaphylla (Steud.) Th. Dur. & 

Schinz 

Voscia cuspidata O X 

GUTTIFERAE 

Garcinia buchananii Bak. X 

Garcinia livingstonii T Anders X X X X S/T 

Harungana madagascariensis Poir X ST 

Psorosperum febrifugum Spach X 

Vismia orientalis Engl. X X 

HYMENOCARDIACEAE 

Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. X X X X X X T 

ICACINACEAE 

Apodytes dimidiata X X T 

IXONANTHACEAE 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

Dur03 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

Fam. Species Ecol End. 

Status Status 

X 

Phyllocosmus lemaireanus (De Wild. & Th. 

Dur.) Th. & H. Dur. 

LABIATAE 

Hoslundia opposita X 

Tinnea sp. X 

LINACEAE 

Hugonia castaneifolia Engl. X L 

LOGANIACEAE 

Strophanthus kombe Oliv. X SS 

Strychnos henningsii Gilg X X ST 

Strychnos madagascariensis Poir X X X T 

Strychnos panganensis Gilg O CF End X C , S 

Strychnos spinosa X X S 

LORANTHACEAE 

Agelanthus longipes X 

Loranthus sp. X 

MALIPIGHIACEAE 

Acridocarpus alopecuras Sprague X 

MALVACEAE 

Gardenis ternifolia ssp. jovis tonantis X X S 

Hibiscus surattensis L. X X H 

MELASTOMATACEAE 

Memecylon sansibaricum Taub. X S 

MELIACEAE 

Bersama abyssinica (Sim.) Verdc. X X X X T 

Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C. DC. X 

Trichilia dregeana X 

Trichilia emetica Vahl X X 

Turraea nilotica Kotschy & Peyr. X X ST 

Xylocarpus granatum Koen. X 

MENISPERMACEAE 

Albertisia undulata (Hiern) Forman. F CF End X SS 

EX Cissampelos pareila X 






Dur03 

Triclisia sacleuxii (Pierre) Diels X C 

MIMOSACEAE 

Acacia adenocalyx Brenan & Exell O CF End X T, S 

Acacia nigrescens Oliv. X T 

Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. X X X T 

Acacia robusta Burch. X X T 

Acacia sieberana DC. X X S 

Acacia tortilis X X T 

Albizia adianthifolia X 

Albizia glaberrima (Schum. & Thonn.) 

X T 

Benth. 

Albizia gummifera X T 

Albizia harveyi Fourn X X T 

Albizia petersiana (Bolle) Oliv. X X T 

Albizia versicolor Oliv. X X 

Albizia seyal X T 

Amblygonocarpus andongensis (Oliv.) Exell 

X X T 

& Torre 

Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. X X ST 

Mimosa pigra O X X S 

Neptunia oleraceae O X 

Newtonia buchananii (Bak.) Gilb. & Bout. X T 

Newtonia paucijuga (Harms) Brenan F CF End VU X T 

Parkia filicoidea Oliv. X 

MONTINIACEAE 

Grevea eggelingii Milne Redh. O CF End X T, S 

MORACEAE 

Ficus bussei Mildbr. X T 

Ficus lingua De Wild. & Th. Dur. X 

Ficus natalensis (Miq.) Hochst. X T 

Ficus scassellattii Pamp. X 

Ficus sycomorus L. X 






Dur03 

Ficus thonningii X 

T 

Maclura africana (Bureau) Corner X 

Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg LR/nt X X X 

T 

Streblus usambarensis (Engl.) C.C. Berg X 

MYRTACEAE 

Eugenia capensis (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Sond. X S 

Syzygium guineense X X 

NYMPHACEAE 

Nymphaea capensis O X 

Nymphaea lotus L O X X H 

OCHNACEAE 

Ochna holstii Engl. X X X T 

Ochna mossambicensis K1. O CF End X ST 

Olax pentandra Sleumer O CF End X X X T 

X 

X X S 

X T 

X C 

ONAGOLACEAE 

Ludwigia stolonifera 

X 

ORCHIDACEAE 

Microcoelia exilis Lindl. CF End CITES II OLACACEAE 

Olax obtusifolia De Wild. 

Ximenia caffra Sond. 

Chrebera trichoclada Welw. 

Jasminium fluminense Vell. 

O 

F 

X 

Microcoelia megalorrhiza CITES II X 

PALMACEAE 

Borassus aethiopum Mart X X T 

Hyphaene compressa H. Wendl. X X X T 

PAPILIONACEAE 

Craibia zimmermannii (Harns) Dunn. X X 

Dalbergia obovata E. Meyer X 

Dalbergia nitidula X T 

EX Derris trifoliata X L 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

Dur03 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

X H 

Desmodium velutinum 

Millettia bussei Harms VU X 

Millettia impressa Harms X 

Pterocarpus angolensis LR/nt X X X T 

Pterocarpus tinctorius Welw. X X 

PASSIFLORACEAE 

Adenia dolichosiphon Harms O CF End X C 

Adenia schlibenii O CF End X C 

Basananthe lanceolata (Engl.) De Wilde X CH 

Schlechterina mitostemmatoides Harms O CF End X X L, S 

POACEAE 

Digitaria milanjiana (Rendle) Stapf X G 

Hemarthria natans Stapf X G 

Hyparrhenia filipendula (Hochst.) Stapf X G 

Leptochloa chinensis (l.) Nees X G 

Panicum comorense Mez X X X G 

Panicum laticomum Nees F CF End X X G 

EX Panicum maximum Jacq. O X X X X X G 

Panicum peteri O CF End X G 

Panicum trichocladum K. Schum. X X G 

Setaria homonyma (Steud) Chiov. X G 

Sporobolus pyramidalis P. Beauv. X G 

Vetiveria nigritana (Benth.) Stapf X G 

RHAMNACEAE 

Ziziphus mucronata X S 

Ziziphus pubescens Oliv X X T 

RHIZOPHORACEAE 

Bruguiera gymnorrhiza(L.) Lam X 

Cassipourea euryoides Alston CF End X 

Cassipourea malosana (Bak.) Alston X T 

Ceriops tagal (Perr) C.B. Rob. X 

Rhizophora mucronata Lam. X 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

Dur03 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

RUBIACEAE 

Burttdavya nyasica Hoyle F CF End X T 

Caturanegan spinosa (Thunb.) Tirven X X S/T 

Chazaliella abrupta (Hiern) Petit & Verdc. X X X S 

Crossopteryx febrifuga (G. Don.) Benth. X X X T 

Gardenia ternifolia Schum. & Thonn. X 

Gardenia ternifolia ssp. jovis tonantis X S 

Gardenia transvenulosa Verdc. O CF End X T, S 

EX Keetia zanzibarica (Klotzsch) Brids X X SC 

Lamprothamnus zanguebaricus Hiern O CF End X X S 

Leptactina oxyloba K. Schum. O CF End X S 

Leptactina platyphylla (Hiern) Wernhi F CF End X X S 

Oldenlandia lancifolia (Schumach.) DC. X H 

Oxyanthus pyriformis (Hochst.) Skeels X S 

Oxyanthus speciosus X S 

Oxyanthus zanguebaricus Hiern) Brids. F CF End X X S 

Pavetta holstii Tz End X S 

Pavetta refractifolia K. Schum. X S 

Pavetta sp. X 

Pentas bussei K. Krause X S 

Polysphaeria dischistocalyx Brenan X S 

Polysphaeria multiflora Hiern X X X S 

Psychotria goetzei X S 

Psychotria lauracea (K. Schum.) Petit. X 

Psychotria punctata Vatke X S 

Pyrostria bibracteata (Bak.) Cavaco X S 

Rothmannia macrosiphon (Engl.) Bridson F CF End VU X T, S 

Rothmannia manganjae (Hiern.) Keay X 

Rothmannia ravae (Chiov.) Brids. O CF End X X X S 

Rytigynia pergracilis Verdc. X X S 

Rytigynia binata (K. Schum.) Robyns O CF End VU X X ST 

Rytigynia decussata (K. Schum.) Robyns O CF End X S 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Rytigynia pergracilis Verdc. F CF End X S 

Rytigynia uhligii X X S 

Spermacoce sinensis (Klotzsch) Hiern X H 

Tapiphyllum burnettii Tennant X 

Tarenna drummondii Brids. O CF End VU X ST 

Tarenna supra axittaris (Hamsley) Bremek. X X 

Tricalysia ovalifolia Hiern X S 

Tricalysia pallens Hiern. X 

Tricalysia sp. nov. X 

Vangueria infausta Burch. X X ST 

Vangueria madagascariensis Gmel. X X 

Vangueria randii S. Moore X SS 

RUTACEAE 

Clausena anisata (Willd.) Benth. X 

Teclea simplicifolia X X T 

Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. X X X ST 

Zanthoxylum holtizianum (Engl.) Waterm. O CF End VU X X T,S 

Zanthoxylum lindense (Engl.) Kokwaro O CF End VU X T, S 

SALVADORACEAE 

Dobera loranthifolia (Warb.) Harms O CF End X X T 

SALVINIACEAE 

Salvinia auriculata O X 

SAPINDACEAE 

Allophylus abyssinicus (Hochst.) Radlk. X X S 

Allophylus africanus P. Beav. X 

Aporrhiza paniculata Radlk. X 

Blighia unijugata Baker X X T 

Deinbollia borbonica Scherffi X X X X X S 

Haplocoelopsis africana F.O. Davies DD X T 

Haplocoelum inoploeum Radlk. O CF End X X T 

Haplocoelum mombasense X 

Lepisanthes senegalensis (Poir.) Leenh. X X 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Majidea zanguebarica Oliv. . X T 

EX Paulinia pinnata L X X 

C 

SAPOTACEAE 

Chrysophyllum gorungosanum Engl. X T 

Engleraphyton malagalismontanum (Sond) 

X 

Pennigton 

Inhambanella henriquensii (Engl. & Warb.) F CF End X T 

Dubard 

Manilkara discolor (Sond.) J.H. Hem. X T 

Manilkara sansibarensis (Engl.) Dubard O CF End X X T 

Mimusopsis fruticosa A.DC. X T 

Mimusopsis riparia K/Tz 

X T 

End 

Pancovia holtzii Gilg X S 

Pouteria alnifolia (Bak.) Robert X X 

Sideroxylom inerme L. X X T 

SONNERATIACEAE 

Sonneratia alba Sm. X 

SPHENOCLEACEAE 

Sphenoclea zeylanica O X 

STERCULIACEAE 

Byttneria glabra K Schum X T 

Cola clavata Mast. O CF End X T 

Cola discoglypremnophylla Brenan & Jones F CF End X X S/T 

Cola microcarpa Brenan F CF End X X S/T 

Dombeya rotundifolia X T 

Dombeya cincinnata K. Schum. X S 

Heritiera littoralis Dryland. X 

Nesogordonia holtzii (Engl.) Capuron O CF End X T 

Sterculia africana (Lour.) Fiori X X T 

Sterculia appendiculata K. Schum. O CF End X X X X T 

Sterculia quinqueloba (Garcke) K. Schum. X 

X X T 

STRYCHNACEAE 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Strychnos sp. X 

THYMELACEAE 

Synaptolepis kirkii Oliv. F CF End X X X SC 

Carpodiptera africana Mast. O CF End X S/T 

TILIACEAE 

Gossypioides kirkii (Mast.) Hutch. X SS 

Grewia bicolor Juss. X X S/T 

Grewia conocarpa K. Schum. O CF End X T, S 

Grewia forbesii Mast. O CF End X X SS 

Grewia goetzeana K. Schum. O CF End DD X X T, S 

Grewia holstii Burret. O CF End X X SS 

Grewia lepidopetala Garcke O CF End X T, S 

Grewia microcarpa K. Schum. X S 

Grewia monticola Sond. X 

Grewia trichocarpa X X S 

Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. X X H 

X 

TYPHACEAE 

Typha capensis O X 

UMBELLIFERAE 

Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schumach. & Thonn) 

Taub. 

VERBENACEAE 

Clerodendrum cephalanthum Oliv. X SS 

Clerodendrum myricoides (Hochst.) Vatke X X SS 

Lippia javanica (Burm.f.)Spreng. X S 

Premna sp. X 

Vitex buchananii Gurke X X X S 

Vitex doniana Sweet X X X T 

Vitex mombassae X S 

Vitex payos X S 

VIOLACEAE 

Rinorea angustifolia (Thon.) Baill. X 

Rinorea elliptica (Oliv.) Kuntze F CF End X X X S 



Life 

Form 

IL 

Mwa 00 

WE 

Mwa 00 

KH 

Mwa 00 

MC 

Mwa 00 

NK 

Mwa 00 

Mal 02 KW 

Mwa 00 

NG 

Son02 

MV 

Sem 91 

RU 

Son02/ 

CM 

Son02 

MO 

Son02 

RL 

Pij 02 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 


Status 

Dur03 

Rinorea sp. A. FTEA X 

Rinorea welwitschii (Oliv.) Kuntze. X 

ZINGIBERACEAE 

Afromomum orientale CF X 


2.2 Marine Plants and Algae 


The following list of species of 4 sea grass species and 15 species of macro-algae, is taken from 

Caras, (2002), REMP Technical Report Number 27. This report is based on findings of a survey of 

Simaya Island, just off-shore from Rufiji Delta. 

Table 3: Marine Plants and Algae Species in Rufiji District 

Group Division Scientific name Common Name 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Caulerpa sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Dictyospheria versluysii 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Halimeda macroloba 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Halemida sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Ulva sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Chlorophyta: Green Algae Valonia ventricosa Sailor's eyeball 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Cystoseira myrica 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Cystoseria fragilis 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Dyctyota sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Padina sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Sargassum binderi Sargassum common 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Sargassum ilicifolium Sargassum big leeaves 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Turbinaria conoides 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Phaeophyta: Brown Algae Turbinaria sp. 

Macro-algae : Seaweed Rhodophyta: Red Algae Actinotrichia fragilis 

Sea grass Cymodocea serrulata 

Sea grass Cymodocea sp. 

Sea grass Halodule sp. 

Seagrass Thalasia hemprichii 

24


3 Amphibians 

The summary of Amphibian species recorded in Rufiji District was compiled from various sources, 

detailed below: 

�� Howell et al, 2000. A Preliminary Biodiversity (Fauna) Assessment of the Rufiji Floodplain 

and Delta. REMP Technical Report No. 9 (Howell, 2000) 


Conservation Programme, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, England. (Bur00) 

�� Sheil et al, 1990 Preliminary Results of Biological Surveys in Zaraninge and Kierengoma 

Coastal Forests, Tanzania. (She90) 

Habitat descriptions and Endemism are taken from Burgess et al, 2000 and Howell et al, 2000. 

Conservation Status is taken from Howell et al, 2000. 

A total of 27 amphibian species from nine families and two orders have been recorded in Rufiji 

District. Of these six are forest dependent, two of the forest dependent species are also endemic to 

coastal forests. 

Amphibian species endemic to coastal forests recorded in Rufiji District. 

�� Mertensophryne micranotis 

�� Stephopaedes loveridgei Loveridge's Earless Toad 

Mertensophryne micranotis is listed as ‘vulnerable’ IUCN. 

This species list is not complete, due to poor amphibian sampling conditions (Howell, 2000) and a 

concentration on forest sites. It is likely that given further sampling the species list would be 

increased. 

Doggart,/TFCG 2002 

Mertensophryne micranotis 

Forest Dependent / Coastal Forest Endemic 

25


Table 1: Amphibian Species in Rufiji District 

Kiwengoma Mchungu Namakutwa Dist / Notes Reference 

Weme Kichi 

Hills 

Cons. 

Status 

End. 

Status 

Classification Species Common name Ecol. 

Status 

ANURA 

How00, Bur00 

ARTHROLEPTIDAE 

Arthroleptis stenodactylus Common Squeaker O X X X X X Widespread 

Dwarf Squeaker F X X 

How00, Bur00 

Schoutedenella 

xenodactyloides 

BUFONIDAE 

How00, She90 

Bufo gutturalis Guttural Toad O X X X Widespread 

Bufo lindneri O X How00 

Mertensophryne micranotis F CF End VU X X How00, She90 

Stephopaedes loveridgei Loveridge's Earless Toad F CF End X X How00 

HEMISIDAE 

Hemisus marmoratus Mottled Shovel-snouted Frog O X X X Widespread How00, She90, 

Bur00 

HYPEROLIIDAE 

Afrixalus brachycnemis Golden Leaf-folding Frog O X X Widespread 

How00, She90 

How00 

Afrixalus fornasinii Fornasini's Leaf-folding Frog O X Widespread 

Hyperolius mitchelli Mitchell's Reed Frog F X How00, She90 

Hyperolius nasutus Gunther's Sharp-nosed Reed O X Widespread 

Frog 

How00 

Hyperolius parkeri Parker's Reed Frog O X Widespread, 

coastal How00 

How00, She90 

Hyperolius tuberilinguis Tinker Reed Frog O X Widespread 

How00 

Kassina senegalensis Bubbling Kassina O X Widespread 

Leptopelis argenteus O X Widespread, E. 

Tanzania How00, She90 

How00, She90, 

Bur00 

Leptopelis flavomaculatus Yellow-spotted Tree Frog F X X Widespread, 

forest 

Table 2: Amphibian Species in Rufiji District 26

How00, She90 


Classification Species Common name Ecol. End. Cons. Weme Kichi Kiwengoma Mchungu Namakutwa Dist / Notes Reference 

Status Status Status Hills 

MICROHYLIDAE 

Breviceps mossambicus Mozambique Rain Frog O X X X Widespread 

X 

PIPIDAE 

How00, She90 

Xenopus muelleri Muller's Clawed Frog O X Widespread 

RANIDAE 

How00 

How00, Bur00 

How00, Bur00 

How00, Bur00 

How00 

Hildebrandtia ornata Hildebrandt's Burrowing 

X 

Widespread 

Frog 

Phrynobatrachus acridoides East African Puddle Frog O X X Widespread 

X X 

Phrynobatrachus Common Puddle Frog 

X 

Widespread 

mababiensis 

O 

X 

Ptychadena anchietae Savanna Ridged Frog O X Widespread 

X 

Ptychadena mascareniensis Mascarene Ridged Frog O X Widespread 

How00 

Rana angolensis Dusky-throated Rana O X Widespread 

Widespread 

How00, She90 

RHACOPHORIDAE 

Chiromantis xerampelina Grey Foam-nest Tree Frog O X X X 

Probably 

occurs since 

known from 

mud at edge of 

Ngatana, Wami 

and Rufiji 

rivers. How00 

APODA 

CAECILIIDAE 

Schistometopum gregorii Mud-dwelling Caecilian ? 

Table 2: Amphibian Species in Rufiji District 27


4 Reptiles 

The summary of Reptile species recorded in Rufiji District was compiled from various sources, 





Conservation Programme, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, England. (Bur 00) 

�� Per. comm. REMP. Personal Observations by REMP Staff. 

Habitat descriptions and Endemism are taken from Spawls, et al, 2002. Conservation Status is 

taken from Hilton-Taylor, 2000 and Howell et al, 2000. 

In total, 87 species (from 25 families/subfamilies from 5 orders) are recorded. Of these, eight 

species are forest dependent, and thus are vulnerable to forest loss. Of these forest dependent 

species five species are also endemic to Coastal Forests or Tanzania. A further 60 species may use 

forest edges and other habitats including woodland and wooded grassland. 

