The Eastern Arc Mountains of southeastern Kenya and Tanzania hold a rich and unique biodiversity. The most celebrated of these mountains are the East and West Usambaras. Although these massifs have been the subjects of biological study for over a century, little is known about the shrews, bats, and rodents occurring in the montane forests. Using pitfall buckets, small mammal traps, and mist-nets, between 1991 and 1993, we surveyed the small mammals in the Amani area in the East Usambara and Ambangulu area in the West Usambara to document the natural history of the local fauna. These surveys were conducted during the dry season annually between early July and early September.

In this chapter, we outline the study sites, methodologies, capture rates, and other trapping details. A total of 18,563 sample-nights was accrued over the three-year study, and on these two massifs, we documented 12 crocidurine shrew, one macroscelidid elephant shrew, 19 bat, and 14 rodent species. Species accumulation curves suggest that additional trapping effort may be required in the East Usambara Mountains to have a more complete view of the local small mammal fauna. There was no significant difference in the number of individuals captured or measures of species diversity in the pitfall and trap lines that were installed in the same location during the course of this study, suggesting that repeated sampling did not negatively affect the small mammal fauna of the study areas.

Field surveys conducted in the montane forests of the East and West Usambara Mountains between 1991 and 1993 provide data on the species of shrews (Family Soricidae, Subfamily Crocidurinae) and elephant shrews (Family Macroscelididae). In total, 11 species of crocidurine shrew and one elephant shrew were documented on the Usambara Mountains, which include 10 shrew and one elephant shrew species for the East Usambara, and six species of shrew and one elephant shrew in the West Usambara. Information is presented on the captured animals regarding their natural history, distribution, ecology, and reproduction, as well as external and cranio-dental measurements. Species richness and different levels of endemism between the insectivorous small mammal faunas of tropical Africa and Madagascar are compared.

Whereas the terrestrial mammal fauna of the East and West Usambara Mountains have been the subject of numerous investigations, the local bat fauna remains poorly documented, as is the case for bats of the South Pare Mountains. During mammal surveys of these three massifs, we used mist nets to collect local bats, documenting 20 bat species in total.

In the Usambara Mountains, 161 individual bats representing 19 species were documented during the three years of the survey between 1991 and 1993. In the East and West Usambara Mountains, 17 and 12 species, respectively, were recorded. Most animals were taken in net sets placed outside or at the edge of forested habitats. In the South Pare Mountains, 67 bats representing six species were collected during the two surveys, including 62 bats of six species at 1100 m (surveyed 17–29 July 1993) and five bats representing three species at 2000 m (surveyed 19–28 August 2004). Based on our morphological studies, no evidence of undescribed taxa in these collections exists.

Species common across all three massifs include two pteropodids (Epomophorus wahlbergi and Lissonycteris angolensis), one rhinolophid (Rhinolophus clivosus), and one vespertilionid (Neoromicia capensis). Taxa only captured on a single massif include Rousettus lanosus and Rhinolophus simulator (South Pare, 10% of total captures), Myonycteris relicta and Nycteris thebaica (West Usambara, 10% of total captures), and Rousettus aegyptiacus, Rhinolophus deckenii, R. fumigatus, R. swinnyi, Nycteris grandis, Myotis bocagei, and Scotophilus viridis (East Usambara, 35% of total captures).

Comparisons of capture rates and species richness between these three montane sites to more lowland forest sites indicate a notable reduction in species richness and density with increasing elevation. Our preliminary surveys are at best rough estimates of patterns of species diversity and richness in the montane portions of these massifs; more fieldwork and associated taxonomic work are clearly needed to have more in-depth knowledge of the local bat fauna.

During three field seasons between 1991 and 1993, we carried out rodent inventories of the East and West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. The general trapping protocol used involved both pitfall lines and trap lines (Sherman, Victor, and Museum Special traps), with a limited number of animals trapped within and outside of forest habitats by local people. A total of 885 individual rodents, representing 15 species, were collected during this study. For the East and West Usambara Mountains, 13 (12 native) and 12 (all native) rodent species were recorded, respectively. Most rodents were captured by trap lines (96.6%); a few individuals were captured in the pitfall devices or brought to us by local people. The major exception is that all individuals of Dendromus (n  =  11) obtained during the survey were in pitfall buckets.

