Displaying publications 161 - 180 of 660 in total

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  1. Fulltext Labiobaetis Novikova & Kluge in Borneo (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)
    Kaltenbach T, Gattolliat JL
    Zookeys, 2020;914:43-79.
    PMID: 32132855 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.914.47067
    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.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  2. Fulltext Two new species of Ardisia subgenus Tetrardisia (Primulaceae-Myrsinoideae) from Borneo
    Julius A, Kajita T, Utteridge TMA
    PhytoKeys, 2020;145:139-148.
    PMID: 32327930 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.145.48573
    Ardisia argentiana and A. nagaensis from subgenus Tetrardisia are herein described and illustrated as new species. They are endemic to Borneo and the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan and to the Malaysian state of Sarawak, respectively. Ardisia argentiana is unique in its linear-oblong leaves, with a long, acuminate-caudate apex, and finely serrulate margins, while A. nagaensis can be easily recognized by its elliptic-lanceolate leaves.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  3. Fulltext Role of hysterectomy in chemoresistant gestational trophoblastic neoplasia
    Sum YY, Sim WW, Yu KL, Melee T, Voon PJ
    Med J Malaysia, 2018 10;73(5):332-333.
    PMID: 30350817 MyJurnal
    No abstract provided.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  4. Ecological surveillance of bat coronaviruses in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
    Tan CS, Noni V, Sathiya Seelan JS, Denel A, Anwarali Khan FA
    BMC Res Notes, 2021 Dec 20;14(1):461.
    PMID: 34930456 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05880-6
    OBJECTIVE: Coronaviruses (CoVs) are natural commensals of bats. Two subgenera, namely Sarbecoviruses and Merbecoviruses have a high zoonotic potential and have been associated with three separate spillover events in the past 2 decades, making surveillance of bat-CoVs crucial for the prevention of the next epidemic. The study was aimed to elucidate the presence of coronavirus in fresh bat guano sampled from Wind Cave Nature Reserve (WCNR) in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Samples collected were placed into viral transport medium, transported on ice within the collection day, and preserved at - 80 °C. Nucleic acid was extracted using the column method and screened using consensus PCR primers targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Amplicons were sequenced bidirectionally using the Sanger method. Phylogenetic tree with maximum-likelihood bootstrap and Bayesian posterior probability were constructed.

    RESULTS: CoV-RNA was detected in ten specimens (47.6%, n  = 21). Six alphacoronavirus and four betacoronaviruses were identified. The bat-CoVs can be phylogenetically grouped into four novel clades which are closely related to Decacovirus-1 and Decacovirus-2, Sarbecovirus, and an unclassified CoV. CoVs lineages unique to the Island of Borneo were discovered in Sarawak, Malaysia, with one of them closely related to Sarbecovirus. All of them are distant from currently known human coronaviruses.

    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  5. Fulltext Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
    Senior RA, Hill JK, Benedick S, Edwards DP
    Glob Chang Biol, 2018 03;24(3):1267-1278.
    PMID: 29052295 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13914
    Tropical rainforests are subject to extensive degradation by commercial selective logging. Despite pervasive changes to forest structure, selectively logged forests represent vital refugia for global biodiversity. The ability of these forests to buffer temperature-sensitive species from climate warming will be an important determinant of their future conservation value, although this topic remains largely unexplored. Thermal buffering potential is broadly determined by: (i) the difference between the "macroclimate" (climate at a local scale, m to ha) and the "microclimate" (climate at a fine-scale, mm to m, that is distinct from the macroclimate); (ii) thermal stability of microclimates (e.g. variation in daily temperatures); and (iii) the availability of microclimates to organisms. We compared these metrics in undisturbed primary forest and intensively logged forest on Borneo, using thermal images to capture cool microclimates on the surface of the forest floor, and information from dataloggers placed inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter. Although major differences in forest structure remained 9-12 years after repeated selective logging, we found that logging activity had very little effect on thermal buffering, in terms of macroclimate and microclimate temperatures, and the overall availability of microclimates. For 1°C warming in the macroclimate, temperature inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter warmed slightly more in primary forest than in logged forest, but the effect amounted to <0.1°C difference between forest types. We therefore conclude that selectively logged forests are similar to primary forests in their potential for thermal buffering, and subsequent ability to retain temperature-sensitive species under climate change. Selectively logged forests can play a crucial role in the long-term maintenance of global biodiversity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  6. A New Species of Pelophryne from Western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (Anura, Bufonidae)
    Matsui M, Nishikawa K, Eto K, Hossman MYB
    Zoolog Sci, 2017 Aug;34(4):345-350.
    PMID: 28770684 DOI: 10.2108/zs170008
    A new small, semi-arboreal toad of the genus Pelophryne is described from western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence. Of the two morphotypes recognized in the genus, the new species belongs to the one in which the tips of the fingers are expanded into truncate discs. Among the species in the morphotype, the new species is most similar to P. murudensis, but differs from it by body size, relative hindlimb length, and dorsal coloration. The new species is currently known only from a limited area on Gunung (= Mt.) Penrissen, and future measures of its habitat conservation are necessary.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  7. Fulltext Ant mosaics in Bornean primary rain forest high canopy depend on spatial scale, time of day, and sampling method
    Yusah KM, Foster WA, Reynolds G, Fayle TM
    PeerJ, 2018;6:e4231.
    PMID: 29423344 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4231
    Background: Competitive interactions in biological communities can be thought of as giving rise to "assembly rules" that dictate the species that are able to co-exist. Ant communities in tropical canopies often display a particular pattern, an "ant mosaic", in which competition between dominant ant species results in a patchwork of mutually exclusive territories. Although ant mosaics have been well-documented in plantation landscapes, their presence in pristine tropical forests remained contentious until recently. Here we assess presence of ant mosaics in a hitherto under-investigated forest stratum, the emergent trees of the high canopy in primary tropical rain forest, and explore how the strength of any ant mosaics is affected by spatial scale, time of day, and sampling method.