Twelve reptile species recorded show some level of endemism, five of which are endemic to 

Coastal Forests. Endemic reptile species are listed below: 

Table 2: Endemic Reptile Species 

Family/Subfamily Species Common Name End. Status 

COLUBRINAE Philothamnus macrops Usambara Green Snake CF end 

GEKKONIDAE Cnemaspis uzungwae Udzungwa Forest Gecko CF End 

LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE Leptotyphlops macrops Large-eyed Worm Snake CF end 

SCINCIDAE: SCINCINAE Sepsina tetradactyla Four-toed Fossorial Skink CF end 

TYPHLOPIDAE Typhlops rondoensis Rondo Plateau Blind Snake CF end 

BOIGINI Crotaphopeltis tornieri Tornier's Cat Snake N End 

AMPHISBAENIDAE Loveridgea ionidesi Liwale Round-snouted Worm Lizard Tz End 

ATRACTASPIDIDAE Ambylodipsas katangensis Ionides' Purple-Glossed Snake TZ End 

ATRACTASPIDIDAE Aparallactus werneri Usambara Centipede-eater Tz End 

GEKKONIDAE Lygodactylus viscatus Copal Dwarf Gecko TZ End 

GEKKONIDAE L. broadleyi Broadley's Dwarf Gecko TZ End 

GEKKONIDAE L. luteopicturatus Yellow-headed Dwarf Gecko Tz/K End 

CF End – Coastal Forest Endemic, TZ End – Tanzania Endemic, N End – Near Endemic, Tz/K End – Tanzania / Kenya Endemic 

One species, Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), is listed as Endangered on the IUCN red data lists 

(Hilton-Taylor, 2000). 

Four reptile species, Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis) 

Giant One-horned Chameleon (Chamaeleo melleri) and the Southern African Rock Python (Python 

natalensis) are protected under CITES, restricting trade in those species. 

28


Table 3:Reptile Species recorded in Rufiji District 

Cons Status Dist WE KH SGR MK KG TO NK Other sites Reference 

End. 

Status 

Species Common Name Ecol. 

Status 

Order Family 

/Subfamily 

TESTUDINES 

Ruhoi F Per. comm. 

REMP 

Lugongwe Per. comm. 

REMP 

Lugongwe Per. comm. 

REMP 

TESTUDINIDAE 

Geochelone pardalis Leopard Tortoise N 

Widespread 

Cycloderma frenatum Zambezi Soft-shelled Turtle N 

Widespread 

Pelusios sinuatus Serrated Hinged Terrapin N 

Widespread 

CHELONIIDAE 

Per. comm. 

REMP 

Green Turtle Tr W EN CITES I Rufiji 

Coastline 

Chelonia mydas 

SAURIA (LIZARDS) 

GEKKONIDAE 

Cnemaspis uzungwae Udzungwa Forest Gecko F CF End X X X Howell 2000 

Hemidactylus mabouia Tropical House Gecko O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

H. platycephalus Tree Gecko O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Lygodactylus broadleyi Broadley's Dwarf Gecko O TZ End X Howell 2000 

L. capensis grotei Grote's Cape Dwarf Gecko O X X Howell 2000 

L. viscatus Copal Dwarf Gecko F TZ End X X X Howell 2000 

L. luteopicturatus Yellow-headed Dwarf Gecko N Tz/K 

X X Howell 2000 

End 

Pachydactylus turneri Turner's Thick-toed Gecko O Widespread X Howell 2000 

SCINCIDAE: LYGOSOMATINAE 

Sepsina tetradactyla Four-toed Fossorial Skink O CF end X X X X Howell 2000 

Melanoseps loveridgei Loveridge's Limbless Skink F X Howell 2000 

Mabuya boulengeri Boulenger's Skink O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

Mabuya maculilabris Speckle-lipped Skink O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Table 4: Reptile Species In Rufiji District 29



End. 

Status 


Status 


/Subfamily 

Mabuya megalura Grass-top Skink/Long-tailed N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Skink 

Mabuya planifrons Tree Skink O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Mabuya quinquetaeniata Five-lined Skink N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Mabuya striata Striped Skink O East Africa X X X Howell 2000 

Mabuya varia Variable Skink O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Lygosoma afrum Peter's Writhing Skink O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Panaspis wahlbergi Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skink O Widespread X X X X Howell 2000 

LACERTIDAE 

Gastropholis vittata Striped Keel-bellied Lizard O East Africa X Howell 2000 

Holaspis guentheri Blue-bellied Gliding Lizard O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Nucras boulengeri Boulenger's Scrub Lizard O X Howell 2000 

O Widespread X Howell 2000 

N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Ichnotropis squamulosa Mozambique Rough-scaled 

Lizard 

Latastia johnstoni Johnston's / Malawi Long-tailed 

Lizard 

CORDYLIDAE 

Cordylus tropidosternum Tropical Girdled Lizard O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

GERRHOSAURIDAE 

Gerrhosaurus flavigularis Yellow-throated Plated Lizard O Widespread Howell 2000 

Gerrhosaurus major Great Plated Lizard O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Black-lined Plated Lizard O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Gerrhosaurus 

nigrolineatus 




End. 

Status 


Status 


/Subfamily 

AGAMIDAE 

Acanthocerus atricollis Blue-headed Tree Agama O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Agama mossambica Mozambique Agama O Widespread X X X X Howell 2000 

CHAMAELEONIDAE 

Chamaeleo dilepis Flap-necked Chameleon O CITES II Widespread X X X X Howell 2000 

Chamaeleo melleri Giant One-horned Chameleon O CITES II Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Rhampholeon brachyurus Beardless Pygmy-Chameleon F X X Howell 2000 

F X X Howell 2000 

Bearded Pygmy-Chameleon / 

Short-tailed Pygmy-Chameleon 

Rhampholeon 

brevicaudatus 

VARANIDAE 

Varanus albigularis White-throated Savanna 

O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Monitor-Lizard 

Varanus niloticus Nile Monitor Lizard O Widespread X Howell 2000 

AMPHISBAENIA (WORM LIZARDS) 

O Tz End X X Howell 2000 

AMPHISBAENIDAE 

Loveridgea ionidesi Liwale Round-snouted Worm 

Lizard 

CROCODYLIA 

CROCODYLIDAE 

Crocodylus niloticus Nile Crocodile N Widespread Per. comm. 

REMP 




End. 

Status 


Status 


/Subfamily 

SERPENTES (SNAKES) 

TYPHLOPIDAE 

Typhlops rondoensis Rondo Plateau Blind Snake O CF end X Howell 2000 

Rhinotyphlops schlegelii - X Howell 2000 

LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE 

Leptotyphlops scutifrons Peter's Worm Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Leptotyphlops macrops Large-eyed Worm Snake O CF end X Howell 2000 

Leptotyphlops longicaudus Long-tailed Worm Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

BOIDAE 

Python natalensis Southern African Rock Python O CITES II Widespread X Howell 2000 

LAMPROPHIINAE 

Lamprophis fuliginosus Brown House Snake O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

Lycophidion capense Cape Wolf Snake N Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Mehelya capensis Cape File Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Mehelya nyassae Dwarf File Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

COLUBRIDAE 

Meizodon semiornatus Semi-ornate Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Prosymna stuhlmanni East African Shovel-Snout N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Snake 

Philothamnus hoplogaster South-Eastern Green Snake O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

Philothamnus macrops Usambara Green Snake F CF end X Howell 2000 

Philothamnus punctatus Speckled Green Snake O Widespread Howell 2000 




End. 

Status 


Status 


/Subfamily 

/Tribe 

SERPENTES (SNAKES) cont. 

COLUBRIDAE cont. 

Telescopus semiannulatus Tiger Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Crotaphopeltis hotomboeia White-lipped Snake O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

Crotaphopeltis tornieri Tornier's Cat Snake F N End X Howell 2000 

Dipsadoboa flavida Cross-barred Tree Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

broadleyi 

DISPHOLIDINI 

Dispholidus typus Boomslang O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Thelotornis capensis Savanna Vine/Twig Snake O Widespread X X X X Howell 2000 

PSAMMOPHIINAE 

Hemirhagerrhis nototaenia Bark Snake N Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Psammophis angolensis Dwarf Sand Snake N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Psammophis phillipsii syn. Olive Sand Snake X X Howell 2000 

P., mossambicus 

Psammophis subtaeniatus Northern Stripe-bellied Sand 

X X X Howell 2000 

syn. P. sudanensis Snake 

Psammophylax tritaeniatus Southern Striped Skaapsteker N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Rhamphiophis rostratus Rufous Beaked Snake O Widespread X Howell 2000 

NATRICINAE 

Natriciteres olivacea Olive Marsh Snake O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

DASYPELTINI 

Dasypeltis medici Rufous Egg-eater /East African O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Egg-eater 

Dasypeltis scabra Common /Rhombic Egg-eater O Widespread X Howell 2000 




End. 

Status 


Status 


/Subfamily 

ATRACTASPIDIDAE 

Aparallactus capensis Cape Centipede-eater O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Aparallactus guentheri Black Centipede-eater O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Aparallactus werneri Usambara Centipede-eater F Tz End X X Howell 2000 

Chilorhinophis butleri Butler's Black and Yellow N Widespread X Howell 2000 

Burrowing Snake 

Ambylodipsas katangensis Ionides' Purple-Glossed Snake O TZ End X Howell 2000 

Atractaspis bibronii Bibron's Burrowing Asp O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

ELAPIDAE 

Elapsoidea semiannulata ? X Howell 2000 

Naja melanoleuca Forest Cobra O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Naja mossambica Mozambique Spitting Cobra O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Naja nigricollis Black-necked Spitting Cobra O Widespread X Howell 2000 

Dendroaspis angusticeps Green Mamba O Widespread X Howell 

2000,Per. 

comm. REMP 

Dendroaspis polylepis Black Mamba O Widespread X Howell 2000 

VIPERIDAE 

Causus defilippii Snouted Night Adder O Widespread X X X Howell 2000 

Bitis arietans Puff Adder O Widespread X X Howell 2000 

Bitis gabonica Gaboon Viper O Widespread X X Howell 2000 


F – Forest Dependent, O - Other habitats (may use forest edge, woodlands and wooded grasslands), N - Non-forest 

CR – Critical y Endangered, EN - Endangered, VU – Vulnerable, LR/cd – Lower Risk Conservation Dependent, LR/nt – Lower Risk Near Threatened, DD – Data Deficient 



5 Birds 

A summary of bird species recorded in Rufiji District was compiled from several data sources, 


Data source Notation 

Hamerlynck 2003 Update of list by Hamerlynck Ham03 

Baker 2003 – Update from Tanzanian Bird Atlas 2003 Bak 03 

Burgess et al 2000 Bur00 

Baker 1998 Bak98 

Hillman 1998 Hil98 

Waters et al 1994 Wat94 

Burgess et al 1991 Bur91 

Haldane 1946 Hal46 

Boswell et al. 2002 (Ngumburuni Forest) Bos02 

Mbilinyi et al. 2002 (Kichi Hills Forest) Mbi02 

Table 6: overleaf lists the bird species recorded in Rufiji District. 

In Haldane (1946) a distinction has to be made between his A list, i.e. birds observed by himself 

between August 1943 and September 1944 and his B list which derives from ‘the District book’ 

with notes of Mrs. Barker and Hall. This B list contains many of the rather unlikely observations 

such as Egyptian Vulture, Buff-spotted flufftail, Baillon’s Crake, Purple Swamphen, African 

finfoot, Wattled Lapwing, Marsh Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Mottled Swift, White-necked Raven, 

etc. It is hard to evaluate the ornithological knowledge of these two observers, nor do we know 

which field guides and optical equipment they may have been using. Though some of their 

observations could be accurate they may concern birds observed outside of the Rufiji District 

boundaries. Therefore, only those species with confirmed subsequent observations have been 

retained. In contrast, Haldane’s A list contains only few mysterious observations, such as Bluespotted 

Wood Dove, Kitlitz’s Plover and Plain-backed Pipit, that have not been recorded 

subsequently and were therefore removed. 

The main source is the Tanzania Bird Atlas database, which includes the observations of a 

multitude of observers but is also functions as a clearing house, e.g. all observations in Rufiji of 

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus, a rare palaearctic migrant to Kenya are changed by Neil and 

Liz Baker into Black-chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis as the immature of both species are 

indistinguishable except to the most experienced of observers. Another advantage of the Bird Atlas 

is that individual observers, whose experience is known, can be identified and therefore the 

reliability of the observations assessed. For example, most of the observations in square 3808B 

were done by Neil Stronach, who resided in Kingupira and is a meticulous ornithologist. Other, 

unique and apparently out of range observations such as Ovambo sparrowhawk and Speckled 

Pigeon, were done by Liz Baker who knows her birds. 

There still remain doubts on species such as the Grey Kestrel observed in Mtanza Msona. Though 

easy to confuse with the more commonly observed Dickinson’s Kestrel this particular bird was 

observed for a long time in excellent light and from all angles (including the diagnostic tail), as it 

was circling around the Msona school. It is therefore allowed on the list and ornithologists visiting 

the District are requested to pay particular attention to greyish kestrel like birds. Another 

controversial issue are the Burchell’s and White-browed Coucal. Before the existence of the 

Stevenson and Fanshawe (2002) field guide many people were using Zimmerman et al. (1996) 

which does not include Burchell’s. To further complicate matters the juveniles of both species are 

indistinguishable and therefore many of the ‘white-browed’ birds seen in the field may actually be 

Burchell’s. Provisionally both species were kept in the list. 

35


REMP contributed both through observations by its staff and a systematic bird count in the Delta 

(Nasirwa et al. 2000) and two mist netting surveys in the Kichi Hills Forest (Mbilinyi et al 2002) 

and the Ngumburuni Forest (Boswell et al. 2003). 

A total of 431 species from 79 families have been recorded in Rufiji District. Of these, nine species 

are listed on the IUCN Red Data lists, five as ‘Vulnerable’ (VU) and four as Lower risk/ near 

threatened (LR/nt). 

Vulnerable species include: 

Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola idea 

Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus 

Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca 

Corncrake Crex crex 

East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi 

Lower Risk / near threatened species include: 

Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor 

Southern Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus fasciolatus 

Great Snipe Gallinago media 

African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris 

25 of the species are forest dependent, a further 231 species may be found in forest edges but also 

use other habitats such as woodland and wooded grasslands. 172 species are Non-forest species, 

many of these are wetland species utilising lakes, rivers, mudflats, sandbars and coastline. 

Special mention should be made of the record of the puguensis race of the Pale-breasted Illadopsis 

Illadopsis rufipennis in Ngumburuni forest. This race is likely to become a full species when 

genetic analysis of this complex group with a patchy distribution and long isolation gets underway, 

In that case the species would most likely immediately be upgraded to threatened status. Previously 

it had only been recorded in the Pugu and Kazimzumbwi Forests. The latter has already almost 

entirely been converted to charcoal in spite of efforts by a variety of individuals and organisations. 

36


Table 6: Bird species recorded in Rufiji District 

Ham03 Bak03 Bur 00 Nas00 Ham00 Bak98 Hil98 Wat94 Bur91 Hal46 Bos 02 Mbi02 Freq 

Conservation 

Status 8 

Family / Scientific name Common name Ecological 

Status 6 

PODICIPEDIDAE – GREBES 

Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe N X X 2 

PHALACROCORACIDAE – CORMORANTS 

Phalacrocorax carbo Great Cormorant N X X 2 

Phalacrocorax africanus Long-tailed Cormorant N X X X X 4 

ANHINGIDAE - DARTERS 

Anhinga rufa African Darter N X X X X 4 

PELECANIDAE – PELICANS 

Pelecanus onocrotalus Great White Pelican N X X 2 

Pelecanus rufescens Pink-backed Pelican N X X X 3 

ARDEIDAE - BITTERNS, EGRETS and HERONS 

Ixobrychus minutus Little Bittern N X 1 

Ixobrychus sturmii Dwarf Bittern N 

Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night Heron N X X X X X 5 

Gorsachius leuconotus White-backed Night Heron 0 

Ardeola ralloides Common Squacco Heron N X X X X X X 6 

Ardeola idae Madagascar Squacco Heron N VU X 1 

Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret N X X 2 

Butorides striatus Green-backed Heron N X X X X 4 

Egretta ardesiaca Black Heron N X X 2 

Egretta (g.) dimorpha Dimorphic Egret N X 1 

Egretta garzetta Little Egret N X X X X X 5 

Egretta alba Great Egret N X X X X X 5 

Egretta intermedia Yellow-billed Egret N X X X X 4 

Ardea purpurea Purple Heron N X X X 3 

Ardea cinerea Grey Heron N X X X X X 5 

Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron N X X 2 

37



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Ardea goliath Goliath Heron N X X X 3 

SCOPIDAE – HAMERKOP 

Scopus umbretta Hamerkop N X X X X X X X 7 

CICONIIDAE - STORKS 

Mycteria ibis Yellow-billed Stork N X X X X X 5 

Anastomus lamelligerus African Open-billed Stork N X X X X X 5 

Ciconia abdimii Abdim's Stork N X 1 

Ciconia episcopus Woolly-necked Stork N X X X X 4 

Ciconia ciconia White Stork N X 1 

Ephippiorhynchus Saddle-billed Stork N 

senegalensis 

X 1 

Leptoptilos crumeniferus Marabou Stork N X X X 3 

THRESKIORNITHIDAE - IBIS and SPOONBILLS 

Threskiornis aethiopicus Sacred Ibis N X X X 3 

Bostrychia hagedash Hadada Ibis O X X X X X X 6 

Platalea alba African Spoonbill N X X X 3 

PHOENICOPTERIDAE - FLAMINGOS 0 

Phoenicopterus ruber roseus Greater Flamingo N X 1 

Phoeniconaias minor Lesser Flamingo N LR/nt X 1 

ANATIDAE - DUCKS and GEESE 

Dendrocygna bicolor Fulvous Whistling Duck O X 1 

Dendrocygna viduata White-faced Whistling Duck N X X X X X 5 

ANATIDAE - DUCKS and GEESE cont. 

Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose N X X X 3 

Plectopterus gambensis Spur-winged Goose N X X 2 

Sarkidiornis melanotos Knob-billed Duck N X 1 

Nettapus auritus African Pygmy Goose N X 1 

Anas erythrorhyncha Red-billed Teal N X 1 

ACCIPITRIDAE - VULTURES, EAGLES, KITES, HAWKS etc 

38



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Aviceda cuculoides African Cuckoo Hawk O X X 2 

Pernis apivorus Eurasian Honey Buzzard O X 1 

Macheiramphus alcinus Bat Hawk O X 1 

ACCIPITRIDAE - VULTURES, EAGLES, KITES, HAWKS cont. 