A total of 18,563 sample-nights were accrued over the three years, including 11,339 sample-nights (3314 pitfall-nights and 8025 trap-nights) in the East Usambara and 7224 sample-nights (1924 pitfall-nights and 5300 trap-nights) in the West Usambara Mountains. Based on species accumulation curves, no previously unrecorded species was trapped after 11,064 sample-nights in the East Usambara and after 5213 sample-nights in the West Usambara. However, a previously untrapped rodent (Graphiurus kelleni) was captured in the East Usambara on the third-to-last of 59 sampling days, suggesting that other non-canopy–restricted rodent species may have been missed during this survey. In a series of species accounts, information regarding the natural history of the different taxa handled during these surveys, including distribution, ecology, and condition of sexual organs, a list of referable specimens, and the trap devices that collected them, are presented.

Trap and bucket lines combine to effectively sample most small- to medium-sized rodents. However, larger scansorial and canopy-restricted (squirrel) and fossorial (mole rat) species were not captured with our trapping methods, and these tabulations should not be considered a complete list of the small mammals of the Usambaras.

As part of a larger survey of flora and fauna of Malundwe, funded by Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund, amphibians were collected on three separate surveys of this mountain between 2004 and 2007. These surveys constitute the first surveys for amphibians in this part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, a global biodiversity hotspot. Samples from these surveys revealed an amphibian fauna with links to the rest of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Only relatively few species were found during these surveys, probably due to a small cumulative sampling effort, lack of a permanent water source, and the very small size of this forest fragment. The amphibian fauna of Malundwe shares an affinity with the Uluguru Mountains, both in terms of species composition of each mountain block and genetic proximity for species with available population level data. I describe the species and associated microhabitat from the available voucher specimens resulting from the Malundwe surveys.

We present data on the altitudinal distribution of amphibians on the western slopes of Uluguru South Mountains, Tanzania. These mountains form part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, which are known for their biodiversity richness. We used drift fences with pitfall buckets, plots, and audio-visual survey methods. A total of 21 species was found during the survey. Four species previously reported in the Uluguru South Mountains were not found during the present survey. Generally, the number of species was highest at lower altitudes and decreased with increased altitude. Species similarity index showed that the study sites adjacent to each other had greater similarity in amphibian species composition than did sites distant from each other. The Uluguru Mountains are characterized by altitudinal variation in vegetation types and climatic factors such as temperature and rainfall, which may affect the distribution of amphibians on the mountain.

Amphibians of the Eastern Arc Mountains are poorly known, apart from those of the East Usambara, Uluguru, and Udzungwa Mountains. Here, we detail specimens collected in the northwestern Eastern Arc Mountains (West Usambara, South Pare, and North Pare) over the past 100 years. Although not comprehensive, the list is compiled from specimens held at institutions in Europe and the United States and in personal collections; it includes most of the specimens known from this area. From these specimens, we describe one new species of the frog genus Arthroleptis and discuss other specimens that may represent new species. We add substantially to the known diversity in these areas. Using the compiled species list, we assess species diversity and relate the differences to sampling bias and possible biogeographic differences among the mountains. The future preservation of amphibians across this area is of concern given the increasing loss of forest.

The Mahenge Mountains are located in the Eastern Arc Mountains, part of a global biodiversity hotspot. Few amphibian and reptile surveys have been conducted in this area, with only one study of the submontane forest zone. This previous study revealed a characteristic endemic Eastern Arc amphibian and reptile forest fauna. New studies outlined here extend the sampling time considerably and the geographical coverage (including Mselezi Forest Reserve). These studies reveal a remarkable diversity of amphibians and reptiles increasing known faunal diversity considerably, including several putative new species that await further taxonomic verification. Biogeographical analyses using Bray-Curtis indices show Mahenge clusters with the geographically close Udzungwa Mountains and Southern Highlands (non–Eastern Arc highland fragment including Mt. Rungwe). This clustering of areas suggests an interesting biogeographical history and deserves special attention in the future. In light of the remarkable amphibian and reptile diversity, conservation of Mahenge habitats, in particular Sali Forest Reserve, is desperately required.

Two large forest Phrynobatrachus (male, snout–urostyle length 42.2 mm; subadult, snout–urostyle length 27.4 mm) were collected from the Mahale Mountains in Tanzania, exhibiting a large tympanum (55%–76% of the eye diameter), large digital discs, and a bright yellow throat in males. A comparison of these two individuals with all described Phyrnobatrachus species was made, and they were found to fit the description of P. sulfureogularis, a poorly known species only known from the type locality in Burundi. This new population represents a substantial southern range extension or potentially a similar, yet undescribed species.