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Paul Serge Mbenoun Massé

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (2): 0275-0291

    Paul Serge Mbenoun Massé
    An annotated checklist of the Millipedes (Myriapoda Diplopoda) of Cameroon, with several new species and distribution records
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.2.275.291

    ABSTRACT
    An annotated checklist of the Millipedes hitherto documented from Cameroon is provided after 128 years, based both on old and recent records. A total of 106 species in 5 orders, 15 families and 41 genera are known yet from Cameroon. This class of Myriapoda is very rich, with more than 70% of the species being likely to be endemic to the country. Twenty-three new distribution records and 31 new species recently described are also provided. Although the present list is provisional and insufficient, it aims to offer a basis for further studies on Cameroonian millipede fauna.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 12 (1): 0179-0194

    Paul Serge Mbenoun Massé, G.L. Mendoua Ebolo, G. Ebangue Titti & R. Mony
    Ant species richness, abundance and functional groups along an elevation gradient in Central Cameroon
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2021.12.1.179.194

    ABSTRACT
    Of all leaf litter-dwelling arthropods, ants are highly diverse, abundant, easy to sample, and thought to be sensitive to environmental changes. In central Africa, ant diversity patterns along the elevational gradients are poorly studied compared to latitudinal gradients. In this study, we evaluated the species richness, abundance and functional groups at Mount Eloundem. Ants were surveyed by pitfall trapping, baiting, Winkler extraction and quadrat sampling from September 2018 to April 2019. A total of 151 morphospecies in 9 sub-families and 42 genera were recorded from all four elevations. Twenty percent of identified species were found to be endemic to the study region while 80% have been introduced to the fauna of Cameroon. The army ant, Dorylus (Anomma) nigricans, was the most abundant ant species (51.46%). Ant richness and abundance were highest at both lower (800 and 900 m) and higher elevational bands (1000 and 1150 m) and lowest at moderate elevational bands (900 and 1000 m). Higher similarity of ant species among elevations indicated low species turnover. Six functional groups were found at different elevations, with the “Opportunists’’ being the most abundant group. Our findings demonstrate the predominance of opportunist, non-native or tramp species and a decline in native ant species along the elevational gradients. This study suggests that the loss of native habitat facilitate the establishment of tramp species, and might lead to homogenisation in ant community composition and functional groups. These results also have implications for management of the low altitude mountains in Central Africa.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 11 (3): 671-678

    Paul Serge Mbenoun Massé & Samuel Didier Makon
    An updated checklist of the Centipedes (Myriapoda Chilopoda) of Cameroon, with new distribution records
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2020.11.3.671.678

    ABSTRACT
    A checklist of Centipedes (Chilopoda) for Cameroon with updated nomenclature of old records and recent additional records from Cameroon’s fauna is provided. The provisional list reveals nine endemic species (39%), four new distribution records, and includes four species that were previously omitted, thereby leading to a modest extension of the list from 19 to 23 species. Several unidentified or doubtful species no longer recognized from the African continent are excluded from the list.