Elanus caeruleus Black-shouldered Kite O X X X X 4 

Milvus migrans Black Kite O X X X X X 5 

Haliaeetus vocifer African Fish Eagle N X X X X X X 6 

Gypohierax angolensis Palm-nut Vulture O X X X X X 5 

Necrosyrtes monachus Hooded Vulture O X X X 3 

Gyps africanus African White-backed Vulture N X X X X 4 

Gyps rueppellii Rüppell's Griffon Vulture N X 1 

Torgos tracheliotus Lappet-faced Vulture N VU X 1 

Trigonoceps occipitalis White-headed Vulture N X X X 3 

Circaetus pectoralis Black-chested Snake Eagle N X X X 3 

Circaetus cinereus Brown Snake Eagle N X X X X X 5 

Circaetus fasciolatus Southern Banded Snake Eagle O LR/nt X X X X 4 

Terathopius ecaudatus Bateleur N X X X X X X 6 

Polyboroides typus African Harrier-Hawk/ Gymnogene O X X X X X 5 

Circus aeruginosus Eurasian Marsh Harrier N X X X X 4 

Circus ranivorus African Marsh Harrier O X 1 

Circus macrourus Pallid Harrier N X 1 

Circus pygargus Montagu's Harrier N X 1 

Melierax metabates Dark Chanting Goshawk O X X X X 4 

Melierax poliopterus Eastern / Pale Chanting Goshawk N X 1 

Micronisus gabar Gabar Goshawk N X 1 

Accipiter melanoleucus Great Sparrowhawk O X X 2 

Accipiter ovampensis Ovambo Sparrowhawk O X 1 

Accipiter minullus Little Sparrowhawk O X X X 3 

Accipiter tachiro African Goshawk O X X X X X X 6 

39



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Accipiter badius Shikra O X 1 

Kaupifalco monogrammicus Lizard Buzzard O X X X 3 

Buteo buteo Common Buzzard O X 1 

Aquila wahlbergi Wahlberg's Eagle N X X X X 4 

ACCIPITRIDAE - VULTURES, EAGLES, KITES, HAWKS cont. 

Aquila pomarina Lesser Spotted Eagle O X 1 

Aquila rapax Tawny Eagle N X 1 

Aquila nipalensis Steppe Eagle N X 1 

Aquila heliaca Imperial Eagle ? VU X 1 

Hieraaetus spilogaster African Hawk Eagle O X 1 

Hieraaetus pennatus Booted Eagle O X 1 

Hieraaetus ayresii Ayres' Hawk Eagle O X 1 

Lophaetus occipitalis Long-crested Eagle O X X 2 

Stephanoaetus coronatus African Crowned Eagle F X X X X X 5 

Polemaetus bellicosus Martial Eagle N X 1 

Pandion haliaetus Osprey N X X 2 

FALCONIDAE – FALCONS 

Falco ardosiaceus Grey Kestrel O x 1 

Falco dickinsoni Dickinson's Kestrel N X X 2 

Falco amurensis Amur Falcon N X 1 

Falco chicquera Red-necked Falcon N X X 2 

Falco subbuteo Eurasian Hobby N X 1 

Falco cuvierii African Hobby O X 1 

Falco eleonorae Eleonora's Falcon N X 1 

Falco concolor Sooty Falcon N X 1 

Falco biarmicus Lanner Falcon N X 1 

Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon N X 1 

PHASIANIDAE - FRANCOLINS and QUAILS 

Francolinus coqui Coqui Francolin O X 1 

40



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Francolinus sephaena Crested Francolin O X X X X 4 

Francolinus afer Red-necked Spurfowl O X X X 3 

Coturnix delegorguei Harlequin Quail N X 1 

Coturnix adansonii Blue Quail N X 1 

NUMIDIDAE - GUINEAFOWLS 

Guttera pucherani Crested Guineafowl O X X X X X 5 

Numida meleagris Helmeted Guineafowl N X X X X 4 

TURNICIDAE - BUTTONQUAILS 

Turnix sylvatica Button Quail N X 1 

RALLIDAE - RAILS and CRAKES 

Crex crex Corncrake N VU X X 2 

Crex egregia African Crake N X 1 

Amaurornis flavirostra Black Crake N X X X 3 

Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Swamphen N X X 2 

Gallinula chloropus Lesser Moorhen N X 1 

OTIDIDAE - BUSTARDS 

Eupodotis melanogaster Black-bellied Bustard O X X 2 

JACANIDAE - JACANAS 

Actophilornis africanus African Jacana N X X X X X 5 

Microparra capensis Lesser Jacana N X X 2 

ROSTRATULIDAE - PAINTED SNIPES 

Rostratula benghalensis Greater Painted Snipe N X 1 

HAEMATOPODIDAE - OYSTERCATCHERS 

Haematopus ostralegus Eurasian Oystercatcher N X X 2 

RECURVIROSTRIDAE - STILTS and AVOCETS 

Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt N X X 2 

DROMADIDAE - CRAB PLOVER 

41



Status 6 

Conservation Ham03 Bak03 Bur 00 Nas00 Ham00 Bak98 Hil98 Wat94 Bur91 Hal46 Bos 02 Mbi02 Freq 

8 

Status 

Dromas ardeola Crab-plover N X 1 

BURHINIDAE - STONE CURLEWS 

Burhinus vermiculatus Water Thick-knee N X X X X X 5 

Burhinus capensis Spotted Thick-knee O X X 2 

GLAREOLIDAE - COURSERS and PRATINCOLES 

Rhinoptilus chalcopter Violet-tipped Courser O X 1 

Cursorius temminckii Temminck's Courser O X 1 

GLAREOLIDAE - COURSERS and PRATINCOLES cont. 

Glareola pratincola Collared Pratincole N X X X X 4 

Glareola ocularis Madagascar Pratincole N X 1 

CHARADRIIDAE - PLOVERS 

Charadrius hiaticula Ringed Plover N X X X 3 

Charadrius tricollaris Three-banded Plover N X X 2 

Charadrius marginatus White-fronted Plover N X X X 3 

Charadrius mongolus Lesser Sandplover N X X X 3 

Charadrius leschenaultii Greater Sandplover N X X 2 

Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover N X X 2 

Vanellus albiceps White-crowned Plover N X X X 3 

Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Plover N X 1 

Vanellus lugubris Senegal Plover N X 1 

Vanellus coronatus Crowned Plover N X 1 

Vanellus crassirostris Long-toed Plover N X 1 

SCOLOPACIDAE - SNIPES, GODWITS, SANDPIPERS etc 

Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe N X 1 

Gallinago media Great Snipe N LR/nt X 1 

Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel N X 1 

Numenius arquata Curlew N X X X 3 

Tringa stagnatilis Marsh Sandpiper N X X X 3 

Tringa nebularia Greenshank N X X X 3 

42



Status 6 


8 

Status 

Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper N X X 2 

Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper N X 1 

Xenus cinereus Terek Sandpiper N X X 2 

Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper N X X X X 4 

Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone N X X X X X 5 

Calidris alba Sanderling N X X 2 

Calidris minuta Little Stint N X X X X 4 

Calidris ferruginea Curlew Sandpiper N X X 2 

SCOLOPACIDAE - SNIPES, GODWITS, SANDPIPERS cont. 

Philomachus pugnax Ruff N X 1 

LARIDAE - GULLS 

Larus fuscus Lesser Black-backed Gull N X X 2 

Larus heuglini Heuglin's Gull N X 1 

Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull N X 1 

Larus dominicanus Kelp Gull N X 1 

STERNIDAE - TERNS 

Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed Tern N X X 2 

Sterna caspia Caspian Tern N X X X 3 

Sterna bergii Greater Crested Tern N X X X 3 

Sterna bengalensis Lesser Crested Tern N X X 2 

Sterna hirundo Common Tern N X X 2 

Sterna albifrons Little Tern N X 1 

Sterna (a.) saundersi Saunder's Tern N X X X 3 

Chlidonias hybridus Whiskered Tern N X 1 

Chlidonias leucopterus White-winged Tern N X 1 

RYNCHOPIDAE - SKIMMERS 

Rynchops flavirostris African Skimmer N LR/nt X X X X 4 

COLUMBIDAE - PIGEONS and DOVES 

Columba guinea Speckled Pigeon O X 1 

43



Status 6 


8 

Status 

Streptopelia senegalensis Laughing Dove N X X 2 

Streptopelia capicola Ring-necked Dove O X X X X X X 6 

Streptopelia semitorquata Red-eyed Dove O X X X X X X X 7 

Turtur chalcospilos Emerald-spotted Wood Dove O X X X X X 5 

Turtur tympanistria Tambourine Dove O X X X X X X X 7 

Oena capensis Namaqua Dove N X X X 3 

Treron calva African Green Pigeon O X X X X X X X 7 

PSITTACIDAE - PARROTS 

Poicephalus robustus Brown-necked Parrot O X X 2 

Poicephalus cryptoxanthus Brown-headed Parrot O X X X X X 5 

Agapornis lilianae Lillian's Lovebird O X X 2 

MUSOPHAGIDAE - TURACOS and GO-AWAY BIRDS 

Tauraco livingstonii Livingstone's Turaco F X X X X X X 6 

Tauraco porphyreolophus Purple-crested Turaco O X X X X 4 

Corythaixoides concolor Grey Go-away-bird O X 1 

CUCULIDAE - CUCKOOS 

Clamator glandarius Great Spotted Cuckoo O X 1 

Jacobin Cuckoo / Black & white O 

Oxylophus jacobinus Cuckoo 

X X 2 

Oxylophus levaillantii Levaillant's Cuckoo O X X 2 

Cuculus solitarius Red-chested Cuckoo O X X X 3 

Cuculus clamosus Black Cuckoo O X X 2 

Cuculus canorus Eurasian Cuckoo O X 1 

Cuculus gularis African Cuckoo O X 1 

Cercococcyx montanus Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo F X X 2 

Chrysococcyx cupreus African Emerald Cuckoo O X X X X 4 

Chrysococcyx klaas Klaas's Cuckoo O X X X X 4 

44



Status 6 


8 

Status 

Chrysococcyx caprius Diederik Cuckoo O X X X 3 

CENTROPODIDAE - COUCALS 

Ceuthmochares aereus Yellowbill F X X X X 4 

Centropus grillii Black Coucal N X 1 

Centropus superciliosus White-browed Coucal O X X X X X 5 

Centropus burchellii Burchell's Coucal O X 1 

TYTONIDAE - BARN OWLS 

Tyto alba Barn Owl N X X 2 

STRIGIDAE – OWLS 

Otus senegalensis African Scops Owl O 0 

Bubo africanus Spotted Eagle-Owl O X 1 

STRIGIDAE – OWLS cont. 

Scotopelia peli Pel's Fishing Owl O X 1 

Strix woodfordii African Wood Owl O X X X X X 5 

Glaucidium perlatum Pearl-spotted Owlet O X 1 

Glaucidium capense African Barred Owlet O X 1 

CAPRIMULGIDAE - NIGHTJARS 

Caprimulgus europaeus Eurasian Nightjar N X 1 

Caprimulqus pectoralis Fiery-necked Nightjar O X X X 3 

Caprimulqus fossii Gabon Nightjar O X X X X 4 

APODIDAE - SWIFTS 

Telacanthura ussheri Mottle-throated Spinetail O X 1 

Neafrapus boehmi Böhm's Spinetail O X X X X 4 

Cypsiurus parvus African Palm Swift N X X X X X X 6 

Apus apus Eurasian Swift N X X X 3 

Apus affinis Little Swift N X X X X X 5 

Apus horus Horus Swift N X X 2 

Apus caffer White-rumped Swift N X 1 

COLIIDAE – MOUSEBIRDS 

45



Status 6 


8 

Status 

Colius striatus Speckled Mousebird O X 

X X X 4 

Urocolius macrourus Blue-naped Mousebird O X X 2 

TROGONIDAE - TROGONS 

Apaloderma narina Narina's Trogon O X X X X X 5 

ALCEDINIDAE – KINGFISHERS 

Corythornis cristata Malachite Kingfisher O X X X X X 5 

Ceyx picta African Pygmy Kingfisher O X X X X X X 6 

Halcyon albiventris Brown-hooded Kingfisher O X X X X X X 6 

Halcyon leucocephala Grey-headed / Chestnut Bellied N 

Kingfisher 

X 

X X 3 

Halcyon senegalensis Woodland Kingfisher O X X 2 

Halcyon senegaloides Mangrove Kingfisher O X X X 3 

Halcyon chelicuti Striped Kingfisher O X X X 3 

ALCEDINIDAE – KINGFISHERS cont. 

Megaceryle maxima Giant Kingfisher O X X X 3 

Ceryle rudis Pied Kingfisher N X X X X X X 6 

MEROPIDAE - BEE-EATERS 

Merops pusillus Little Bee-eater 

O X X X X X X X 7 

Merops hirundineus Swallow-tailed Bee-eater 

O X X 2 

Merops bullockoides White-fronted Bee-eater 

O X X X 3 

Merops albicollis White-throated Bee-eater 

N X X X 3 

Merops boehmi Böhm's Bee-eater 

F X X X 3 

Merops superciliosus Madagascar Bee-eater N X X X 3 

Merops persicus Blue-cheeked Bee-eater N X X X 3 

Merops apiaster Eurasian Bee-eater O X X 2 

Merops nubicus Carmine Bee-eater O X X X X 4 

CORACIIDAE - ROLLERS 

Coracias garrulus Eurasian Roller 

O X 1 

Coracias caudata Lilac-breasted Roller O X X X X X 5 

46



Status 6 


8 

Status 

Coracias spatulata Racket-tailed Roller O X 1 

Eurystomus glaucurus Broad-billed Roller O X X X X 4 

PHOENICULIDAE - WOOD HOOPES 

Phoeniculus purpureus Green Wood-hoopoe O 

X X X X X X 6 

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Common Scimitarbill O X X X X 4 

UPUPIDAE - HOOPOES 

Upupa epops Hoopoe O X 1 

BUCEROTIDAE - HORNBILLS 

Tockus erythrorhynchus Red-billed Hornbill N X 1 

Tockus deckeni Von der Decken's Hornbill O X 1 

Tockus alboterminatus Crowned Hornbill O 

X X X X X X X 7 

Tockus pallidirostris Pale-billed Hornbill O 

X 1 

Tockus nasutus African Grey Hornbill 

O X X X X X 5 

Bycanistes bucinator Trumpeter Hornbill 

O X X X X X X X X 8 

BUCEROTIDAE - HORNBILLS cont. 

Bucorvus cafer Southern Ground Hornbill 

O X X X 3 

LYBIIDAE - BARBETS and TINKERBIRDS 

Stactolaema leucotis White-eared Barbet 

O X X 2 

Pogoniulus simplex Eastern Green Tinkerbird 

F X X 2 

Pogoniulus bilineatus Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird O X X X X X X 6 

Tricholaema lacrymosa Spot-flanked Barbet O X 1 

Lybius torquatus Black-collared Barbet O X X 2 

Lybius melanopterus Brown-breasted Barbet O X X X X 4 

Trachyphonus vaillanti Crested Barbet O X 1 

Trachphorus erythrocephalus Red & Yellow Barbet N X 1 

INDICATORIDAE - HONEYGUIDES 

Indicator variegatus Scaly-throated Honeyguide O X X 2 

Indicator indicator Greater Honeyguide O X X X X 4 

Indicator minor Lesser Honeyguide O X X 2 

47



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Indicator meliphilus Pallid Honeyguide O X 1 

PICIDAE - WOODPECKERS 

Campethera nubica Nubian Woodpecker O X 1 

Campethera abingoni Golden-tailed Woodpecker O X X X X X X X 7 

Campethera cailliautii Little Spotted / Green-backed O 

Woodpecker 

X X X X X X X 7 

Denropicos fuscescens Cardinal Woodpecker O X X X 3 

Thripias namaquus Bearded Woodpecker O X X X 3 

EURYLAIMIDAE - BROADBILLS 

Smithornis capensis African Broadbill F X X X X X X 6 

PITTIDAE - PITTAS 

Pitta angolensis African Pitta F X X X X 4 

ALAUDIDAE - LARKS 

Mirafra rufocinnamomea Flappet Lark O X X X 3 

Pinarocorys nigricans Dusky Bush Lark O X 1 

Eremopterix leucopareia Fischer's Sparrow Lark N X 1 

HIRUNDINIDAE - SWALLOWS and MARTINS 

Psalidoprocne holomelas Black Roughwing O X X X 3 

Riparia riparia Sand Martin N X 1 

Riparia paludicola African Sand Martin O X X X 3 

Hirundo griseopyga Grey-rumped Swallow N X 1 

Hirundo senegalensis Mosque Swallow O X X X 3 

Hirundo abyssinica Lesser Striped Swallow O X X X X X 5 

Hirundo fuligula African Rock Martin O X 1 

Hirundo smithii Wire-tailed Swallow N X X X X 4 

Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow O X X X X 4 

Delichon urbica House Martin N X 1 

MOTACILLIDAE - WAGTAILS, PIPITS, LONGCLAWS 

Motacilla flava Yellow Wagtail O X 1 

48



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Motacilla aguimp African Pied Wagtail O X X X X 4 

Anthus cinnamomeus Grassland Pipit N X X X 3 

Macronyx croceus Yellow-throated Longclaw N X X 2 

CAMPEPHAGIDAE - CUCKOO SHRIKES 

Campephaga flava Black Cuckoo-shrike O X X X X 4 

Coracina pectoralis White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike O X 1 

PYCNONOTIDAE – GREENBULS 

Andropadus virens Little Greenbul O X X X 3 

Andropadus importunus Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul O X X X X X X X 7 

Chlorocichla flaviventris Yellow-bellied Greenbul O X X X X X X 6 

Phyllastrephus terrestris Terrestrial Brownbul F X X 2 

Phyllastrephus cerviniventris Grey-olive Greenbul F X 1 

Phyllastrephus fischeri Fischer's Greenbul F X X X X X X 6 

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Yellow-streaked Greenbul F X X X X X 5 

Phyllastrephus debilis Tiny Greenbul F X X X X X X 6 

Pycnonotus barbatus Common Bulbul O X X X X X X X 7 

TURDIDAE - THRUSHES, ROBINS, WHEATEARS, CHATS 

Neocossyphus rufus Red-tailed Ant Thrush F X X X X 4 

Monticola saxatilis Common Rock Thrush O X X 2 

Turdus libonyanus Kurrichane Thrush O X X X 3 

Sheppardia gunningi East Coast Akalat F VU X 1 

Luscinia luscinia Sprosser O X 1 

Cossypha heuglini White-browed Robin-Chat O X 1 

Cossypha natalensis Red-capped Robin-Chat O X X X X X X 6 

Cichladusa arquata Collared Palm Thrush O X X 2 

Cichladusa guttata Spotted Morning Thrush O X 1 

Cercotrichas quadrivirgata Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin O X X X X 4 

49



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Cercotrichas leucophrys White-browed Scrub Robin O X X X 3 

Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear O X 1 

Oenanthe pileata Capped Wheatear N X 1 

Myrmecocichla arnoti Arnot's Chat O X X X 3 

SYLVIIDAE - WARBLERS 

Bradypterus baboecala Little Rush Warbler N X 1 

Melocichla mentalis African Moustached Warbler N X 1 

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler N X 1 

Acrocephalus baeticatus African Reed Warbler O X X 2 

Acrocephalus arundinaceus Great Reed Warbler N X 1 

Hippolais pallida Olivaceous Warbler O X 1 

Eremomela scotops Green-capped Eremomela O X 1 

Eremomela icteropygialis Yellow-bellied Eremomela O X X 2 

Sylvietta whytii Red-faced Crombec O X X 2 

Macrosphenus kretschmeri Kretschmer's Longbill F X X X X 4 

Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler O X 1 

Sylvia nisoria Barred Warbler O X 1 

Sylvia communis Common Whitethroat O X 1 

Cisticola juncidis Zitting Cisticola N X 1 

SYLVIIDAE - WARBLERS cont. 

