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.
The taxonomy and geographic distributions of species of crab-eating frogs (Fejervarya cancrivora complex) in mainland Southeast Asia have been highly uncertain. Three taxonomic names are used in recent literature (F. cancrivora, F. raja, and F. moodiei) but the applications of these names to localities has been inconsistent, especially owing to the lack of available molecular data for F. raja. Morphometric and mitochondrial DNA variation was examined in these frogs, including name-bearing types and topotypes of all three species. Findings corroborate evidence for the existence of two species in coastal mainland Southeast Asia, with F. moodiei having a wide geographic distribution and F. cancrivora sensu stricto occurring only in extreme southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia. Fejervarya raja is shown to be only a large-bodied population of F. cancrivora sensu stricto and is synonymized with that species. Revised descriptions of F. moodiei and F. cancrivora sensu stricto are provided.
The exploration of unsurveyed areas in southern Thailand discovered two new karst-adapted species, Cyrtodactylussungaiupesp. nov. and Cyrtodactyluswangkhramensissp. nov., from Thung Wa and La-ngu Districts, Satun Province, respectively. These new species are members of the C.pulchellus group that occur along the Thai-Malay Peninsula. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by their key morphological characters and genetic divergence. Morphologically, Cyrtodactylussungaiupesp. nov. and Cyrtodactyluswangkhramensissp. nov. can be diagnosed from other members by having a combination of differences in body size; degree of dorsal tuberculation; absence of tubercles on ventral surfaces; number of ventral scales, paravertebral tubercles and femoroprecloacal pores in males only; deep precloacal groove only in males; absence of a scattered pattern of white dorsal tubercles; number of dark body bands; and the extent of caudal tubercles on an original tail. Although the two species are sister taxa and have nearly identical morphologies, they are considered to be different species, based on a relatively high uncorrected pairwise genetic divergence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene (6.59-6.89%), statistically significant univariate and multivariate morphological differences (PERMANOVA and ANOVA) and diagnostic characteristics of caudal tuberculation on the original tail. Moreover, Cyrtodactylussungaiupesp. nov. and Cyrtodactyluswangkhramensissp. nov. are currently restricted to their karstic type localities which may serve as a geographic barrier to dispersal and gene flow.
Five specimens of Epinephelusepistictus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) were collected from a major landing site located on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia during a fish faunal survey on 23 August 2017. The present study extends the distribution range of E.epistictus southwards from Andaman Sea to the Strait of Malacca. Species identification was confirmed by colour pattern and DNA barcoding (567 bp of cytochrome C oxidase I) of all E.epistictus specimens and nine closely related Epinephelus species. The interspecies genetic distance ranged from 0.002-0.245. This study also presents, for the first time for Malaysia, data on length-weight relationships and otolith measurements. It contributes to a better understanding of taxonomy, and phylogenetic and genetic diversity of E.epistictus.
A herpetofaunal inventory was conducted on Bidong Island, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. It incorporates data from a recent herpetological survey conducted from 1 to 3 April 2019 with reptile records from previous publications. Specimens were collected with drift-fenced pitfall traps and taxa were recorded with visual encounter surveys (VES). In total, 18 species of reptiles and amphibians were recorded, including three species of frogs, 12 species of lizards, and three species of snakes. Six species from the present survey are new records for the island.
Amphibians of Sekayu lowland forest have been studied more than a decade, with discoveries of new records of species showing no sign of abating between the years 2003 to 2020, indicating the remarkably rich diversity of anurans in this forest. Despite ceaseless anthropogenic activities in this area, this study successfully recorded 52 species of amphibians from 32 genera in the lowland forest of Sekayu. The species composition consisted of a single species from the family Ichthyophiidae and 51 species of anurans of 31 genera and six families. The number of species recorded has steadily increased especially during more recent surveys from 2015 to 2020. This study augments the total number of amphibian species recorded from Hulu Terengganu by ten additional species, increasing the total to 70 species for the district.
This study documents information on the composition, diversity, richness, and temporal occurrence of snakes at Sekayu's lowland forest (SLF), Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia for the first time. The snakes recorded within the SLF were sampled opportunistically from 2013 to 2019, employing the Visual Encounter Survey method (VES) and L-shape pitfall traps with drift fences. Forty-six snake species from 37 genera belonging to the nine families were recorded, of which 11 were new records to Terengganu. Individual-based rarefaction and extrapolation curves were not reaching asymptote, indicating that additional species can be recorded at the study area. Non-parametric species richness estimators estimated and produced a range between 51 and 57 species. ACE was the best estimator based on the quantitative evaluation. All species showed some variations of occurrence patterns across months. Fourteen species were only encountered once across the sampling years, and interestingly 11 of them were only detected during the rainy season (late October to January). In general, the number of species richness, abundance, and rare species were high during this season. Species richness of snakes is high at SLF but sampling effort should be intensified, especially during these rainy months, to obtain a robust estimated snake species richness in SLF. Terengganu harbor considerably high species richness of snakes with a total of 71 species to date (excluding marine snakes), but snake diversity is still underestimated as only a few localities were surveyed in the past years, primarily at the northern part. Future surveys should be commenced at the central and southern parts of Terengganu to complement the current investigation.
A new bufonid amphibian, belonging to a new monotypic genus, is described from the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, Republic of India, based on unique external morphological and skeletal characters which are compared with those of known Oriental and other relevant bufonid genera. Blythophryne gen. n. is distinguished from other bufonid genera by its small adult size (mean SVL 24.02 mm), the presence of six presacral vertebrae, an absence of coccygeal expansions, presence of an elongated pair of parotoid glands, expanded discs at digit tips and phytotelmonous tadpoles that lack oral denticles. The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of the new taxon (that we named as Blythophryne beryet gen. et sp. n.) was ascertained by comparing its 12S and 16S partial genes with those of Oriental and other relevant bufonid lineages. Resulting molecular phylogeny supports the erection of a novel monotypic genus for this lineage from the Andaman Islands of India.
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.