Three new species of the Oriental bolboceratine genus Bolbochromus Boucomont 1909, Bolbochromus minutus Li and Krikken, sp. n. (Thailand), Bolbochromus nomurai Li and Krikken, sp. n. (Vietnam), and Bolbochromus malayensis Li and Krikken, sp. n. (Malaysia), are described from continental Southeast Asia with diagnoses, distributions, remarks and illustrations. The genus is discussed with emphasis on continental Southeast Asia. A key to species known from Indochina and Malay Penisula is presented. An annotated checklist of Bolbochromus species is presented.
We present a comprehensive checklist of scleractinian (hard) corals for the Mersing Islands, Malaysia based on surveys conducted at 24 reefs across protected and unprotected marine areas. A total of 261 species of corals from 16 families and one incertae sedis (Pachyseris spp.) were recorded, along with ten records that are new for the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Compared against the IUCN Red List, 46.7% of coral species found in the Mersing Islands were of Least Concern (LC), 29.5% as Near Threatened (NT) and 16.4% Vulnerable (V). Only one recorded species, Pectiniamaxima (Moll & Best, 1984), was listed as Endangered (EN). Baseline species diversity data are essential for the monitoring and management of marine biodiversity, especially within marine protected areas. With both protected and unprotected coral reef areas in the vicinity of the widely scattered Mersing Islands, the diversity and distribution of coral species can be used as the basis for area-based conservation and management strategies. The diversity and abundance of scleractinian corals of each island or area should be surveyed periodically to ensure the appropriate level of protection is afforded to retain scleractinian biodiversity in this region.
Sabah, Malaysia, is well known for its extensive and diverse coral reefs. It is located on the northwestern edge of the Coral Triangle, the region with the highest marine biodiversity. Much of the marine fauna here is still unknown, especially inconspicuous animals, such as small stoloniferous octocorals, which are common on coral reefs. Here, we describe two new monospecific genera of the family Arulidae found off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia; Bunga payung gen. nov. et sp. nov. and Laeta waheedae gen. nov. et sp. nov. As well, the stoloniferan genus Phenganax Alderslade & McFadden, 2011 belonging to the family Clavulariidae is expanded with three new species, P. marumi sp. nov., P. subtilis sp. nov., and P. stokvisi sp. nov., which are all sclerite-free. Additionally, we report a possibly undescribed species, closely related to the clavulariid genera Azoriella Lopez-Gonzalez & Gili, 2001 and Cervera Lopez-Gonzalez et al., 1995. As this and other recent studies have shown, discoveries of small stoloniferous octocorals are helping to fill gaps in our knowledge of the overall systematics of Octocorallia.
A taxonomic description of all castes of Colobopsis explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. from Borneo, Thailand, and Malaysia is provided, which serves as a model species for biological studies on "exploding ants" in Southeast Asia. The new species is a member of the Colobopsis cylindrica (COCY) group and falls into a species complex that has been repeatedly summarized under the name Colobopsis saundersi (Emery, 1889) (formerly Camponotus saundersi). The COCY species group is known under its vernacular name "exploding ants" for a unique behaviour: during territorial combat, workers of some species sacrifice themselves by rupturing their gaster and releasing sticky and irritant contents of their hypertrophied mandibular gland reservoirs to kill or repel rivals. This study includes first illustrations and morphometric characterizations of males of the COCY group: Colobopsis explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. and Colobopsis badia (Smith, 1857). Characters of male genitalia and external morphology are compared with other selected taxa of Camponotini. Preliminary notes on the biology of C. explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. are provided. To fix the species identity of the closely related C. badia, a lectotype from Singapore is designated. The following taxonomic changes within the C. saundersi complex are proposed: Colobopsis solenobia (Menozzi, 1926), syn. n. and Colobopsis trieterica (Menozzi, 1926), syn. n. are synonymized with Colobopsis corallina Roger, 1863, a common endemic species of the Philippines. Colobopsis saginata Stitz, 1925, stat. n., hitherto a subspecies of C. badia, is raised to species level.