    Methods: To test whether these factors might impact the detection of ant mosaics in pristine habitats, we sampled ant communities from emergent trees, which rise above the highest canopy layers in lowland dipterocarp rain forests in North Borneo (38.8-60.2 m), using both baiting and insecticide fogging. Critically, we restricted sampling to only the canopy of each focal tree. For baiting, we carried out sampling during both the day and the night. We used null models of species co-occurrence to assess patterns of segregation at within-tree and between-tree scales.

    Results: The numerically dominant ant species on the emergent trees sampled formed a diverse community, with differences in the identity of dominant species between times of day and sampling methods. Between trees, we found patterns of ant species segregation consistent with the existence of ant mosaics using both methods. Within trees, fogged ants were segregated, while baited ants were segregated only at night.

    Discussion: We conclude that ant mosaics are present within the emergent trees of the high canopy of tropical rain forest in Malaysian Borneo, and that sampling technique, spatial scale, and time of day interact to determine observed patterns of segregation. Restricting sampling to only emergent trees reveals segregatory patterns not observed in ground-based studies, confirming previous observations of stronger segregation with increasing height in the canopy.

    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  8. Consolidated Checklist of Hard Corals of the Genus Acropora Oken, 1815 (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in North Borneo, East Malaysia
    Robert R, Lee DJ, Rodrigues KF, Hussein MA, Waheed Z, Kumar SV
    Zootaxa, 2016 Nov 29;4200(2):zootaxa.4200.2.2.
    PMID: 27988618 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4200.2.2
    Acropora is the most biologically diverse group of reef-building coral, and its richness peaks at the Indo-Malay-Philippine Archipelago, the centre of global coral reef biodiversity. In this paper, we describe the species richness of Acropora fauna of North Borneo, East Malaysia, based on review of literature and as corroborated by voucher specimens. Eighty-three species of Acropora are reported here; four species are literature based and 79 are supported by voucher specimens that were subsequently photographed. New records for North Borneo were recorded for 12 species, including Acropora suharsonoi Wallace 1994 that was previously thought to be confined to a few islands along Lombok Strait, Indonesia. The diversity of Acropora in North Borneo is comparable to that of Indonesia and the Philippines, despite the area's smaller reef areas. This further reinforces its inclusion as part the global hotspot of coral biodiversity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  9. Description of a new species of Enispa Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Boletobiinae) from Thailand
    Pellinen MJ
    Zootaxa, 2017 May 31;4272(4):587-590.
    PMID: 28610276 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4272.4.8
    The genus Enispa Walker, 1866, type species: Enispa eosarialis Walker, 1866 [Borneo, Sarawak] (= Micraeschus Butler, 1878, type species: Hyria elataria Walker, 1861 [Sri Lanka]), contains several species, about 20 of which described and many still undescribed, some also probably misplaced. The genus occurs in Indo-Australian tropics and subtropics. Presently there are 5 species known from Borneo, with mention of several undescribed Enispa-like species (Holloway, 2009). From Thailand there are 8 species illustrated in Kononenko & Pinratana's (2013) book, 5 of which unidentified and some others, based on specimens originated from present author, which most probably are not Enispa. Nielsen & al. (1996) mentioned 7 species in Australia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  10. New species and taxonomic notes of scaly crickets (Orthoptera: Mogoplistidae: Mogoplistinae) from Borneo
    Tan MK, Japir R, Chung AYC, Wahab RBHA
    Zootaxa, 2021 Oct 07;5048(3):407-421.
    PMID: 34810793 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5048.3.6
    Recent orthopteran surveys in the hyper-diverse Borneo, i.e., Brunei Darussalam and Sandakan in Sabah, allow us to review the scaly crickets from the subfamily Mogoplistinae there. We discover and describe the male, as well as formally naming Cycloptiloides bimaculata Tan, Japir Chung, sp. nov. from Sandakan. This species was previously described as sp. 1 in a comprehensive revision by Ingrisch (2006) but only the females were known. We also describe Ectatoderus nigrofasciatus Tan Wahab, sp. nov. from Brunei Darussalam. New locality records are reported for Apterornebius kinabalu Ingrisch, 2006 in Sandakan (Sabah) and Ornebius pullus Ingrisch, 2006 in Belait District (Brunei).
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  11. Fulltext Fish biodiversity and assemblages along the altitudinal gradients of tropical mountainous forest streams
    Soo CL, Nyanti L, Idris NE, Ling TY, Sim SF, Grinang J, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2021 Aug 19;11(1):16922.
    PMID: 34413385 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96253-3