Cisticola aridulus Desert Cisticola N X 1 

Cisticola natalensis Croaking Cisticola N X 1 

Cisticola chiniana Rattling Cisticola O X X X 3 

Cisticola brachypterus Siffling Cisticola O X 1 

Cisticola angusticaudus Long-tailed Cisticola N X 1 

Cisticola erythrops Red-faced Cisticola N X X 2 

Cisticola cantans Singing Cisticola O X X 2 

Cisticola galactotes Winding Cisticola N X X 2 

Prinia subflava Tawny-flanked Prinia O X X X X X 5 

50



Status 6 

Conservation 

Status 8 


Heliolais erythroptera Red-winged Warbler O X 1 

Apalis flavida Yellow-breasted Apalis O X X X X X 5 

Camaroptera brevicauda Green-backed Camaroptera O X X 2 

Camaroptera stierlingi Barred Wren Warbler O X 

1 

MUSCICAPIDAE – FLYCATCHERS 

Bradornis microrhynchus Grey Flycatcher O X 1 

Bradornis pallidus Pale Flycatcher O X 1 

Melaenornis pammelaina Southern Black Flycatcher O X X 

2 

Muscicapa caerulescens Ashy Flycatcher F X 1 

Muscicapa striata Spotted Flycatcher O X X 2 

Myioparus plumbeus Lead-coloured Flycatcher O X 1 

PLATYSTEIRDAE - WATTLE-EYES and BATIS 

Bias musicus Vanga Flycatcher / Black & White F 

Shrike Flycatcher 

X X 2 

Batis mixta Forest Batis F X X 

2 

Batis minor Black-headed Batis O X X X 

X 4 

Batis soror Pale /East Coast Batis O X X 2 

Platysteira peltata Black-throated Wattle-eye O X X X X 4 

MONARCHIDAE - MONARCH FLYCATCHERS 

Erythrocercus livingstonei Livingstone's Flycatcher O X X 2 

Erythrocercus holochlorus Little Yellow Flycatcher F X 1 

MONARCHIDAE - MONARCH FLYCATCHERS cont. 

Terpsiphone viridis African Paradise Flycatcher O X X X X X 

5 

Trochocercus cyanomelas African Crested Flycatcher F X X X X X X X 7 

TIMALIIDAE - BABBLERS, ILLADOPSIS, CHATTERERS 

Illadopsis rufipennis Pale-breasted Illadopsis F X 1 

Turdoides jardineii Arrow-marked Babbler O X 1 

PARIDAE - TITS 

Parus leucomelas White-winged / Black Tit O X 1 

51



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Parus pallidiventris Cinnamon-breasted Tit O X 1 

REMIZIDAE - PENDULINE TITS 

Anthoscopus caroli African Penduline Tit O X 

1 

NECTARINIIDAE – SUNBIRDS 

Anthreptes neglectus Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird O X X X X 

4 

Anthreptes collaris Collared Sunbird O X X X X X X X X 8 

Nectarinia olivacea Olive Sunbird F X X X X X X X 7 

Nectarinia veroxii Mouse-coloured Sunbird O X X 2 

Nectarinia amethystina Amethyst Sunbird O X X 2 

Nectarinia senegalensis Scarlet-chested Sunbird O X X X X 4 

Nectarinia bifasciata Purple-banded Sunbird O X X X X X X 6 

ZOSTEROPIDAE - WHITE-EYES 

Zosterops senegalensis Yellow White-eye O X X 2 

ORIOLIDAE - ORIOLES 

Oriolus oriolus Eurasian Golden Oriole O X X X X 4 

Oriolus auratus African Golden Oriole O X 1 

Oriolus larvatus Black-headed Oriole O X X X 3 

LANIIDAE - SHRIKES 

Lanius collurio 

Red-backed Shrike O X X X 3 

Lanius isabellinus Isabelline Shrike O X 1 

Lanius minor 

Lesser Shrike O X 1 

Lanius cabanisi Long-tailed Fiscal O X 1 

LANIIDAE – SHRIKES cont. 

Lanius collaris Common Fiscal O 

X 1 

MALACONOTIDAE - PUFFBACKS, TCHAGRAS, BOUBOUS, BUSH SHRIKES 

Nilaus afer 

Brubru O X X X 3 

Dryoscopus cubla Black-backed Puffback O X X X X X X X X X 9 

Tchagra minuta 

Marsh Tchagra N X 1 

Tchagra australis Brown-crowned Tchagra O X X X 3 

52



Tchagra senegala Black-crowned Tchagra O X X X 3 

Laniarius aethiopicus Tropical Boubou O X X X X X X X X 8 

Malaconotus sulfureopectus Sulphur-breasted Bush-Shrike O X 1 

Malaconotus quadricolor Four-coloured Bush-Shrike O X X X X 4 

Malaconotus blanchoti Grey-headed Bush-Shrike O X X X 3 

Nicator gularis Eastern Nicator O X X X X X X X X 8 

PRIONOPIDAE -- HELMET SHRIKES 

Prionops retzii Retz's Helmet-Shrike O X X X X 4 

Prionops scopifrons Chestnut-fronted Helmet-Shrike O X X X X X X X 7 

DICRURIDAE - DRONGOS 

Dicrurus ludwigii Square-tailed Drongo O X X X X X 5 

Dicrurus adsimilis Common Drongo O X X X X X 5 

CORVIDAE - CROWS 

Corvus splendens House Crow N X 1 

Corvus albus Pied Crow O X X X X 4 

STURNIDAE - STARLINGS 

Lamprotornis chalybaeus Blue-eared Starling O X 1 

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Violet-backed Starling O X X X X X 5 

Lamprotornis corruscus Black-bellied Starling O X X X X X X X X 8 

Lamprotornis chloropterus Lesser Blue-eared Starling O X 1 

Creatophora cinerea Wattled Starling N X 1 

Buphagus africanus Yellow-billed Oxpecker O X 1 

Buphagus erythrorhynchus Red-billed Oxpecker O X X 2 

PASSERIDAE -- SPARROWS and PETRONIAS 

Passer griseus Grey-headed Sparrow N X X X X X 5 

Passer domesticus House Sparrow N X 1 

White-browed Petronia/Yellow- O 

Petronia superciliaris throated Sparrow 

X X X 3 

PLOCEIDAE - WEAVERS, QUELEAS, BISHOPS 

Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

53



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Plocepasser mahali White-browed Sparrow-Weaver O X 1 

Ploceus ocularis Spectacled Weaver O X X X 3 

Ploceus cucullatus Black-headed / Village Weaver O X X X 3 

Ploceus jacksoni Golden-backed Weaver O X 1 

Ploceus bicolor Dark-backed Weaver F X X X X X X 6 

Ploceus subaureus African Golden Weaver O X X X 3 

Anaplectes rubriceps Red-headed Weaver O X 1 

Quelea cardinalis Cardinal Quelea N X 1 

Quelea erythrops Red-headed Quelea N X 1 

Quelea quelea Red-billed Quelea O X 1 

Euplectes hordeaceus Black-winged Red Bishop N X 1 

Euplectes nigroventris Zanzibar Red Bishop N X X X X X 5 

Euplectes capensis Yellow Bishop N X 1 

Euplectes axillaris Fan-tailed Widowbird N X X X X 4 

Euplectes albonotatus White-winged Widowbird N X 1 

Euplectes ardens suahelica Red-naped Widowbird N X 1 

Amblyospiza albifrons Grosbeak Weaver O X X 2 

ESTRILDIDAE - WAXBILLS, CORDON-BLEUS, MANNIKINS etc 

Pytilia melba Green-winged Pytilia O X X X X 4 

Pytilia afra Orange-winged Pytilia O X 1 

Hypargos niveoguttatus Peter's Twinspot O X X X X X X X 7 

Mandingoa nitidula Green-backed Twinspot F X X X X X X 6 

Lagonosticta senegala Red-billed Firefinch O X X X 3 

Lagonosticta rubricata African Firefinch O X X 2 

Estrilda astrild Common Waxbill O X X X X X X X 7 

ESTRILDIDAE - WAXBILLS, CORDON-BLEUS, MANNIKINS cont. 

Uraeginthus angolensis Southern Cordon-bleu O X X X X 4 

Lonchura cucullata Bronze Mannikin O X X X X X 5 

Lonchura nigriceps Rufous-backed Mannikin O X 1 

54



Conservation 

Status 8 


Status 6 

Lonchura fringilloides Magpie Mannikin O X 1 

VIDUIDAE – INDIGOBIRDS AND WHYDAHS 

Vidua chalybeata Village Indigobird O X 1 

Vidua funerea Dusky Indigobird O X 1 

Vidua macroura Pin-tailed Whydah O X X X X 4 

Vidua paradisaea Paradise Whydah O X X X 3 

Vidua obtusa Broad-tailed Whydah O X 1 

FRINGILLIDAE - CANARYS and SEED-EATERS 

Serinus mozambicus Yellow-fronted Canary O X X X 3 

Serinus reichenowi Yellow-rumped Seedeater O X 1 

EMBERIZIDAE - BUNTINGS 

Emberiza cabanisi Cabanis' Bunting O X 1 

Emberiza flaviventris Golden-breasted Bunting O X 1 

Number of Records 

20 91 45 157 29 199 112 92 42 183 113 73 



55


6 Mammals 

A summary of Mammal species recorded in Rufiji District was compiled from various sources, 




�� Perkin, A. 2002 Galago and nocturnal mammal surveys within the Rufiji Environmental 

Management Project area. 

�� Pers comm. – Personal communications (observations by REMP staff) 

In total 117 mammal species from 39 families and 16 orders have been recorded in Rufiji District. 

These are listed in Table 1 on page 57. 19 of the mammal species are bats, these are listed in Table 

2 on page 63. 

24 of the Rufiji mammal species have been listed by IUCN on the Red Data List (Hilton-Taylor, 

2000). These are detailed below: 

Critically Endangered 

Browse (Black) Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 

Endangered 

Red and Black Elephant Shrew Rhynchocyon petersi 

Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 

Elephant Loxodonta africana 

Vulnerable 

Red Bush Squirrel 

Paraxerus palliates 

Lesser Pouched Rat 

Beamys hindei 

Lion Panthera leo 

Eastern Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax validus 

Dugong Dugong dugon 

Collared Fruit Bat 

Myonycteris relicta 

Spring Hare Pedetes capensis 

Lower Risk - Conservation Dependent 

Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta 

Buffalo Syncerus caffer 

Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 

Eland Taurotragus oryx 

Natal Duiker Cephalophus natalensis 

Harveys Duiker Cephalophus harveyi 

Suni Neotragus moschatus 

Impala Aepyceros melampus 

Wildebeest Brindled gnu Connochaetes taurinus 

Sable Antelope Hippotragus niger 

Lower Risk – Near Threatened 

Zanzibar Galago Galagoides zanzibaricus 

Silky Blesmol Heliophobius argenteocinereus 

Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata 

Slit-faced Bat 

Nycteris aurita 

55


At least 11 Rufiji mammal species are forest dependent and a further 34 species may use the forest 

edge and other habitats such as woodlands. Only nine species are listed as non-forest species. 

It should be noted that the presence of a small population of a Red Colobus species, most likely the 

Iringa RC, was confirmed in the Mtanza Msona forest. It would seem this population is now extinct 

as there have been no sightings since 1999 (Butynski, T. pers.comm.). There are rumours that 

another population might exist around Mangwi, in or close to the Ngumburuni forest block. 

56


Table 1: Mammal Species recorded in Rufiji District 

Locality Reference 

Conservation 

Status 

Order Family Species Common Name Ecological 

Status 

PRIMATES 

COLOBIDAE 

Colobus angolensis Black and White Colobus F DD Mtanza Msona, Kikale, Ngumburuni Perkin 2002, Pers.comm REMP 

CERCOPITHECIDAE 

Papio cynocephalus Baboon Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Cercopithecus mitis Sykes or Blue Monkey F Weme, Kichi, Mtanza Msona, Nyamuete, Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Kiwengoma 

Cercopithecus aethiops Vervet Monkey O Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

pygerythrus 

GALAGONIDAE 

Otolemur garnetti Garnett’s Galago O Weme, Kichi, Kiwengoma, Nyamuete Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Otolemur crassicaudatus Large Eared greater galago Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Galago moholi Mohol galago Kichi Woodland Perkin 2002 

Galagoides granti Grant’s Galago DD Kichi, Nyamuete, Kiwengoma Perkin 2002 

Galagoides zanzibaricus Zanzibar Galago LR/nt Mtanza Msona Perkin 2002 

Galago senegalensis Lesser Galago O 

INSECTIVORA 

SORICIDAE 

Crocidura sp. White-toothed / Musk Shrews Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

MACROSCELIDEA 

MACROSCELIDIDAE 

Rhynchocyon petersi Red and Black Elephant F EN Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Shrew 

Kiwengoma 

Petrodomus tetradactylus Four toed elephant Shrew Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Perkin 2002 

Kiwengoma 

LAGOMORPHA 

LEPORIDAE 

Lepus saxatilis Scrub Hare Utete airstrip Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

57



Conservation 

Status 


Status 

RODENTIA 

ANOMALURIDAE 

Anomalurus derbianus Lord Derby's Anomalure CITES II SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

BATHYERGIDAE 

Heliophobius 

Silky Blesmol LR/nt SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

argenteocinereus 

SCIURIDAE 

Paraxerus sp. Red Bush Squirrel Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Heliosciurus undulatus Zanj sun squirrel Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Kiwengoma 

Heliosciurus gambianus SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Paraxerus palliatus F VU SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Paraxerus flavovittis O SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

PEDETIDAE 

Pedetes capensis Spring Hare VU widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

MYOXIDAE 

Graphiurus sp. Probable Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

HYSTRICIDAE 

Hystrix africaeaustralis Mtanza Msona SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Hystrix cristata LR/nt Possible Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

THRYONOMYIDAE 

Thryonomys gregorianus widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Thryonomys swinderianus SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

MUROIDEA 

Tatera sp. Naked-soled Gerbil Weme Perkin 2002 

Dendromus sp. Probable Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Dendromus mystacalis SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Beamys hindei Lesser Pouched Rat F VU Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Cricetomys gambianus Giant Pouched Rat Kichi, Nymuete, Kiwengoma Perkin 2002 

Otomys sp. Probable Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

58



Conservation 

Status 


Status 

RODENTIA cont. 

MUROIDEA cont. 

Saccastomus campestris Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Steatomys sp. Probable Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

MURIDAE 

Acomys spinosissimus Red Spiny Mouse Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Grammomys sp. Narrow-footed Woodland Rat Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Lemniscomys rosalia Striped Grass Mouse Weme Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Mus minutoides Pigmy Mouse Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Aethomys sp. SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Arvicanthis niloticus Remp Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Grammomys dolichurus SGR, REMP Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Grammomys sp. Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Lophuromys flavopunctatus Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Pelomys fallax SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Praomys natalensis X Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Praomys delectorum Possibly in forest Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Rattus rattus SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Thallomys sp. possible Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

CARNIVORA 

CANIDAE 

Otocyon megalotis Bat-eared Fox O Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Lycaon pictus Wild Dog EN Widespread , SGR, Utete Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Canis adustus Side-striped Jackal O Widespread, SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

MUSTELIDAE 

Aonyx capensis Cape clawless Otter N Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Ictonyx striatus Zorilla Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Mellivora capensis Honey Badger N Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Poecilogale albinucha Striped Weasel Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

59



Conservation 

Status 


Status 

CARNIVORA cont. 

HERPESTIDAE 

Bdeogale crassicauda Bushy-tailed Mongoose O Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Kiwengoma Perkin 2002 

Herpestes sanguinea Slender Mongoose O Perkin 2002 

Atilax paludinosus Marsh Mongoose N Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002, 

Pers.comm REMP 

Helogale parvula Dwarf Mongoose Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Herpestes ichneumon Ichneumon (Egyptian) 

O Widespread; SGS Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

mongoose 

Ichneumia albicauda White tailed mongoose O Widespread; probably in SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Mungos mungo Banded mongoose Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002, 


Rhynchogale melleri Mellers Mongoose Probably in SGR Howell et al Perkin 2002000 

VIVERRIDAE 

Genneta sp. Genet Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Kiwengoma Perkin 2002 

Civettictis civetta African Civet O Widespread; SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Nandinia binotata African palm Civet F Kiwengoma Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

HYAENIDAE 

Crocuta crocuta Spotted Hyaena O LR/cd Present Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

FELIDAE 

Felis serval Serval Cat CITES II SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Felis silvestris Wild cat O CITES II SGR Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Panthera leo Lion N VU Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Panthera pardus Leopard O CITES I Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

PHOLIDOTA 

MANIDAE 

Manis temminickii Ground Pangolin O Mtanza Msona, SGR Perkin 2002 

TUBULIDENTATA 

ORYCTEROPODIDAE 

Orycteropus afer Aardvark N Mtanza Msona, Kichi, SGR Perkin 2002 

60



Conservation 

Status 


Status 

HYRACOIDEA 

PROCAVIDAE 

Dendrohyrax validus Eastern Tree Hyrax O VU Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Heterohyrax brucei Bush Hyrax Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Howell et al Perkin 

2002000,Perkin 2002 

PROBOSCIDEA 

ELEPHANTIDAE 

Loxodonta africana Elephant O EN Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, 

Kiwengoma, Weme 

PERISSODACTYLA 

EQUIDAE 

Equus burchellii widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Equus quagga Zebra Perkin 2002 

RHINOCEROTIDAE 

Diceros bicornis Browse (Black) Rhinoceros N CR SGR, formerly widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

ARTIODACTYLA 

HIPPOPOTAMIDAE 

Hippopotamus amphibious Hippopotamus: N CITES II Widespread Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002, 


SUIDAE 

Potamochoerus larvatus Bushpig O Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Kiwengoma, Weme 

Phacochoerus africanus Warthog N Weme Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002, 


BOVIDAE 

Syncerus caffer Buffalo O LR/cd Weme, Kichi Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Tragelaphus strepsiceros Greater Kudu LR/cd Weme Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Tragelaphus scriptus Bushbuck O Mtanza Msona, Kichi, Nymuete, Kiwengoma Perkin 2002 

Taurotragus oryx Eland LR/cd SGR Perkin 2002 

Sylvicapra grimmia Bush Duiker Weme, Kichi, Mtanza Msona Howell et al Perkin 

2002000,Perkin 2002 

61


Order Family Species Common Name Ecological Conservation 


Status Status 

BOVIDAE cont. 