A new species of the genus Cheleion Vårdal & Forshage, 2010, Cheleion jendeki sp. n., from Johor, Malaysia is described, illustrated and compared with the type species of the genus, Cheleion malayanum Vårdal & Forshage, 2010. Photographs of the two species are presented. The adaptation to inquilinous lifestyle of Cheleion is compared with those in other beetle groups and briefly discussed.
Three new species of the family Rotundabaloghiidae are discovered and described from Sabah, Malaysia. The unusual Angulobaloghiarutra sp. n. differs from the other known Angulobaloghia Hirschmann, 1979 species in the long anterior process of the female's genital shield. Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia) tobiasisp. n. has very long and apically pilose dorsal setae and two pairs of bulbiform setae, which are unique in the subgenus Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia) Hirschmann, 1975. The long, serrate and curved setae in the big ventral cavity of Depressorotunda (Depressorotunda) serratasp. n. is a so far unknown character in the subgenus Depressorotunda (Depressorotunda) Kontschán, 2010.
Ancyronyx lianlabangorumsp. nov. (Coleoptera, Elmidae), a new spider riffle beetle from the Kelabit Highlands (Sarawak, northern Borneo), is described. Illustrations of the habitus and diagnostic characters of the new species and the similar, polymorphic A. pulcherrimus Kodada et al. are presented. Differences to closely related species, based on COI nucleotide sequences and morphological characters, are discussed. Ancyronyx pulcherrimus is here recorded from Sarawak for the first time, based on DNA barcoding.
Ancyronyx clisterisp. nov. (Coleoptera, Elmidae) a new spider riffle beetle discovered from northern Borneo (Brunei; Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia) and the larva of Ancyronyx sarawacensis Jäch are described. Illustrations of the habitus and diagnostic characters of the new species and the similar and highly variable A. sarawacensis are presented. Differences to closely related species, based on DNA barcodes and morphological characters, are discussed. Association of the larva and the imago of A. sarawacensis, and the occurrence of Ancyronyx procerus Jäch in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah are confirmed by using COI mtDNA sequences.
The south Asian amisegine genus Atoposega Krombein, 1957, is reevaluated. Three new species, A. rufithorax, A. striata and A. thailandica are described from Thailand and the previously described species, A. lineata (Krombein, 1957) from Borneo, A. rieki (Krombein, 1957) from Myanmar and A. simulans Kimsey, 1986 from Malaysia are redescribed. The species, A. decorata Kimsey, 1995, was found to lack the generic characters diagnostic for Atoposega. Atoposega is only known from females.
The Bornean hydrocenids have so far been understudied compared to other non-pulmonate snails in this region. In the present study, we review a first group of minute land snail species belonging to the genus Georissa (Gastropoda, Hydrocenidae) from Malaysian Borneo. This group is restricted to the species with conspicuous scale-like sculpture on the shell. Based on materials from recent fieldwork, museums, and personal collections, Malaysian Borneo hydrocenids are more complex and diverse in shell characters than previously anticipated. Here, a molecular, conchological, and biogeographic study of this "scaly group" is presented. We recognise 13 species of which six are new to science, namely Georissa anyiensissp. n., Georissa muluensissp. n., Georissa bauensissp. n., Georissa silaburensissp. n., Georissa kinabatanganensissp. n., and Georissa sepulutensissp. n.
The subgenus Dudaica Strand of the genus Drosophila Fallén has been known to comprise only two species: Drosophila (Dudaica) senilis Duda, 1926 (recorded from Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bhutan, and India) and D.malayana (Takada, 1976) (recorded from Malaysia). In the present study, this subgenus is revised, with D.malayana redescribed and six new species discovered and described from China, Malaysia, and Indonesia: gracilipalpis Katoh & Gao, sp. n., puberula Katoh & Gao, sp. n., albipalpis Katoh, Toda & Gao, sp. n., qiongzhouensis Katoh & Gao, sp. n., orthophallata Katoh, Toda & Gao, sp. n., and dissimilis Katoh & Gao, sp. n. Both morphological and molecular data (DNA barcodes) are used to distinguish the above species. A key to species of this subgenus is provided.