    Knowledge of the fundamental aspects of ecology such as the patterns of fish species distribution and biodiversity in the forest streams is the first and basic step to develop effective conservation strategies. Yet, studies on altitudinal changes of fish composition and assemblages in Bornean forest streams are scarce despite being one of the hotspots of biodiversity conservation. Hence, surveys on freshwater fish composition along the altitudinal gradients of the Baleh River Basin in Sarawak, Borneo were conducted from April 2014 to August 2015. The Baleh River Basin was divided into seven altitudinal groups with a total of 72 stations. Group elevation ranged from 53 to 269 m above sea level. The fish samples and environmental parameters were taken concurrently during samplings. A total of 3565 specimens belonging to six orders, 14 families, and 76 species were found in the present study. The most dominant family in the Baleh River Basin was Cyprinidae (74.4%), followed by Gastromyzontidae (16.2%) while the most dominant species was Tor tambra (12.9%), followed by Lobocheilos ovalis (12.3%). Fish abundance significantly higher at high altitude sites than those at low altitude sites except for Mengiong River which has the lowest fish abundance despite with high elevation. Species richness was found significantly lower in midstream segment. Noticeable altitudinal gradient of fish assemblages was observed along the Baleh River except a discontinuity at the midstream segment which is attributable to the poorer quality inflow from the Mengiong River coupled with the meandering feature of the segment. Fish abundance was significantly and positively correlated with elevation, water pH and conductivity while negatively correlated with turbidity. Anthropogenic activities in the Baleh River Basin had altered the environmental variables thus disrupted the altitudinal gradient of fish assemblages. This phenomenon is apparent when the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that the first axis (CCA1) explained 42.5% of the variation and has positive loading on dissolved oxygen (DO) and negative loading on water conductivity; whereas CCA2 explained 37.5% of the variation and positively loaded on elevation, water pH, and DO. The results demonstrated that Gastromyzon fasciatus preferred more oxygenated water than Protomyzon sp., G. sp 1, and G. punctulatus although they are all from Gastromyzontidae family that inhabiting high altitude sites. Barbonymus schwanenfeldii was also found most abundant with elevated dissolved oxygen value. On the other hand, Rasbora volzii and R. hosii inhabiting lower altitude sites with less oxygenated and more acidic water.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  12. Fulltext Geochemical fractionation, mobility of elements and environmental significance of surface sediments in a Tropical River, Borneo
    Nagarajan R, Eswaramoorthi SG, Anandkumar A, Ramkumar M
    Mar Pollut Bull, 2023 Jul;192:115090.
    PMID: 37263028 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115090
    Miri River is a tropical river in Borneo that drains on flat terrain and urbanised area and debauches into the South China Sea. This paper documents the environmental status of this river, and provides an insight into the provenance using bulk chemistry of the sediments, and brings out the geochemical mobility, bioavailability, and potential toxicity of some critical elements based on BCR sequential extraction. The sediments are intense to moderately weathered and recycled products of Neogene sedimentary rocks. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the river favoured an upstream section dominated by fine sand, while the downstream sediments are medium silt. Based on the bulk geochemistry, the Miri River sediments are moderate to considerably contaminated by Cu, Mo, and As in the upstream and by Sb, As and Cu in the downstream. The potential ecological risk values are low except Cu and a significant biological impact is expected in downstream due to Cu, As, Zn and Cr. The mobility, bioavailability and Risk Assessment Code values for Zn and Mn are higher and thus may pose moderate to very high risk to aquatic organisms. Though a high bulk concentration of Cu is observed, the association of Cu with the bioavailable fraction is low.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  13. Prevalence of haemosporidia in Asian Glossy Starling with discovery of misbinding of Haemoproteus-specific primer to Plasmodium genera in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
    Noni V, Tan CS
    BMC Vet Res, 2023 Apr 20;19(1):66.
    PMID: 37081458 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03619-y
    BACKGROUND: Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon are three mainly studied blood parasites known to cause malarial and pseudomalarial infections in avian worldwide. Although Sarawak is a biodiversity hotspot, molecular data on blood parasite diversity in birds are absent. The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of blood parasite in Asian Glossy Starlings (AGS), an urban bird with high population density in Sarawak and to elucidate the phylogenetic relationship with other blood parasite.