Cephalophus monticola Blue Duiker F Mtanza Msona Perkin 2002 

Cephalophus natalensis Natal Duiker F LR/cd Probably present Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

Cephalophus harveyi Harveys Duiker F LR/cd Mtanza Msona Perkin 2002 

Kobus ellipsiprymnus syn. Waterbuck O Probably present Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002 

defassa 

Neotragus moschatus Suni O LR/cd Mtanza Msona Perkin 2002 

Aepyceros melampus Impala LR/cd SGR Perkin 2002 

Connochaetes taurinus Wildebeest Brindled gnu LR/cd Woodland in Selous 

Hippotragus niger Sable Antelope O LR/cd Seen west of Kichi Hills, Lake Lugongwe Howell et al 2000, Perkin 2002, 

Pers. Comm REMP 

CETACEA 

STENIDAE 

Humpback Dolphin Sousa chinensis DD Simba Uranga river mouth Pers.comm REMP 

SIRENIA 

DUGONGIDAE 

Dugong Dugong dugon VU Muir, 2003 




62


Table 2: Bat species recorded in Rufiji District 

(NG=Ngumburuni, KG=Kiwengoma; MC=Mchungu; NK=Namakutwa, TO=Tong’omba; Ki = Kichi SGR=unpublished list for Selous Game Reserve). 

Order Family Species Common Name Ecological Conservation NG KG MC NK TO SGR Ki 

Status Status 

MEGACHIROPTERA 

PTEROPIDAE: FRUITBATS 

Epomophorus labiatus Epauletted Fruit Bat O X 

Epomophorus wahlbergi Epauletted Fruit Bat O X X X X X 

Rousettus aegyptiacus Egyptian Fruit Bar N X 

Myonycteris relicta Collared Fruit Bat F VU X X 

MICROCHIROPTERA 

NYCTERIDAE: SLIT-FACED BATS 

Nycteris aurita Slit-faced Bat O LR/nt 

Nycteris grandis Slit-faced Bat O X X 

Nycteris thebaica Slit-faced Bat O X 

Nycteris sp. Slit-faced Bat X 

MEGADERMATIDAE 

Lavia frons Yellow-winged Bat O X - 

RHINOLOPHIDAE: HORSESHOE BATS 

Rhinolophus deckeni Horseshoe Bat X X 

Rhinolophus sp. 

Hipposideros ruber Leaf-nosed Bat O X X X X 

HIPPOSIDERIDAE: AFRICAN LEAF-NOSED BATS 

Triaenops persicus Persian leaf-nosed Bat O X 

VESPERTILIONIDAE: VESPER BATS 

Pipistrellus nanus Pipistrelle Bat O X X 

Pipistrellus sp. Pipistrelle Bat X 

Scotophilus viridis House Bat O X X 

Kerivoula africana Wooly Bat F DD X X 

Chalinolobus variegata syn. 

X 

Glaucoyncteris variegata Butterfly Bat O 

63


Order Family Species Common Name Ecological Conservation NG KG MC NK TO SGR Ki 

Status Status 

MOLOSSIDAE: FREE-TAILED BATS 

Tadarida brachyptera Guano Bat O X 




64


7 Fish 

Table 3 and Table 4 below list fish species known from Rufiji District. It must be noted that limited 

fish diversity research has been undetaken in Rufiji District, and research that has been carried out 

focuses on species of economic importance rather than biodiversity. 

7.1 Freshwater Fish 

Table 3 below lists 46 species from at least 15 families from Rufiji freshwater habitats including 

lakes. It should be noted that the species recorded by Cavalier require confirmation. The sources 

used to compile Table 3 are as follows : 

�� Cavalier, M., 2003. Fisheries assessment in the lower Rufiji River floodplain, Tanzania. 

REMP-report. 93 pp. 

�� Howell, K., Msuya, C. & Kihaule, P. 2000 A Preliminary Biodiversity (Fauna) Assessment of 

The Rufiji Floodplain and Delta. REMP Technical Report 9. 

�� Richmond, M. 2002. An Analysis of smallholder opportunities in fisheries, coastal and related 

enterprises in the floodplain and delta areas of the Rufiji River, Tanzania. REMP Technical 

Report 25. 

Table 3: Freshwater Fish in Rufiji District 

Classification Common Name Kiswahili 

Name 

PROTOPTERIDAE Lungfish 

Protopterus aethiopicus African Lungfish Kamongo 

MORMYRIDAE Elephant-snouts 

Rufiji River 

Eccles in Howell 

2000 

Mormyrus longirostris p 

Cavalier 

(unconfirmed 

identification) 

Mormyrus hasselquisti X 

Petrocephalus steindachneri p 

Petrocephalus catostoma catostoma X 

CYPRINIDAE 

Barbus macrolepis p X 

Barbus radiatus p 

Labeo ulangensis p 

Labeo cylindricus X 

Opsaridium loveridgei p 

DISTICHODONTIDAE 

Distichodus petersii Tungu, 

Mbapale, 

Tungwi 

p 

Distichodus rufigiensis p 

Nannaethiops sp. p 

CHARACIDAE African Tetras X 

Alestes affinis 

Alestes imberi p 

Alestes jacksoni ? 

Alestes stuhlmanni Kasa, Ngacha p 

Hemigrammopetersius barnardi p X 

Hydrocynus vittatus Tiger Fish p 

65


Classification Common Name Kiswahili Rufiji River Cavalier 

Name Eccles in Howell (unconfirmed 

2000 identification) 

Petersius conserialis Kasa, Ngacha p X 

BAGRIDAE Bagrid Catfishes X 

Bagrus docmak 

Bagrus orientalis Katoga, Kitoga p 

Clarotes laticeps ? 

SCHILBEIDAE Schilbeid Catfishes 

Eutropiellus longifilis p 

Schilbe mystus p 

Schilbe moebiusii X 

AMPHILIIDAE Loach Catfishes 

Amphilius uranoscopus p 

CLARIDAE Air-breathing Catfishes X 

Clarias gariepinus p 

MOCHOKIDAE Squeakers 

Synodontis fuelleborni Konge p 

Synodontis maculipinna p 

Synodontis matthesi p 

Synodontis rufigiensis Nyanyandu p 

Synodontis rukwaensis X 

CYPRINODONTIDAE 

Aplocheilichthys kongoranensis p 

Nothobranchius eggersi Annual Fish p 

Nothobranchius foerschi ? 

Nothobranchius kirkii ? 

Nothobranchius melanospilus p 

MASTACEMBELIDAE Swamp and Spiny Eels 

Afromastacembelus frenatus p 

CICHLIDAE Mouth Brooders 

Oreochromis urolepis p X 

ELEOTRIDAE Sleepers 

Eleotris fusca p 

GOBIIDAE Gobies X 

Glossogobius giuris p 

Unknown Family 

Brycinus imberi X 

Favonigobius reichei X 

Megalops cyprinoides X 

Citharinus congicus Pele X 

66


7.2 Marine Fish 

Table 4 below lists marine fish species known from Rufijij District, this list is based on: 

�� Caras, T. 2001. Status of the marine habitat and resources adjacent to the Rufiji River outflow. 

REMP Technical Report 27. 

�� Richmond, M. 2002. An Analysis of smallholder opportunities in fisheries, coastal and related 

enterprises in the floodplain and delta areas of the Rufiji River, Tanzania. REMP Technical 

Report 25. 

In many cases the exact species is not known, but the prescene of particular fish groups (families) 

are known, these are also listed. It is clear that this species list is far from complete, based mostly 

on species of economic value. 16 families are listed with 15 named species. 

Table 4: Marine Fish Species 

Family Species Common Name 

Anguillidae Anguilla mossambica Eels 

Belonidae Belonidae sp. Needlefish 

Caesionidae Fusiliers 

Carangidae Caranx sp. Trevallies 

Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus sp. Sharks 

Ginglymostoma brevicaudatom Short Tail Nurse Shark 

Hemiramphidae Hemiramphus sp. Halfbeaks 

Lethrinidae Emperors 

Mullidae Upeneus sp. Goatfish 

Muraenidae Echidna polyzona Brown Stripe Eel 

Nasinae Unicornfish 

Rachycentridae Rachycentron canadum Cobia 

Scaridae Parrotfish 

Scombridae Scomberoides sp. Queenfish 

Serranidae Epinephalus sp. Groupers 

Siganidae Rabbitfish 

Sphyraenidae Sphyraena sp. Barracuda 

Unknown family 

Hilsa kelee Five spot Herring 

Chanos chanos Milk fish 

Trichiurus lepturus Hairtail 

67

8 Invertebrates 


8.1 Butterflies 

The list compiled below is based on: 

�� Burgess, N. 2000. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa 

�� Sheil, R. & Burgess, N. 1990. Preliminary results of biological surveys in Zaraninge and 

Kierengoma Coastal Forests, Tanzania. 

With only 42 species from 8 families/subfamilies recorded for Rufiji District it is clear the list is far 

from complete. Data from butterfly surveys undertaken in Kichi Hills Forest in 2003 by C. 

Congdon et al. were unfortunately not available in time to be included in this list, though some 70 

species were recorded (Congdon pers. comm.). Due to the 2003 drought relatively few species were 

recorded but some interesting results are expected, especially with regard to the Lycaenidae 

(Baliochila species). This list only presents data from forest habitats and thus has a relatively high 

number of forest-dependent species (18). 

The list records 14 species endemic to Coastal Forests, 13 of these endemic species are also forest 

dependent, highlighting the importance of Rufiji Districts Coastal Forests for biodiversity 

conservation. 

Table 5: Butterfly species recorded in Rufiji District 

* = Coastal Forest Endemic 

Habitat 

Kiwengoma 

Forest 

Papilionidae 

Papilio ophidicephalos ophidicephalos X 

Papilio dardanua tibullus X 

Papilio nireus lyaeus X 

Graphium leonidas leonidas X 

Graphium philonoe philonoe O X 

Pieridae 

Appias l. lasti O X 

Mylothriskilimensis rondonis* F X 

Nymphalidae 

Acraeinae 

Acraea epaea epitellus* F X 

Acraea satis F X 

Danaidae 

Limenitinae 

Namakutwa 

Forest Other Location 

Sheil 1990, Burgess 

2000 Burgess 2000 REMP Pers Comm 

Bebearia chriemhilda* F X 

Bebearia o. orientalis O X X 

Euphaedra orientalis F X X 

Euphaedra neophron* O 

Mtanza Msona, 

Kichi Hills, Ilu 

and Uba 

Euryphura achlys* O Kichi Hills 

Neptis carcassoni F X X 

Sallya natalensis O X 

68


Habitat 

Kiwengoma 

Forest 

Charaxinae 

Charaxes macclouni macclouni X 

Charaxes cithaeron kennethi X 

Charaxes violetta maritimus* F X X 

Charaxes protoclea azota X 

Charaxes jahlusa kenyensis X 

Charaxes etesipe tavetensis X 

Charaxes brutus alcyone X 

Charaxes castor flavifasciatus X 

Charaxes zoolina zoolina X 

Charaxes bohemani bohemani X 

Charaxes varanes vologeses X 

Charaxes candiope candiope X 

Charaxes pythodoris nesaea* F X 

Euxanthe wakefieldi wakefieldi F X 

Euxanthe tiberius tiberius* F X 

Nymphalidae 

Hypolimnas deceptor O X X 

Hypolimnas usambara* F X 

Lycaenidae 

Baliochila amanica F X 

Baliochila latimarginata* F X 

Baliochila stygia* F X 

Iolaus (Epamera) s. silanus* F X 

Pentila r. parapetreia* F X 

Teriomima micra* F X 

Teriomima puella* O X 

Teriomima subpunctata* F X 

Moth 

Chrisidia croesus 

Namakutwa 

Forest Other Location 


Kichi Hills, 

Kiwengoma 

69


8.2 Dragonflies 

The following list of Dragonflies (Odonata) in Rufiji District is taken from Clausnitzer (2003a), 

and is based on four field visits to various sites including: Mtanza-Msona, Ikwiriri, Lake Ilu, Kichi 

Hills, Kiwengoma, Nyamwete and Ngumburuni Forest. The full report is presented in Appendix 1. 

69 dragonfly species were recorded, these are listed in Table 6 overleaf. Six of these species are 

habitat specialists confined to Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa, these are: 

�� Coryphgagrion grandis 

�� Ceriagrion mourae 

�� Teinobasis alluaudi 

�� Gynacantha usambarica 

�� Hadrothemis scabrifrons 

�� Thermochoria jeannel 

Two species were recorded for the first time since their type descriptions from Mozambique in 

1969 (Ceriagrion mourae), and from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1959 (Gynacantha 

immaculifrons). 

Eight species are of conservation concern (to be red listed) and are marked grey in the list. 

‘The majority of the species are common and widespread and inhabit the Rufiji River and its 

floodplains, while a smaller proportion are only found in permanent streams draining into the Rufiji 

or in forest habitats. The high overall species diversity is a result of the variety of habitats and their 

connectivity, combined with the dynamics of the floods. The habitat specialists found in 

Ngumburuni forest and in the forests of the Kichi and Kiwengoma Hills are globally endangered 

species and require special attention in regard of conservation efforts’ Clausnitzer (2003). 

Table 6: Dragonflies recorded from the Rufiji region 

Forest types refer to the East African Coastal Forest definition by (Clarke 2000). 

Family/Genus/Species Dry 

Forest 

Swamp 

Forest 

Brachystegia 

Forest 

Ruhoi 

River 

Lakes Rufiji 

River 

Rufiji 

floodplain 

LESTIDAE 

Lestes ictericus Gerstäcker, 1869 X X 

Lestes tridens McLachlan, 1895 X X 

Lestes uncifer Karsch, 1899 X X 

PSEUDOSTIGMATIDAE 

Coryphagrion grandis Morton, 1924 X X 

PROTONEURIDAE 

Elattoneura glauca (Burmeister, 1839) X X 

COENAGRIONIDAE 

Aciagrion gracile (Sjöstedt, 1909) X X 

Africallagma subtile (Ris, 1921) X X 

Agriocnemis exilis Sélys, 1872 X X 

Agriocnemis gratiosa Gerstäcker, 1891 X X X 

Azuragrion nigridorsum (Selys, 1876) X 

Ceriagrion glabrum (Burmeister, 1839) X X X X X 

Ceriagrion kordofanicum Ris, 1924 X X 

Ceriagrion mourae Pinhey, 1969 X 

Ceriagrion suave Ris, 1921 X X X 

70


Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842) X X 

Pseudagrion acaciae Förster, 1906 X X 

Pseudagrion commoniae (Förster, 1902) X 

Pseudagrion lindicum Grünberg, 1902 X X 

Pseudagrion massaicum Grünberg, 1902 X X 

Pseudagrion sublacteum (Karsch, 1893) X 

Teinobasis alluaudi (Martin, 1896) X 

CALOPTERYGIDAE 

Phaon iridipennis (Burmeister, 1839) X X X X 

CHLOROCYPHIDAE 

Platycypha caligata (Sélys, 1853) X 

GOMPHIDAE 

Ictinogomphus ferox (Rambur, 1842) X X X 

Paragomphus genei (Sélys, 1841) X X 

Paragomphus magnus Fraser, 1952 X 

Paragomphus sabicus Pinhey, 1950 X 

AESHNIDAE 

Anax imperator Rambur, 1842 X X X 

Anax ephippiger (Burmeister, 1836) X X 

Anax speratus Hagen, 1867 X 

Gynacantha immaculifrons Fraser, 1956 X 

Gynacantha manderica Grünberg, 1902 X X 

Gynacantha usambarica Sjöstedt, 1909 X X 

Gynacantha villosa Gruenberg, 1902 X X 

CORDULIIDAE 

Phyllomacromia spec X X 

LIBELLULIDAE 

Acisoma panorpoides Martin, 1905 X X X 

Brachythemis leucosticta (Burmeister, 1839) X X X 

Chalcostephia flavifrons Kirby, 1889 X X X 

Crocothemis divisa Karsch, 1898 X X 

Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832) X X 

Crocothemis sanguinolenta (Burmeister, 1839) X X 

Diplacodes lefebvrii (Rambur, 1842) X X 

Hadrothemis scabrifrons Ris, 1910 

X 

Hemistigma albipunctata (Rambur, 1842) X X 

Nesciothemis farinosum (Förster, 1898) X 

Olpogastra fuelleborni Grünberg, 1902 X 

Olpogastra lugubris Karsch, 1895 X X 

Orthetrum abbotti Calvert, 1892 X X 

Orthetrum chrysostigma (Burmeister, 1839) X X X X 

Orthetrum julia falsum Longfield, 1955 X 

Orthetrum machadoi Longfield, 1955 

Orthetrum stemmale (Burmeister, 1839) X X X 

Orthetrum trinacria (Selys, 1841) X X 

Palpopleura deceptor (Calvert, 1899) X X 

Palpopleura lucia (Drury, 1773) X X X 

Palpopleura portia (Drury, 1773) X X X X 

71


Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) X X X X X 

Philonomon luminans (Karsch, 1893) X 

Rhyothemis semihyalina Sélys, 1849 X X X X 

Tetrathemis polleni (Selys, 1869) X X X X X 

Thermochoria jeanneli Martin, 1915 X X 

Trapezostigma basilaris (Beauvois, 1805) X X X X 

Trithemis arteriosa (Burmeister, 1939) X X X 

Trithemis aconita Lieftinck, 1969 X 

Trithemis annulata (Sélys, 1841) X X 

Trithemis furva Karsch, 1899 X 

Trithemis kirbyi (Gerstäcker, 1891) X 

Urothemis assignata (Sélys, 1872) X X X 

Urothemis edwardsii (Sélys, 1849) X X 

72


8.3 Molluscs 

Due to the limited knowledge and research effort regarding East African Molluscs the following list 

of mollusc species recorded in Rufiji District is likely to be far from complete. 

The sources used to compile this list are: 

�� Howell, K., Msuya, C. & Kihaule, P. 2000 A Preliminary Biodiversity (Fauna) Assessment of 

The Rufiji Floodplain and Delta. REMP Technical Report 9. 



8.3.1 Marine Mollusc Species 

A survey of Simaya Island revealed 25 species of Mollusc (listed below), it is likely there are many 

more species to be added to this list, particularly from mangrove areas. 

Table 7: Marine Mollusc Species in Rufiji District 

Based on: Caras, T. 2001. Status of the marine habitat and resources adjacent to the Rufiji River outflow. REMP Technical Report 27. 

Group Class Family Scientific name Common Name Location 

Mollusca Polyplacophora: 

Chitons 

Acanthopleura gemmata Chiton Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Architectonicidae Architectonica prespectiva Sundial Lined Spiral Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Bursidae Bursa sp. Frog Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Cassidae Cypraecassis rufa Bull-mouthed / Red 

Helmet Shell 

Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Conidae Conus sp. Cone Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Cypraeidae Cypraea annulus Annal Cowry Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Cypraeidae Cypraea spp. Cowry Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Cypraeidae Cypraea tigris Tiger Cowry Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Fasciolaridae Pleuroploca sp. Tulip / Spindle Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Fasciolaridae Pleuroploca trapezium Tulip / Spindle Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Mitridae Mitra mitra Mitra Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Mitridae Mitra spp. Mitra Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Muricidae Chicoreus ramosus Rock Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Muricidae Haustellum haustellum Non Spiny Murex Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Neritidae Nerita Snail Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Ovulidae Ovula ovum Common Egg Cowry Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Strombidae Lambis chirgra Spider Conch Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Strombidae Lambis lambis Common Spider Conch Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Strombidae Strombus sp. Conch Shells Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Tonnidae Tonna perdix Partridge Tun Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Gastropoda Vasidae Vasum sp. Vase Shells Simaya Island 

Mollusca Bivalvia Ostreidae Lopha Zigzag Oyster Simaya Island 

Mollusca Bivalvia Pinnidae Pinna Pen Shell Simaya Island 

Mollusca Bivalvia Tridacnidae Tridacna sp. Giant Clam Simaya Island 

Mollusca Cephalopoda Octopodidae Octopus sp. Octopus Simaya Island 

73


8.3.2 Terrestrial Mollusc Species 

16 species of terrestrial Molluscs were recorded from Rufiji District in Howell, (2000). This list is 

likely to far from complete. A further 16 species known from Coastal Forests and the Eastern Arc 

may also be present in Rufiji District, these are also indicated in Table 8 below. 