For the first time in 21 years, a new genus of cardiochiline braconid wasp, Orientocardiochiles Kang & Long, gen. nov. (type species Orientocardiochiles joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov.), is discovered and described. This genus represents the ninth genus in the Oriental region. Two new species (O. joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov. and O. nigrofasciatus Long, sp. nov.) are described and illustrated, and a key to species of the genus, with detailed images, is added. Diagnostic characters of the new genus are analyzed and compared with several other cardiochiline genera to allow the genus to key out properly using an existing generic treatment. The scientific names validated by this paper and morphological data obtained from this project will be utilized and tested in the upcoming genus-level revision of the subfamily based on combined morphological and molecular data.
Coptotermocola clavicornisgen. & sp. n. and Neotermitosocius bolivianusgen. & sp. n. of the termite inquilinous tribe Termitohospitini are described from peninsular Malaysia and Bolivia, respectively. The Termitohospitini are most readily diagnosable by the distally migrated anterior tentorial pits that are no longer associated with the antennal fossae, and by the enlarged vertex which obscures the antennal fossae dorsally. Additionally, the Termitohospitini are hypothesized to share a recent common ancestor with the Masuriini and Myllaenini due to shared derived morphologies of the lacinia distal teeth with lateral cuticular processes, presence of a unique maxillary palpomere III sensilla, and anterolateral angles of mentum produced. Habitus photographs and illustrations of diagnostic features are provided for the two new genera in order to facilitate future work.
Euborellia (Anisolabididae: Anisolabidinae) is one of the most speciose genera of earwigs (Dermaptera), and its species-level classification is difficult. To settle the classification of brachypterous species with abbreviated tegmina recorded from East and Southeast Asia, we examined the morphology and reproductive isolation of three tentative Euborellia species, and analyzed the DNA barcoding region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The observed complete reproductive isolation among the three Euborellia taxa and considerable differentiation in the COI sequences clearly show that each should be treated as a separate species. Based on morphology, distribution and the DNA sequence, we identify Euborellia sp. 1 of Malaysia as E.annulata (Fabricius), a circumtropical cosmopolitan with no records of a fully winged form. Samples from Ioto Island (= Iwo-jima Island: Ogasawara Islands, southern Japan) were also identified as this species. Euborellia sp. 3, from the main islands of Japan, was generally larger and lacked a Y-shaped pigmented area on the penis lobe, which is characteristic of Euborellia sp. 1. We propose reinstating E.pallipes (Shiraki) as the oldest name for this taxon. Euborellia sp. 2, even the brachypterous form, can be distinguished from these two species by its paler coloration (particularly the femora), ecarinate post-abdomen, and the shape of the male genitalia (parameres). We tentatively identify this species as E.philippinensis Srivastava based on the morphology of the brachypterous form, although the macropterous form cannot be distinguished from E.femoralis (Dohrn).
Material collected between 2010 and 2014 on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Bali, Sumba, Sumbawa, Sulawesi, and Seram unveiled the enormous diversity of Labiobaetis Novikova & Kluge in this country. Five species were reported from Indonesia previously (L. fulmeki (Ulmer), L. obscurum (Ulmer), L. necopinatum (Müller-Liebenau), L. ulmeri (Müller-Liebenau), and L. boettgeri (Ulmer)); all were described from adults only and no species were previously known at larval stage. We identified 18 new species by integrative taxonomy using genetic distance (COI, Kimura-2-parameter) and morphology, and they are described and illustrated based on their larvae. Another species, L. multus (Müller-Liebenau) from Malaysia, was also found in Indonesia, increasing the total number of species in Indonesia to 24. Seven morpho-groups of species are proposed based on morphological characters and a key to the larvae of all species from Indonesia and adjacent countries is provided. The total number of Labiobaetis species worldwide is augmented to 123. The examination of the new species allowed us to slightly modify the generic attributes of the larvae. The interspecific K2P distances are usually between 11% and 24%, the intraspecific distances are usually between 0% and 3%. The remarkable richness of the genus in Indonesia is discussed.
