As far as biodiversity ‘hot spots’ go, it’s hard to beat Madagascar, a medium sized island off the southeast coast of Africa. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), from 1999 to 2010 some 615 new species have been discovered on the subtropical island. That list of new species is comprised of 42 invertebrates, 61 reptiles, 69 amphibians, 17 fish, 385 plants, and 41 mammals. Biologists believe that the island nation’s quite ancient, geologic isolation from the mainland of Africa and the more recent separation from the Indian section of the crustal plate (about 80 mya) set the stage for its uniquely evolved biodiversity.