Table 8: Terrestrial Mollusc Species in Rufiji District 

Based on: Howell, K., Msuya, C. & Kihaule, P. 2000 A Preliminary Biodiversity (Fauna) Assessment of The Rufiji Floodplain and 

Delta. REMP Technical Report 9. 

Species Locality References 

Gulella matumbiensis Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Maizania wahlbergi Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Tropidophora (Otopoma) calcarea Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Rhachistia picturata Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Rhachidina braunsi Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Ceras matumbianum Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Pseudoglessula obtuse Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

P. sp. Nov? near P. introversa; Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

P. sp. Nov; Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Opeas sp. Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Curvella sp. Nov. Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Curvella sp. Nov. Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Achatina fulica Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Achatina grandidieriana Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Trachycystis ariel Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Sitala jenynsi Matumbi Hills Verdcourt 1990 

Achatina grandidieriana Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Cyathopoma azaniense Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Euonyma magilensis Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Gonaxis craveni Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Gulella gwendolinae Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Maizania cf volkensi Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Nesopupa cf bisulcata Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Opeas crenatum Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Curvella caloraphe Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Edentulina cf ovoidea Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Gonaxis cf denticulatus Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Nesopupa cf peilei Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Pupisoma cf orcula Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Subulina intermedia Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

Subulona ordinarius Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Forests Tattersfield 1997 

74


8.4 Echinoderms 

Table 9 below lists 11 species of sea cucumber found near Simaya Island, Rufiji District. This 

information is taken from: 



Table 9: Sea Cucumber Species In Rufiji District 

Phylum Class Family Scientific Name Location 

Echinodermata 

Holothuroidea 

Holothuriidae Actinophyga mauritiana Simaya 

Holothuriidae Actinophyga miliaris Simaya 

Holothuriidae Bohadschia vitiensis Simaya 

Holothuriidae Holotheria atra Simaya 

Holothuriidae Holotheria chloronotus Simaya 

Holothuriidae Holotheria leucospilota Simaya 

Holothuriidae Holotheria nobilis Simaya 

Holothuriidae Holotheria scarab Simaya 

Stichopodidae Stichopus hermanni Simaya 

Stichopodidae Thelenota ananas Simaya 

Stichopodidae Thelenota anax Simaya 

75


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79

10 Appendices 

10.1 Appendix 1: Rufiji Odonates 


DRAGONFLIES OF RUFIJI DISTRICT 

Viola Clausnitzer, Liebenauer Str. 180, 06110 Halle, Germany 

violacl@gmx.de 

SUMMARY 

The dragonfly fauna of the Rufiji District was studied during several field trips (13-15 September 

2001, 16-21 October 2001, 04-13 May 2002, 02-08 February 2003). Various habitats were visited 

(Mtanza-Msona, Ikwiriri, Lake Ilu, Kichi Hills, Kiwengoma, Nyamwete, Ngumburuni Forest) 

during the rainy and dry season. 

A total of 69 species were recorded, of which 6 are habitat specialists confined to coastal forests of 

Eastern Africa (Coryphgagrion grandis, Ceriagrion mourae, Teinobasis alluaudi, Gynacantha 

usambarica, Hadrothemis scabrifrons, Thermochoria jeannel). Two species were recorded for the 

first time since their type descriptions from Mozambique in 1969 (Ceriagrion mourae), and from 

the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1959 (Gynacantha immaculifrons). 

The majority of the species are common and widespread and inhabit the Rufiji River and its 

floodplains, while a smaller proportion are only found in permanent streams draining into the Rufiji 

or in forest habitats. The high overall species diversity is a result of the variety of habitats and their 

connectivity, combined with the dynamics of the floods. The habitat specialists found in 

Ngumburuni forest and in the forests of the Kichi and Kiwengoma Hills are globally endangered 

species and require special attention in regard of conservation efforts. 

1 General Introduction 

In order to meet the objectives of "The Convention on Biological Diversity" (CBD, 2000; 

http://www.biodiv.org /convention/articles.asp) the assessment of signatory country's biodiversity 

and its conservation are important. There are several shortcomings realising this, especially if 

focusing on invertebrates in tropical countries, as the following citations show: "To meet the needs 

of conserving biodiversity, a country's Protected Area system should support as many as possible of 

the species occurring in that country. However, as yet no country [of Africa] has comprehensive 

information about these species." (Pomeroy 1995, p. 362); a "major obstacle to conserving tropical 

biodiversity is the lack of information as to where efforts should be concentrated" (Howard et al. 

1998, p. 472). Nevertheless the knowledge and database for African Odonates are comparatively 

good and enable attention to be focused on critical species and critical habitats. 

1.1 Dragonflies as tools for wetland assessment, monitoring and conservation planning 

With their amphibious habits dragonflies are indicators of both, aquatic and terrestrial habitat 

quality of wetlands, which are seriously under-represented in conservation planning in East Africa 

(Pomeroy et al. 1999). Dragonflies spend their larval life in aquatic habitats and as imagoes use a 

wide range of terrestrial habitats. Their sensitivity to physical habitat quality makes dragonflies 

useful indicators of habitat quality above and below the water surface. Water quality, aquatic 

habitat morphology, such as bottom substrate and vegetation structure are critical to dragonfly 

larvae. Adult habitat selection is strongly dependent on vegetation structure, including degrees of 

shading. As a consequence dragonflies are greatly affected by habitat change, such as thinning of 

forest and increased erosion. Ubiquitous species prevail in disturbed or temporary waters, while 

pristine streams, seepage and swamp forests harbour a wealth of more vulnerable, often localised 

species. 

Different ecological requirements are linked to different dispersal capacities. Species with narrow 

niches disperse poorly, while pioneers of temporal habitats (often created by disturbance) are 

excellent colonisers. For this reason Odonata have a potential use to evaluate habitat connectivity. 

The success of proposed linkages of protected areas through the creation of forest corridors may 

thus be assessed. Dragonflies are an easy-to-study group to monitor the overall biodiversity of 

aquatic habitats.


Ecological advantages of dragonflies as environmental monitors are: 

�� Their amphibious habits make them indicators of both aquatic and terrestrial habitat quality. 

�� Larvae site selection is closely correlated with erosion-related factors like streambed 

morphology, substrate and turbidity. 

�� Adult site selection is closely correlated to deforestation-related factors such as vegetation 

structure and forest cover. 

�� A full array of ecological types, from pioneers to specialists, occurs within the Odonata. 

Practical advantages of Odonata as environmental monitors are: 

�� Aquatic habitats are the focal point of dragonfly life histories, making them easily found. 

�� Their diurnal activity and high densities make dragonflies easy to study. 

�� Extensive experience with monitoring Odonata has been obtained in Europe and elsewhere. 

�� The number of dragonfly species occurring in East Africa is manageable. 

�� Identification is straightforward as Odonate taxonomy is clear-cut. 

�� Due to their attractiveness, dragonflies can serve as flagship of invertebrates and watershed 

conservation. 

1.2 Coastal forests 

Once the Eastern African Coastal Forests covered most of the East African coastal plains from 

north Mozambique to south Somalia. The width of this "Coastal Forest Belt" was very variable, 

from 30 km at the Kenya/Tanzania border to 300 km in Mozambique, reaching well into Malawi. 

Now this belt is reduced to over 250 small to very small separated forest patches, often of less than 

500 ha in size (Burgess & Clarke, 2000). These remaining small and highly fragmented forest 

patches have an exceptionally high degree of localised endemism, they differ in structure and 

species composition due to physical conditions, they are extremely vulnerable and rapidly being 

degraded. The remaining coastal forests in East Africa are listed as ‘critical sites’ by IUCN and are 

not adequately represented in the present day protected area system (Stuart et al., 1990).


2 Methods 

The area surveyed for dragonflies in Rufiji District is roughly between Kibiti, Kiwengoma, Kichi 

and Msona (Table 1). The classification of the forests follows Clarke (2000). Dragonflies were 

caught by sweep-netting in different habitats and identified with Clausnitzer & Dijkstra (in prep.); 

photographs of most species were taken. For some crepuscular species special efforts were made to 

establish presence or absence by searching for adults and larvae. 

Table 1: Localities visited in Rufiji District. 

Localities Dates 

Kichi Hills 16-18 Oct '01, 06-13 May '02 

Nyamwete Forest 18-20 Oct '01 

Kiwengoma 20-21 Oct '01, 02-03 Feb '03 

Ngumburuni Forest 08 Feb '03 

Lake Ilu 04 Feb '03 

Lake Lugogwe 07 Feb '03 

Ruhoi River 08 Feb '03 

Lake south-east of Kichi Hills 11 May '02 

Rufiji River 13-15 Sept '01, 04-05 May '02, 04 Feb '03 

Floodplain of Rufiji 04-05 May '02 

Lake Mtanza 14-15 Sept '01 

Msona Forest 13 & 15 Sept '01 

Msangazi Gallery Forest 14 Sept '01


3 Results and discussion 

3.1 Habitats surveyed 

Most important for dragonflies is the habitat variety and connectivity found in Rufiji District. Most 

dragonflies depend on more than one of these habitat types during their adult life. Many species use 

the floodplains of the Rufiji for reproduction and the forest areas as feeding grounds. Though the 

majority of the dragonflies are common and widespread species, the area harbours a comparatively 

high number of coastal forest specialists with a very restricted distribution range and/or a high level 

of data deficiency. Some of the most threatened species depend entirely on the indigenous forests 

of the Rufiji and are discussed in detail below. 

3.1.1 Rufiji River 

The Rufiji River itself is a typical African river with no aquatic vegetation, a high substrate 

dynamic and high fluctuation in water levels. Dragonflies found along the Rufiji River are common 

species, which are often widespread in Africa and inhabit rivers in savannah, bush and woodland. 

Most of these species depend on the surrounding habitats (forests and woodlands) for their maiden 

flight and as feeding grounds. 

3.1.2 The Floodplain 

The floodplain itself attracts large numbers of migratory species, which follow the rains (e.g. Anax 

ephippiger, Pantala flavescens, Tramea basilaris, Rhyothemis semihyalina). Some species are 

confined to the floodplain areas for their entire lifespan (e.g. Pseudagrion lindicum) and appear in 

vast numbers during the floods. Many species spend the dry season along the river and around the 

permanent lakes and then spread during the floods into the whole area. 

Although most of these species are very common and widespread in large parts of sub-Saharan 

tropical Africa, they play an important role in the ecosystem of the Rufiji River and its floodplains. 

Dragonflies are predators largely to other insects in both life stages (adult and larvae), at the same 

time they are prey for fish and birds. The seasonality and enormous fluctuations of the water levels 

in the Rufiji floodplain lead to high productivity of many organisms. Humans profit from this high 

productivity largely in terms of fish and fertilization of their fields. Disturbances such as reduction 

of flood amplitude, destruction of forests, over-fishing etc would make this ecosystem collapse. 

Knowledge about the whole ecosystem is insufficient to understand the reasons for such changes. A 

drastic decrease in fish might be the result of forest destruction in the adjacent hills of the 

floodplain. 

3.1.3 Eastern African Coastal Riverine/Groundwater/Swamp Forest 

These forests have a high groundwater table and/or a poor drainage. In Rufiji District they are 

found in the floodplain itself. Since the underlying soil is often clay, these forests have often been 

cleared for agriculture, usually into rice fields, as in most parts of Eastern Africa. In Rufiji District 

some good patches of this forest remain e.g. the Ngumburuni Forest and the forests around Lake 

Ilu. Species confined to this forest habitat are threatened as they have a very limited and disjunct 

distribution (e.g. Teinobasis alluaudi, Thermochoria jeanneli). 

3.1.4 Eastern African Coastal Dry Forest 

These forests are semi-evergreen or evergreen forests with a high to medium (down to 7m) forest 

canopy. Soils are usually poor and well-drained, which allow shifting cultivation at best. Rainfall 

can be very unpredictable and might be very low in some years, making permanent substantial 

agriculture difficult. Most of the forests visited belong to this type (Kichi, Kiwengoma, 

Nyamwete). In depressions and valleys seasonal pools and swamps are found, which are an 

important breeding habitat for the dragonflies found in this forests. The dominating dragonflies 

belong to the large and crepuscular genus Gynacantha (Dusk-Hawkers). Two other species worth 

mentioning are Coryphagrion grandis and Hadrothemis scabrifrons, which reproduce in 

phytotelmata and spend the dry season as adults. Species found in these forests have a limited 

distribution, are often confined to the East African Coastal forests and of regional and global 

importance.


3.1.5 Seasonal streams in the Eastern African Coastal Dry Forest 

Situated in the otherwise dry forest matrix in the Kichi and Kiwengoma Hills, these streams are 

interesting in terms of ecology and adaptation to high seasonality of otherwise widespread and nonseasonal 

dragonflies. Despite several attempts, the author failed to survey the streams in the rainy 

season, so species composition information is incomplete. Nevertheless some interesting dry season 

observations were made and resulting conclusions are outlined below. 

The streams in Kiwengoma and Nyamwete Forest and in the Kichi Hills are dry for most of the 

year, usually for 8 months or more (Elibariki, pers. com.). The sandy bottom and the structure of 

surrounding substrate and vegetation show that the streams must be very fast and clear in the rainy 

season. Unfortunately I never managed to visit these streams when filled with water. Males and 

females of the widespread river species Phaon iridipennis were found in high number along the dry 

stream beds. Their behaviour was exactly the same as the behaviour of specimen along streams 

with permanent water (e.g. Ruhoi River), where this species is not seasonal. The observations allow 

speculations about an adult life span of one year or more and a very rapid development from egg to 

adult in a few weeks time only. These are all new aspects with regard to longevity and larval 

development. It would be interesting to find out, which other species are adapted to this highly 

seasonal habitat with fluctuating amount and length of surface water. One Trithemis aconita was 

observed in the Kiwengoma Forest during the dry season in October. It must have emerged from 

one of the streams in May or earlier. More species, e.g. Gomphids, are expected to be adapted to 

the seasonality of the streams, spending the dry season in the East African Coastal Forest areas and 

returning to the streams during the rains. 

3.1.6 Permanent streams 

Apart from the Rufiji River, there are not many permanent streams in the study area. The Ruhoi 

River, which is a clear, fast flowing stream with sandy substrate, was the only permanent stream 

surveyed in this study. A number of Gomphid species were recorded only from this locality. It is 

expected that these species spread into the seasonal streams in the Eastern African Coastal Dry 

Forests in the rainy season. 

3.1.7 Eastern African Coastal Brachystegia Forest (Miombo) 

This forest type is mainly found south of the Rufiji River. Most dragonflies recorded here are 

ubiquitous and widespread species, which take advantage of pools, swamps and puddles in the 

rainy season. The finding of Ceriagrion mourae, which was the second specimen recorded of this 

species allows speculations that it is adapted to the otherwise not very suitable habitats of dry 

Miombo forest (some information about the species is given below). 

3.1.8 Permanent lakes (e.g. Lakes Ilu, Mtanza, Uba and Lugongwe) 

The lakes, though an important habitat within the floodplain, have not been surveyed systematically 

for dragonflies. Due to their permanency, a high number of often common and widespread 

dragonflies are found here, which spread into the entire floodplain during the rainy season. The 

lakes act therefore, as a kind of reservoir of non-seasonal species. 

The results from the lakes are grouped together in Table 2 because the lakes were not surveyed 

intensively during the survey, instead the main focus was on the various forest habitats (see also 

Table 1). Nevertheless from the occasional visits to the lakes it became obvious, that a comparative 

study of the lakes would result in differences in the species composition. This would be mainly 

related to the very different shoreline structures and aquatic vegetation. The shoreline vegetation 

ranged from forest, dense thicket, reeds and grasses to hardly any vegetation cover. A similar 

variety was found in the aquatic vegetation, which ranged from reeds, swamps, herbs and floating 

plants to none. A very common species in thickets around the lake was Gynacantha manderica, 

which breeds in the flood-zone of the lakes during the wet season. 

3.2 Critical species 

Seven species will be red listed in the global IUCN Red List in due course (highlighted in Table 2). 

Most of them occur exclusively in East African Coastal Forests and will disappear with increasing 

forest destruction. All these species are of regional and global importance because they are endemic


to coastal forests of Eastern Africa with a very restricted distribution and/or hardly any records of 

these species exists. First studies on population genetics could show, that the remaining, often 

isolated populations of the once continuous coastal forest belt are already genetically isolated. 

3.2.1 Teinobasis alluaudi 

The very recent discovery of this species in the Ngumburuni Forest is exciting, as it is only the 

second record of Teinobasis alluaudi for the African mainland, the other being from the Buda 

Forest in south-east Kenya. All other records are from Indian Ocean Islands, though the single 

Malawi record of Teinobasis malawiensis Pinhey, 1966 might turn out to be the same species 

(Clausnitzer 2003c). Teinobasis alluaudi need shady forest with seasonal swampy areas and dense 

understory between 1 and 2 m in height. It is usually associated with palm trees, e.g. Raphia 

farinifera and Elaeis guineensis. 

The discovery of this species is of biogeographical interest as well. The genus Teinobasis has its 

centre of diversity in Eastern Australasia (especially New Guinea, as well as Indonesia and the 

Philippines). Some insular endemics occur across the Pacific, but the genus is absent from the 

Indian Subcontinent. Lieftinck (1962) assumed the Philippine Islands and New Guinea to be the 

principal centres of dispersal. Currently about 65 species are recognized (Bridges 1994), of which 

only 2 occur in Africa. 

3.2.2 Gynacantha 

All Gynacantha species breed in seasonal pools and swampy places in the forest areas. The females 

oviposit into the still dry soil of seasonal swamps, pools and puddles when the rains approach. The 

larvae have an unusually fast development, which is necessary for emergence before the pool dries 

out again. The whole genus is confined to forest or dense bush with a radiation centre in the vast 

rain forest areas in Central Africa. 

In the Kichi Hills large numbers of Gynacantha were observed hunting in the evening ("Dusk- 

Hawker"). Three different species were caught there and it would be interesting to know if they use 

the same breeding habitats and to elucidate how interspecific competition of the very large and very 

greedy larvae works. 

3.2.3 Gynacantha usambarica 

Gynacantha usambarica was thought to be endemic to coastal forests of Eastern Africa (Tanzania 

and Kenya), but recent studies revealed, that the South African Gynacantha zuluensis (Balinsky, 

1961) is a synonym to G. usambarica (Clausnitzer & Dijkstra in prep.). Therefore Gynacantha 

usambarica inhabits the entire Coastal Forest Belt from South Africa to Kenya, including Malawi. 

It depends on seasonal swampy forest areas and, though not yet threatened, a continuing destruction 

of these forests will result in a decline of this species and further isolation of more populations. 