Material collected between 2000 and 2014 on the island Borneo, including the Indonesian province of Kalimantan, the Malaysian province of Sabah and Brunei Darussalam, substantially increased our knowledge of Labiobaetis on this island. The total number of Labiobaetis species in Borneo increased to five, as only one species, L. borneoensis (Müller-Liebenau, 1984), was previously reported. Three new species were identified by morphology and partly by using genetic distance (COI, Kimura 2-parameter). They are described and illustrated based on their larvae (Labiobaetis bakerae sp. nov., L. penan sp. nov. and L. dayakorum sp. nov.); in one case, the imago is described as well. New reports of L. borneoensis are presented and the imago of this species is described for the first time. Labiobaetis moriharai (Müller-Liebenau, 1984), originally described from mainland Malaysia (Province Selangor), is reported from Borneo for the first time. The interspecific K2P distances in Borneo are between 19% and 25%, the intraspecific distances are usually between 0% and 1%. The total number of Labiobaetis species worldwide is augmented to 126.
A reinvestigation of type and other material of Baetisjavanicus Ulmer, 1913 and Baetissabahensis Müller-Liebenau, 1984, together with new material from Southeast Asia revealed a new genus, Branchiobaetis gen. nov. The above species are formally assigned to the new genus Branchiobaetis gen. nov. It is characterized by the presence of accessory gills ventrally near fore coxa and at the base of maxillae, a peculiar folding of the gonostyli developing under the cuticle of last instar male larvae, together with a unique combination of other larval characters. Besides the two formerly described species, five new species are identified using a combination of morphology and molecular characters (COI, Kimura 2-parameter distances), four species from Sumatra and one from the Philippines. They are described and illustrated at the larval stage. Additionally, a complementary description of larva and adult stages of the generic type species B.javanicus comb. nov. as well as the first description of the eggs are provided. Furthermore, new reports of B.javanicus comb. nov. and B.sabahensis comb. nov. are indicated. The distribution of Branchiobaetis gen. nov. includes the Indonesian Sunda Islands, Borneo, and the Philippines. A key to the larval stage of all species is provided.
Cheleionwatanabeisp. n. is described from Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia and represents the third species of the genus Cheleion Vårdal & Forshage, 2010 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae, Stereomerini). A description of the previously unknown male of C.jendeki Král & Hájek, 2015, and a key to the species of the genus Cheleion are also provided.
Recent studies suggested that accurate species identification in the tropical anguillid eels based on morphological examination requires confirmation by molecular genetic analysis. Previous studies found that two tropical anguillid eels, Anguilla bicolor bicolor and A. bengalensis bengalensis, were found in peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) based on morphological and molecular genetic analyses. This study is the first record of A. marmorata in peninsular Malaysia confirmed by both morphological and molecular genetic analyses. The present study also suggests that accurate tropical eel species identification is difficult by morphological identification alone; therefore, molecular genetic analysis is needed for precise species confirmation.
Six new species of Agrilus Curtis, 1825 with affinities to the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888, are described from the Oriental Region: Agrilus crepuscularissp. n. (Malaysia); Agrilus pseudolubopetrisp. n. (Laos); Agrilus sapphirinussp. n.(Laos); Agrilus seramensissp. n.(Indonesia); Agrilus spineussp. n. (Malaysia); and Agrilus tomentipennissp. n. (Laos). The genus Sarawakita Obenberger, 1924 syn. nov. is considered a junior synonym of Agrilus.