Research trends in Coquerel’s sifaka (Propithecus coquereli): A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Abstract The Coquerel's sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) is one of the most critically endangered and least studied nonhuman primates in the world. Through a bibliometric analysis of the literature over the past 40-year period, this research aims to provide an investigation into the study of P. coquereli in terms of the research topics/issues investigated. Information on a series of variables (author, title, keywords, etc) was extracted after conducting an analysis of 89 articles, published in peer-reviewed journals between 1978–2022. The findings suggest that behavior, evolution, diversity, and conservation are the main topics of publications, which follows the general trends in ecology. In addition, the popularity of research on P. coquereli increased around 2005, coinciding with the release of the American computer-animated comedy, Madagascar, the island nation's classification as a megadiversity country, and the declaration that P. coquereli is not a subspecies of P. verreauxi. Further, a literature gap was identified that requires more exploration in the context of P. coquereli research: the effects of climate change on habitat disturbance, genetic diversity, and mortality. The compounded effects of habitat destruction and climate change exacerbate the devastating impacts on biodiversity loss and consequences to Madagascar’s wildlife, which is why it is especially important to study sifakas in the western dry deciduous forests.