3.2.4 Gynacantha immaculifrons 

The record of Gynacantha immaculifrons in the Kichi Hills is a big surprise and some time was 

taken to confirm the identification (specimens were compared with the types in the Musée Royal du 

Congo Belge, Tervuren). The species was described by Fraser (1956) from a male and a female 

caught near Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo. No further specimens of this species 

have been caught except the three males and one female obtained during the surveys in the forests 

of the Kichi Hills. These specimens were only found in the least disturbed forest areas around the 

top of the Hills, which have recently been penetrated and largely opened up by a new road towards 

southern hunting sectors in the Selous Game Reserve. Nothing is known about the ecology of this 

species, e.g. where it breeds, but I assume, that it depends on seasonal swampy areas in depressions 

of the Kichi Hills. In respect of the paucity of records of this species, the new locality is very 

exiting. This species will be red listed in due course. 

3.2.5 Thermochoria jeanneli 

Another typical inhabitant and endemic of East African coastal swamp forest is Thermochoria 

jeannelli. Not much is known about the biology of this species, but it seems to have developed 

some unusual reproductive behaviour when compared to the general Libellulidae pattern. In a


coastal swamp forest in South Kenya (Buda Forest) I observed a territorial male in a still dry 

Raphia swamp at the beginning of the rainy season. At the same time Teinobasis and Gynacantha 

were already busy ovipositing in the dry mud. After two weeks, when the swamp was filled with 

water, none of the species was observed to be reproductively active. It might be, that Thermochoria 

oviposits into or onto dry mud like Gynacantha and Teinobasis, which would be the first 

observation of this oviposition pattern in the Libellulidae. 

3.2.6 Coryphagrion grandis 

This is one of the most interesting species of the East African coastal forests, which is the largest 

damselfly of Africa. It was placed for convenience into the Megopodagriidae, but recent 

morphological and genetic studies revealed, that it belongs into the otherwise strictly neotropical 

family Pseudostigmatidae (Clausnitzer & Lindeboom 2002, Groeneveld 2003). Coryphagrion 

grandis shares with its neotropical relatives the giant size, the reproduction in phytotelmata, a slow 

flight and the feeding behaviour (gleaning prey out of spider webs) and belongs genetically in the 

pseudostigmatid clade. This is of high biogeographic significance, since C. grandis is then an 

afrotropical relict of Gondwana (Goldblatt 1993), which was separated from the neotropical 

Pseudostigmatidae about 120 million years ago and remained surprisingly similar to the latter in 

terms of ecology, morphology, genetics and behaviour. The exclusive occurrence of Coryphagrion 

grandis in East Africa and not in West Africa, as one would expect, can be explained with climatic 

stability in Eastern Africa and the changes of forest cover in Africa. The coastal forests of Eastern 

Africa are considered to be partial relicts of the former pan-African tropical forest (Fjeldsa et al. 

1997, Fjeldsa & Lovett 1997). These forests are believed to have been climatically stable during Ice 

Age periods unlike the forests in West Africa, based on estimates of the water temperature of the 

Indian and the Atlantic Ocean. West African Coryphagrion populations may have become extinct 

during colder periods, which resulted in a decline of rain and therefore a decrease of forest cover in 

West and Central Africa (Clarke 2000). Additionally, during colder periods at the equator much of 

tropical Africa may have cooled to below the tolerance levels of tropical stenothermic species, and 

this may have led to random extinctions in the African rain forests (Colinvaux, 1993). Similarly 

Gentry suggests "… that Madagascar is floristically more similar to the Neotropics than tropical 

Africa is" (Gentry 1993), in detail a certain plot in Madagascar shares 40% of plant genera with the 

Neotropics, but only 31% with tropical Africa. 

Now, due to massive destruction of the once continuous coastal forest belt, the remaining 

populations of Coryphagrion grandis are highly isolated. A recent study on the population genetics 

of this species revealed two interesting results: 

�� Climatically instable areas like the Arabuke Sokoke Forest must have been re-colonized more 

recently from more southern populations, where higher elevations guaranteed survival even 

during serious droughts; 

�� Rufiji populations show a higher genetic distance to all other populations (Udzungwa and 

Usambara Mts, Buda and Gongoni Forest, Shimba Hills, Arabuke Sokoke Forest), with low 

intraspecific divergence. 

Surprisingly the Udzungwa Mts population groups with the populations from the Usambara Mts 

and the Kenyan coastal forests, whereas the Rufiji population is highly isolated from more northern 

coastal and the Eastern Arc populations. Though the Udzungwa Mts are further south than Rufiji 

District, the chain of the Eastern Arc Mts must have been an easier stepping stone for 

Coryphagrion grandis towards the north Kenyan populations, then along the coast. The connection 

from the Rufiji populations to the more northern populations has been disrupted longer ago. 

Unfortunately the populations from Kiwengoma and Kichi Hills and from the Udzungwa Mts are 

the most southerly populations known so far, although the author expects population in suitable 

habitats all the way down to at least mid Mozambique. It would be interesting to see, if the cryptic 

speciation observed splits the south coastal populations from the Eastern Arc and north coastal 

populations.


From all forests visited by the author along the East African coast, the ones in Rufiji District, 

namely Kichi Hills had the largest population of Coryphagrion grandis. It might be, that the forests 

in the Rufiji District hold the world’s largest population of these species. 

3.2.7 Hadrothemis scabrifrons 

Hadrothemis scabrifrons reproduces like Coryphagrion grandis in phytotelmata (Clausnitzer 

2002a). This behaviour, which is common in neotropical dragonflies, is only known to occur in 

three African species, Hadrothemis scabrifrons, Coryphagrion grandis and Hadrothemis 

camarensis. The latter being a central and west African rain forest species. Records of Hadrothemis 

scabrifrons from Gabon and Cameroon are unreliable and have not yet been confirmed. At the 

moment this species is only known for sure from the East African Coastal Forest Belt. Though 

Hadrothemis scabrifrons is a forest dependent species, individuals are more likely to cross larger 

open areas than Coryphagrion grandis and Teinobasis alluaudi, and are likely to be less affected by 

habitat isolation than all previous species. 

3.2.8 Ceriagrion mourae 

This species was only known from the single type specimen from Mamunge (Mozambique, 

S19°52'/E34°04') (Pinhey 1969, 1981). In this study it was caught in a seasonal puddle in Miombo 

woodlands (Brachystegia Forest) on the southern slopes of the Kichi Hills, which is quite some 

distance from the type locality. It is assumed that Ceriagrion mourae lives in small seasonal 

puddles in the East African Coastal Brachystegia Forest. More records and data are definitely 

needed.


4 Conclusions 

Dragonfly diversity in Rufiji District is largely a result of the connectivity between different unique 

habitats and the hydrological dynamics. Most species utilise more than one of the different habitats 

during their lifecycle. Three large groups in respect to their ecological requirements can be 

differentiated roughly: 

�� Stream species (found exclusively along the Ruhoi River) 

�� Forest species (found exclusively in one or several of the East African Coastal Forest types) 

�� Ubiquitous open land species (found all over the floodplain in the rainy season and along 

the Rufiji, around the lakes or in the surrounding forest, bush and woodland in the dry 

season). 

4.1 Threatened species 

The species highlighted in Table 2 are of regional and of global importance and require special 

conservation attention. All these species are confined to coastal forests and will be red listed in the 

global Red List by the IUCN in due course. The situation for some of these species is given in some 

more detail in Clausnitzer (2002a, b; 2003a, b, c; & Lindeboom 2002). The high fragmentation of 

coastal forests has resulted in small isolated populations of these forest dragonflies, especially in 

species, which do not cross any open areas, e.g. Teinobasis alluaudi or Coryphagrion grandis. This 

fragmentation of primary habitats and isolation of populations is already reflected in the population 

genetics, as outlined for Coryphagrion grandis. 

4.2 Conservation measures 

The most important step concerning the remaining coastal forest patches is to at least guarantee 

protection for the officially gazetted forest reserves, which is not the case at the moment. The 

coastal forests all along the East African coast, which once formed a belt all along the coast from 

southern Somalia to northern South Africa have faced massive destruction of the last 100 years. 

The forests in Rufiji District are still comparatively large and intact, if compared to other regions, 

but nibbled away at an alarming rate. Daily dozens of charcoal lorries and several timber lorries 

loaded in the Rufiji District pass Kibiti on their way towards Dar es Salaam. The opening of the 

first bridge across the Rufiji River at Ikwiriri at the end of 2002 will put an enormous pressure on 

the forests south of the Rufiji, namely in the Kichi Hills and Kiwengoma. 

The protection of the last remaining forests, especially in the hills adjacent to the floodplain of the 

Rufiji, are also important to provide sufficient water during the dry season for people living in this 

area and to protect the floodplain from catastrophic floods. These forests function as important 

water reservoirs, holding water in the rainy season and releasing water slowly in the dry season. 

4.3 Conservation of East African Coastal Forests in general 

“By conserving Coastal Forests a great part of Africa’s biodiversity will be protected“ (Burgess & 

Clarke 2000, p. 7). Coastal forests are listed as important areas in terms of conservation for East 

Africa (Stuart et al. 1990) and are a major centre of endemism in Africa (Kingdon 1989, Fjeldsa & 

Lovett, 1997). One reason for the very high level of endemism, including neodendemics as well as 

biogeographical relicts in coastal forests and forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains, with which they 

often merge, is their relative climatic and habitat stability (Fjeldsa et al., 1997). Generally, coastal 

forest areas contain many unique species and their protection deserves attention. Because of their 

high biodiversity and high levels of ‘taxa’ endemism they should receive high priority in 

conservation efforts. Once, these coastal forests covered most of the East African coast from north 

Mozambique to south Somalia. Now this belt is reduced to over 250 small to very small separated 

forest patches, often of less than 500 ha in size (Burgess & Clarke, 2000). These small and highly 

fragmented remaining forest patches have an exceptionally high degree of localised endemism, 

differ in structure and species composition due to physical conditions and are extremely vulnerable 

and rapidly being degraded. For example the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and 

Kenya cover an area of 2,000 km² today, which is only 6.7 % of their original extent (Myers et al. 

2000).


Coastal forests of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique are centres of endemism, hardly protected and 

in urgent need of a priority status in conservation measures. Further destruction of the remaining 

coastal forests will threaten a high number of species, including dragonflies, with extinction. 

5 References 

Bridges, C.A., 1994. Catalogue of the family-group, genus-group and species-group names of the Odonata of 

the World. Urbana, Bridges. 

Burgess, N.D. & G.P. Clarke, Eds. 2000. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. Gland, Switzerland & 

Cambridge, UK, IUCN. 

Clarke, G.P., 2000. Climate and climatic history. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. Burgess, N.D.&G.P. 

Clarke. Gland, Switzerland & Cambridge, UK, IUCN: 47-67. 

Clarke, G.P., 2000. Defining the eastern African Coastal Forests. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. Burgess, 

N.D.&G.P. Clarke. Gland, Switzerland & Cambridge, UK, IUCN: 9-26. 

Clausnitzer, V., 2002a. Afrotropical Region: Eastern Africa. IUCN Odonata Specialists Group: Regional 

Report. Gland, Switzerland. 

Clausnitzer, V., 2002b. Reproductive behaviour and ecology in the dendrolimnetic Hadrothemis scabrifrons 

(Odonata: Libellulidae). International Journal of Odonatologogy 5(1): 15-28. 

Clausnitzer, V., 2003a. Dragonfly communities in coastal habitats of Kenya: indication of biotope quality and 

the need of conservation measures. Biodiversity and Conservation 12: 333-356. 

Clausnitzer, V., 2003b. Odonata of African forests. Cimbebasia in press. 

Clausnitzer, V., 2003c. Teinobasis alluaudi Martin, 1896 from mainland Africa. Notes on ecology and 

biogeography. Odonatologica 3: in press. 

Clausnitzer, V. & K.-D. Dijkstra, in prep. The dragonflies of East Africa - An identification key. Annales du 

Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale (Zoologie). 

Clausnitzer, V. & M. Lindeboom, 2002. Natural history and description of the dendrolimnetic larvae of 

Coryphagrion grandis (Odonata). International Journal of Odonatology 5(1): 29-44. 

Fjeldsa, J., D. Ehrlich, E. Lambin & E. Prins, 1997. Are biodiversity "hotspots" correlated with current 

ecoclimatic stability? A pilot study using the NOAA-AVHRR remote sensing data. Biodiversity and 

Conservation 6: 401-422. 

Fjeldsa, J. & J.C. Lovett, 1997. Geographical patterns of old and young species in African forest biota: the 

significance of specific montane areas as evolutionary centres. Biodiversity and Conservation 6: 325-346. 

Fraser, F.C., 1956. Pseudagrion superbum, Gynacantha flavipes and Gynacantha immaculifrons, three new 

species of Odonata from the Belgian Congo. Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines LIV(3-4): 

382-387. 

Gentry, A.H., 1993. Diversity and floristic composition of lowland tropical forest in Africa and South 

America. Biological Relationships between Africa and South America. Goldblatt, P. Dexter, Michigan, 

Yale University: 500-547. 

Goldblatt, P., Ed. 1993. Biological Relationships between Africa and South America. Dexter, Michigan, Yale 

University. 

Groeneveld, L.F., 2003. Molecular approaches to systematics, speciation, and population genetics of four 

African damselfly species. Master Thesis, Biology Departement, University of Hannover: 76. 

Howard, P.C., P. Viskanic, T.R.B. Davenport, F.W. Kigenyi, M. Baltzer, C.J. Dickinson, J.S. Lwanga, F.A. 

Matthews & A. Balmford, 1998. Complementarity and the use of indicator groups for reserve selection in 

Uganda. Nature 394: 472-475. 

Kingdon, J., 1989. Island Africa. Princetown, Princetown University Press: 287. 

Lieftinck, M.A., 1962. Insects of Micronesia. Odonata. Insects of Micronesia 5(1): 1-95. 

Myers, N., R.A. Mittermeier, C.G. Mittermeier, G.A.B.D. Fonseca & J. Kent, 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for 

conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853-858. 

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Southern Rhodesia (B)6(8): 557-631. 

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Pomeroy, D., H. Tushabe & M. Green, 1999. Using biodiversity data to review coverage of Uganda's forests. 

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conservation, management and sustainable use. Gland & Cambridge, IUCN: 242.


10.2 Appendix 2: Galago and nocturnal mammal surveys within the Rufiji 

Environmental Management Project area. 

Survey Report 

Andrew Perkin 

Nocturnal Primate Research Group, 

Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. 

Current address: C/o Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, 

P.O. Box 23410, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 

Email: bwanakomba@yahoo.co.uk 

SUMMARY 

Surveys for galagos and other nocturnal mammals were conducted in the forests of the 

Kichi Hills proposed district forest reserve, Mtanza/Msona proposed village forest 

reserve, Nyamuete forest reserve and Kiwengoma forest reserve. These reserves fall in 

the project area of the Rufiji Environment Management Project (REMP). At least six 

species of galago were recorded in these areas, which reflect the variety of habitats and 

the biodiversity values of the area. Two of the galago species are coastal forest endemics. 

Records of other mammal, reptile and birds species are also presented. General 

observations and discussions with local people highlighted the main threats to the Kichi 

Hills which are; forest clearance for unsustainable agriculture, fire, and logging. The new 

road built from Utete to the Selous Game Reserve was seen as a problem due the full 

clearance of a significant area of forest. It will also lead to increased pressure on the 

forests by attracting more cultivators and by facilitating access to the area for loggers. It 

is recommended that the road be used positively to promote the conservation of the Kichi 

Hills forests, for example by the establishment of a nature trails or the posting of sign 

boards with environmental messages on them. 

Aim 

To conduct surveys for nocturnal mammals particularly galagos in Mtanza/Msona, Kichi Hills, 

Nyamuete and Kiwengoma Forest Reserves and in the bordering woodlands, all being within the 

Rufiji Environmental Management Project (REMP) area. 

Background 

Galago research and taxonomy 

Galagos or bushbabies (super family: Lorisiformes; Sub-family: Galagonidae,), exhibit crypsis 

(lack of visual distinctiveness) and as a result their taxonomy has long been contentious. 

Additionally, they exhibit an extremely wide, continuous distribution across sub–Saharan Africa 

and utilise a multitude of different habitats (including woodlands, forests and wooded 

savannahs). Their inherent crypsis and ecological variation makes the galagos an ideal study 

90


group for the investigation of levels of variability. This study investigates how galagos vary 

according to their vocalizations, habitat requirements, body size and colour, and distribution 

within the forests of East Africa. Samples are also taken to analyse genetic variability. 

The main contentions with galago classification over the years have arisen through missclassification 

of specimens that possess extremely similar gross anatomical features and body 

sizes. Problems of miss-identification relate to shortfalls in certain classical taxonomic 

approaches, such as the use of skeletal measurements and pelage coloration. Such methodologies, 

although utilised in other groups to great effect over the years, yield less than satisfactory results 

within the galagos. For example, pelage coloration can show greater differences within species 

than between them (e.g. the pelage of the thick tailed greater galago, O. crassicaudatus, can be 

grey, black, or brown). Several other disciplines are helping to untangle the taxonomic confusion 

within this group. 

Recent research indicates that the number of galago ‘species’ therefore, may be underestimated 

when the differences in vocalizations, reproductive anatomy and genetics are considered 

(Bearder, Honess and Ambrose, 1995; Kingdon, 1997; Bearder, 1999). A survey conducted in 

South and South West Tanzania (Honess & Bearder, 1996; Honess, 2000) resulted in the 

description of two new species: the Matundu galago, Galagoides udzungwensis and the Rondo 

galago G. rondoensis. It also resulted in the elevation of G. zanzibaricus granti and G. demidoff 

orinus to full species level: G. granti (Grant’s galago), and G. orinus (the mountain galago) 

respectively. The taxonomic validity of G. udzungwensis is currently under review and it is now 

being treated as a synonym of G. zanzibaricus Grubb et al, 2002). 

Galagos in the Rufiji river area 

The forests of Rufiji are part of the East African coastal forests mosaic that are globally 

recognized for their biodiversity importance (Burgess & Clarke, 2000; Myers, 2000) and this is 

being reflected in their galago diversity. 

Figure 1. The Rufiji Environmental Management Project area, showing the main vegetation 

types. The principle study areas south of the R. River were in the Kichi Hills Proposed Forest 

Reserve, Kiwengoma and Nyamwete Forest Reserves and Mtanza/Msona Forest Reserve (just 

west of to Lake Zumbi). 

91


Recent mammal surveys conducted (Howell et al, 2000) in the Kichi Hills indicated the presence 

of Otolemur garnetti, G. zanzibaricus and possibly the Mwera galago sp. nov (Kingdon, 1997). 

By using specialised trapping, audio recording and vocalization recognition techniques it is 

anticipated that further galago identifications can be confirmed. 

The areas of forested or wooded habitats immediately either side of the Rufiji river are important 

localities in terms of galago biogeography, since it has been suggested that the Rufiji and 

Kilombero Rivers mark the species boundary for the Zanzibar galago G. zanzibaricus (to the 

north of the Rufiji River) and Grant’s galago G. granti (to the south of the Rufiji River) (Honess 

& Bearder, 1996; Kingdon, 1997). Therefore, obtaining data from both sides of the Rufiji River 

and, as close to the river as possible is important as far as these two species are concerned. No 

research into the common biogeographical boundaries of G. zanzibaricus and G. granti in the 

Rufiji area has been conducted to date. 

It was also considered that another galago species, the Rondo galago Galagoides rondoensis, may 

be found in the forests of the Matumbi and/or the Kichi hills, and which is of great conservation 

importance. This species was originally thought be endemic to the Rondo plateau forests in SW 

Tanzania but has recently been discovered in Pugu/Kazimzumbwe forest reserves (just W of Dar 

es Salaam) and Zaraninge forest reserve (Bagamoyo district, on the western edge of Sadaani 

Game Reserve) (Perkin, 2000). It is believed to be a relictual conservative species left over from 

previous ‘species invasions’ when, during wetter periods in history, Congolean forests stretched 

across tropical Africa. The Rondo galago therefore seems to have a discrete fragmented 

distribution within the coastal forests, being confined to certain evergreen escarpment forests 

within the Tanzanian coastal forest belt. It was thought that the Matumbi and Kichi Hills forests 

may provide similar biophysical habitat as required by this species. 

O. garnetti is known to occur in a wide variety of moist forest types in East Africa including the 

coastal forests, and agricultural areas where suitable trees occur (Kingdon, 1997). It is 

anticipated that O. garnetti will be found in the forests of the Kichi and Matumbi Hills and the 

riverine forests of the R. Rufiji. In the drier miombo and acacia woodland habitats O. garnetti is 

replaced by O. crassicaudatus. Whilst the taxonomic validity is in question, it is also possible that 

the ‘Mwera dwarf greater galago sp. nov. may occur in the forests of the Matumbi and Kichi hills 

(Kingdon, 1997, Grubb et al. 2002). It was also considered that G. moholi would occur in the 

woodlands to the south of the R. Rufiji and G. senegalensis to the north. 

Methods 

1. Tape recordings 

Galagos can most easily be identified in the field from their vocalizations. The various types of 

calls made (up to 6 loud calls) depend on the behavioural status of the animal. Calls that signify 

the presence of one animal to another are known as advertising calls. Other calls mainly signify 

various states of alarm and possibly curiosity. For the purposes of species identification, the 

advertising calls are of most interest as they are species specific whereas the alarm calls can show 

some degrees of similarity in structure across several species. Tape recordings are made with a 

Sony WM-C6C tape recorder and Senheiser K6-ME66 directional microphone. All galago calls 

are recorded as are calls of owls, hyrax and other mammals recorded. Vocalisation data is 

analysed by a computerised digital sound analyser and compared with a library of calls held at the 

Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, UK, and the British Library of 

Wildlife sounds, the British Library, London. 

92


2. Observations 

Observations are made with the aid of a Petzel head torch with a halogen bulb. This torch picks 

out eye shine that is reflected by nocturnal mammals. Once eye shine is spotted, a four cell 

Maglite torch is used with binoculars (Zeiss DDR 10x50W), to obtain observations of the 

animal(s). Notes are made of the height of the animals in the canopy, support use, general 

behaviour and animal interactions. 

3. Trap data 

Chardonneret traps baited with fruit are used to capture galagos alive and sometimes bat nets are 

used to catch trap shy species. Traps are checked every 4-6 hours, and animals are extracted by 

hand without the need for anaesthesia. Biometric measurements are taken and tissue samples 

(from the ear, using a biopsy punch) are collected for genetic analysis and stored in ethanol. 

4. Population and ecological data 

Night walks are conducted along pre-existing paths where possible to reduce noise and 

disturbance. Galago sightings and/or calls are noted. From this, relative densities are estimated 

by counting the number of galagos encountered over a measured distance. Given a known 

distance from the path within which animals can be counted reliably and the distance sampled, it 

is possible to estimate the number animals within that particular area. This estimate is usually 

very approximate and is biased by such factors as; detection ability, variability in habitat and 

moon phase. Only by intensively trapping and marking (preferably radio tracking) of animals 

from a given known area can density estimates be properly made (Harcourt and Nash, 1986; 

Bearder and Martin, 1979). Encounter rates per hour can also give an indication of relative 

animals densities as well as activity rates under variable weather conditions and moon phases. 

5. Any other data. 

Other data collected opportunistically include; galago hairs, faeces and locating tree holes or nests 

where the animals may live during the daytime. 

Results 

Galagos 

Five species of galago were recorded from the study sites visited (see Table 1). A sixth species, 

suspected to be the Senegal galago was recorded in the Selous game reserve near Sand Rivers 

Safari camp. This observation requires confirmation. 

Table 1. Galago records for the field sites visited south of the Rufiji River. 

Species/Site Kichi Hills FR Nyamuete FR Kiwengoma FR 

Garnett’s Galago 

Present in Present in forest Present in forest 

Otolemur garnetti 

forest 

Large Eared greater galago Not recorded Not recorded Present in Miombo 

Otolemur crassicaudatus 

woodland/ forest edge 

Senegal galago 

Not recorded Not recorded Not recorded 

Galago senegalensis 

Mohol galago 

Galago moholi 

Grant’s Galago 

Galagoides granti 

Zanzibar Galago 

Galagoides zanzibaricus 

Present 

miombo 

woodland 

in Not recorded Not recorded 

Present 

forest 

in Present in forest Present in forest 

Not recorded Not recorded Not recorded 

93


Table 2. Galago records for the field sites visited north of the Rufiji River. 

Species/Site Mtanza/ 

Msona Forest Reserve 

Rufiji Riverine forest 



Present in forest Present in forest 

Large Eared greater galago Heard in surrounding Heard in surrounding 

Otolemur crassicaudatus woodland 

woodland 

Senegal Galago 


Not recorded Not recorded 

Mohol galago 

Galago moholi 


Grant’s galago 



Zanzibar Galago 

Galagoides zanzibaricus 

Present in forest Not recorded 

Vocalization data 

The following calls were recorded or heard (Table 3). Calls shown in brackets are the known 

calls of this species from other localities in Africa but were not heard during this study. 

Table 3 The call types heard of each species detected during this survey. 

Species/Site Advertising call Alarm call 1 Alarm call 2 



Trailing call Cackle Squawks 

Large Eared greater 

galago 

Otolemur 

crassicaudatus 

Cry 

Senegal Galago 


(Honk) 

Mohol galago 

Galago moholi 

(Barks) 

Grant’s galago 


Incremental call Sweep screeches Slow screeches 

Zanzibar Galago Single unit rolling call Yaps and descending Buzzes and yaps 

Galagoides 

zanzibaricus 

screeches 

Records of other Mammals 

Other small-medium sized mammals were recorded in the forested and coastal thicket habitat 

areas (Table 4). More widespread/non-forest dependent large mammal species were recorded in 

the bushland and woodland areas. These were; eland, greater kudu, warthog, buffalo, impala, 

zebra, lion (reported to have been heard from the river banks near the Msona campsite), hippo, 

brown hyena, side-striped jackal and slender mongoose. 

94


Table 4. The mammals recorded in the forested areas surveyed 

SH - seen and/or heard by research team and including evidence from footprints and dung. R - reported to occur by 

local people. NF - species occurring on the forest edge or in surrounding wood or bushland. A - apparently absent, 

neither seen nor heard or reported to occur by local people. 

Species/ 

Survey site 

Black and White Colobus 

Colobus Angolensis 

Blue Monkey 

Cercopithecus mitis 

Four toed elephant Shrew 

Petrodomus tetradactylus 

Black and Rufous elephant 

shrew 

Rhynchocyon petersi 

Zanj sun squirrel 

Heliosciurus undulatus 

Brush-tailed porcupine 

Athrerus africanus 

Giant-pouched rat 

Cricetomys gambianus 

Dog mongoose 

Bdeogale crassicauda 

Gennet 

Genneta sp. 

Leopard 

Panthera pardus 

Ground pangolin 

Manis temmenikii 

Aardvark 

Orycteropus afer 

Elephant 

Loxodonta africana 

Bush pig 

Potamochoerus larvatus 

Bushbuck 

Tragelaphus scriptus 

Bush duiker 

Sylvicarpa grimmia 

Blue duiker 

Cephalophus monticolor 

Red duiker** 

Cephalophus harveyi 

Suni 

Neotragus moschatus 

Mtanza/Msona 

FR and Rufiji 

Kichi Hills Nyamuete FR Kiwengoma 

FR 

FR 

riverine forest 

SH SH A A 

SH SH SH SH 

SH SH SH SH 

SH SH* SH* SH* 

SH SH SH SH 

SH SH SH SH 

A R R R 

SH R SH R 

SH SH SH SH 

R R R R 

SH R R R 

R R A A 

SH SH SH SH 

SH SH SH SH 

SH R R R 

SH A A A 

SH R R R 

SH R R R 

SH R R R 

The Black and Rufous elephant shrews observed differed in colour and patterning between sites 

north and south of the Rufiji River. At Mtanza and Msona Forest Reserve (north of the Rufiji 

river), the Black and Rufous elephant shrews were clearly very rich red in colour on the head and 

shoulder areas and black on the rest of the back as described in Kingdon (1997). In the Kichi 

hills, Nyamuete and Kiwengoma forests this species is much more variable in coloration, with 

some that are generally much darker and others with slight dark chequering patterns on the back. 

The Red Duikers recorded at all sites may not all be Harvey’s red duiker Cephalophus harveyi 

95


with those south of the river probably being the Natal red duiker C. natalensis. Lack of visual 

sittings prevented confirmation of this. 

Other faunal records 

A flapped necked chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis was recorded in the Kichi hills. This is a 

widespread forest species of chameleon. A Werner’s giant chameleon Chamaeleo werneri was 

brought to us by local school children at Nyamuete FR to try and sell it to us. A vine snake which 

was run over, was found on the road between Kibiti and Msona. Several amphispinean blind 

snakes Ionides sp. were also collected in the Kichi Hills and Nyamuete FR which are the first to 

be collected in the region. 

Bird records 

Some bird observations were made opportunistically and are included here only to augment the 

existing bird lists. 

Species/ 

Survey site 

Mtanza/Msona FR 

and Rufiji riverine 

forest and camp site 

Kichi 

Hills FR 

Nyamuete 

FR 

African skimmer x 

Open billed stork x 

Yellow billed stork 

Hamerkop 

x 

Egyptian goose x 

Southern banded snake 

eagle 

x x x 

African fish eagle x 

Crowned eagle 

x x x x 

Stephanoaetus coronatus 

African hobby x 

White headed vulture x 

African harrier hawk x 

Bateleur x x x 

Little African 

sparrowhawk 

x 

Wood sandpiper x 

Greenshank x 

White headed lapwing 

Vallenus albiceps 

x 

Emerald spotted wood 

dove 

x x x x 

African green pigeon x x 

Dusky pigeon 

Crested guinea fowl 

Guttera pucherani 

x x x x 

Brown necked parrot x X 

Lovebirds sp x x 

Blue crested turaco x 

Livingstones turaco 

Tauraco livingstonii 

x x x 

White-browed coucal x 

Kiwengoma 

FR 

96

Species/ 

Survey site 





Kichi 

Hills FR 

Nyamuete 

FR 

Burchell’s coucal x ? ? x 

African Emerald cuckoo x x 

Barred long tailed 

cuckoo 

x 

African wood owl Strix 

woodfordii 

x x x x 

African scops owl x(miombo 

only) 

Montane nightjar 

Caprimulgus 

poliocephalus 

x 

Boehm’s spinetail x 

Palm swift x 

Giant kingfisher x 

Pied kingfisher 

Malachite kingfisher 

x 

Narina’s trogon 

Little bee-eater 

x x x x 

Swallow-tailed bee-eater x 

White-fronted bee-eater x 

Lilac breasted roller x x 

Broad billed roller x 

Green wood-hoopoe x x x x 

Hoopoe x 

Trumpeter hornbill 

Tockus alboterminatus 

x x x x 

Crowned hornbill 

Tockus alboterminatus 

x x x x 

Ground hornbill x 

Moustached green 

tinkerbird Pogoniulus 

leucomystax 

x x 

Golden-tailed 

woodpecker 

x x 

Buff spotted woodpecker X? 

African broadbill x x 

Lesser striped swallow x x 

Black saw-wing X? 

Black cuckoo-shrike x x 

African pied wagtail x 

Common bulbul 

Pycnonotus barbatus 

Placid greenbul 

x x x x 

Yellow bellied greenbul x x x x 

Fisher’s greenbul x 

Nicator x x x 

Kiwengoma 

FR 

97

Species/ 

Survey site 

White starred forest 

robin Pogonocichla 

stellata 





Kichi 

Hills FR 

x 

Nyamuete 

FR 

Red-capped robin chat x x x x 

Yellow throated apalis x x 

Common camaroptera x x x x 

White-eyed slatey x 

flycatcher 

Forest batis x 

East coast batis x x x x 

Paradise monarch x x x x 

Blue mantled crested 

monarch 

x 

Livingstone’s monarch x 

Yellow white-eye x x 

Collared sunbird 

Hedydipna collaris 

x x x x 

Olive sunbird 

Cyanomitra olivacea 

x x x x 

Little purpled banded 

sunbird 

x 

Tropical boubou x x x x 

Sulphur breasted 

bushshrike 

x x 

Retz’s Helmetshrike x x x x 

Black bellied glossy 

starling 

x 

Fork tailed drongo x x x x 

Square tailed drongo x x x 

Dark backed weaver x x x x 

(race kersteni) 

Green-winged ptilia x x 

Common waxbill x 

Discussion 

Galagos: Species distribution/biogeography and taxonomic implications 

Kiwengoma 

FR 

Greater galagos Otolemur spp. 

Consistent with other coastal forest areas of Tanzania and Kenya O. garnetti was found in the 

forested and forest margin habitats. O. crassicaudatus was found in the drier woodland habitats 

indicating that these two species are parapatrically distributed according to their ecological 

niches. Some areas of overlap probably occur along forest margins during nightly foraging, but 

their different behavioural ecologies e.g. distinctive calls, indicate that although the chance for 

cross breeding exists and may even occur occasionally the species remain distinct. 

Small galagos Galago spp. 

98


The galagos Galago senegalensis and possibly G. moholi were observed in the miombo 

woodlands. Perhaps the R. Rufiji splits these two widespread species with G. senegalensis to the 

north and G. moholi confined to the south. In other parts of western Tanzania around the 

Tanzania – Malawi border the two species are thought to occur parapatrically (Nash et al, 1986) 

but with no obvious biogeographical barrier present (like the R. Rufiji) it is not known exactly 

where G. moholi and G. senegalensis meet and/or overlap in Africa. 

Dwarf galagos Galagoides spp. 

It was considered that the R. Rufiji would is the species boundary for G. zanzibaricus and G. 

granti (Honess, 1996). This has been proved to be the case and has implications for galago 

taxonomy. G. granti is considered by some authors to be a sub species of G. zanzibaricus but 

their sympatric distribution and differences in call and morphology would seem support their 

status as full species. The penis morphology of G. granti is different from G. zanzibaricus 

(Honess, 1996; Kingdon, 1997). Also the penis morphology of the animal captured during this 

study is different from the published illustrations (Honess, 1996; Kingdon, 1997), which was 

probably taken from an immature specimen of unconfirmed identity (Bearder per com). In 

Tanzania G. granti has previously been located in the Rondo forests near Mtwara (Honess, 1996) 

and Nambiga forest reserve, Ifakara district on the south side of the Kilombero river. G. granti 

has a wide distribution as it is known to occur southwards into the forests of Mozambique. Its 

ability to occupy a variety of different habitats from coastal transitional woodland, thicket and 

evergreen coastal forests probably accounts for its wide distribution. However it was not found in 

Miombo woodlands. G. rondoensis was not recorded. 

Biodiversity values and conservation 

The coastal forests of Tanzania rank amongst the world's top biodiversity hotspots (Burgess & 

Clarke 2000). South of Utete, the Kichi Hills culminate around 500 m to 600 m asl and still 

contain a few patches of good quality forest. This survey and others (Howell et al, 2000) indicate 

the high biodiversity values of the Kichi Hills forests consistent with those of other remaining 

coastal forest patches. The Kichi Hills forests are more or less connected through dense bushland 

with the more easterly forests reserves of Kiwengoma (500 to 600m asl) and Namakutwa (350 to 

400 m asl), which have already been surveyed and recognized as an important area for 

biodiversity and an important bird area (Burgess and Clarke, 2000). Some of these forests extend 

over the border into Kilwa district but little information on their status is available. Several 

specific issues, which are interrelated, are having an impact on the conservation of the Kichi Hills 

forests. 

1. The recent all weather road built (Figure 1) by the management of the Selous Game 

Reserve (SGR), connecting Utete and the Kingupira entrance point and ranger post of the 

SGR, has been cut directly through the middle of one of the best preserved and least disturbed 

patches of the Kichi hills proposed forest reserve. This road will provide easier access for 

loggers and will attract more cultivators to the area. A freshly cut Mvule, Milicia exelsa, was 

found near the road, this species, like Mninga, Pterocarpus angolensis has become so rare in 

Rufiji District that its exploitation has been banned. The road, having already been built, 

should be used positively to bring forest conservation activities to the area and the adjacent 

communities. 

2. Local communities have traditionally adopted slash and burn shifting agriculture to the area. 

A relatively new development has been the growing of rain fed variety of hill rice. Usually 

one or two hectares of forested land are cleared and then farmed for two to four growing 

seasons until the plot is abandoned when the soil fertility is exhausted. One crop per year is 

harvested at low yields. The new road through the Kichi hills is and will attract more people 

to the area to farm. Addressing this issue is an immediate priority. 

99


Figure 1. The road from Utete to Kingupira which cuts through the Kichi Hills is having 

a negative impact on the forest 

Conclusions 

Biological: 

1. The galagos Galagoides granti, G. zanzibaricus and Otolemur garnetti are forest 

dependent species and are thus directly affected by forest degradation and clearance. The 

findings of this survey support the taxonomic status of G. zanzibaricus and G. granti as 

distinct species. The coastal forest endemic species G. rondoensis was not found. The 

galago species Galago senegalensis, G. moholi and Otolemur crassicaudatus occur in the 

miombo woodlands and so are widespread and non threatened species. 

2. The Kichi hills are an important area for biodiversity, and should be considered as 

biologically linked together with the SGR, and the Rufiji river catchment area. 

Conservation: 

1. The Kichi hills proposed forest reserve is threatened by clearance from unsustainable rice 

cultivation and logging, further exacerbated by the new Utete to Kingupira road. Socio 

economic surveys are required to assess the potential impacts the road through the Kichi 

hills. 

2. Further biodiversity surveys are required to comprehensively cover the area particularly 

bird surveys. 

3. Proposed conservation activities in the Kichi Hills by WWF must be implemented and/or 

linked with other projects in the area such as REMP. The status of the Kichi Hills 

proposed district forest reserve should be elevated to national level forest reserve status. 

Nature trails could be established but it is unlikely that there would be high user demand. 

Notices posted in the area to broadcast informative environmental messages to road users 

and local people may also be useful. 

Acknowledgments 

I would like to thank the REMP project staff for all their assistance during the field work. I also 

thank COSTEC for providing research permission. 

100


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