    METHODS: Twenty-nine carcasses of juvenile AGS that were succumbed to death due to window collision were collected around the vicinity of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Nested-multiplex and nested PCR targeting the Cytochrome B gene were used to detect Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon respectively. Two primer sets were used for Haemoproteus detection to increase detection sensitivity, with one being a genus-specific primer.

    RESULTS: Fourteen samples (prevalence rate: 48.28%) were found positive for avian Plasmodium. Phylogenetic analysis divided our sequences into five lineages, pFANTAIL01, pCOLL4, pACCBAD01, pALPSIS01 and pALPSIS02, with two lineages being novel. No Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon was found in this study. However, Haemoproteus-specific primer used amplified our Plasmodium samples, making the primer non-specific to Haemoproteus only.

    CONCLUSION: This is the first blood parasite detection study on AGS using carcasses and blood clot as sample source in Sarawak. Due to the scarcity of longer sequences from regions with high genetic plasticity, usage of genus-specific primers should be validated with sequencing to ensure correct prevalence interpretation.

    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  14. Establishing species boundaries in Bornean geckos
    Davis HR, Sanford HT, Das I, Nashriq I, Leaché AD
    Biol Lett, 2024 Aug;20(8):20240157.
    PMID: 39140204 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0157
    Species delimitation using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) remains an important and accessible approach for discovering and delimiting species. However, delimiting species with a single locus (e.g. DNA barcoding) is biased towards overestimating species diversity. The highly diverse gecko genus Cyrtodactylus is one such group where delimitation using mtDNA remains the paradigm. In this study, we use genomic data to test putative species boundaries established using mtDNA within three recognized species of Cyrtodactylus on the island of Borneo. We predict that multi-locus genomic data will estimate fewer species than mtDNA, which could have important ramifications for the species diversity within the genus. We aim to (i) investigate the correspondence between species delimitations using mtDNA and genomic data, (ii) infer species trees for each target species, and (iii) quantify gene flow and identify migration patterns to assess population connectivity. We find that species diversity is overestimated and that species boundaries differ between mtDNA and nuclear data. This underscores the value of using genomic data to reassess mtDNA-based species delimitations for taxa lacking clear species boundaries. We expect the number of recognized species within Cyrtodactylus to continue increasing, but, when possible, genomic data should be included to inform more accurate species boundaries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  15. Fulltext Stem girth changes in response to soil water potential in lowland dipterocarp forest in Borneo: An individualistic time-series analysis
    Newbery DM, Lingenfelder M
    PLoS One, 2022;17(6):e0270140.
    PMID: 35771743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270140
    Time-series data offer a way of investigating the causes driving ecological processes as phenomena. To test for possible differences in water relations between species of different forest structural guilds at Danum (Sabah, NE Borneo), daily stem girth increments (gthi), of 18 trees across six species were regressed individually on soil moisture potential (SMP) and temperature (TEMP), accounting for temporal autocorrelation (in GLS-arima models), and compared between a wet and a dry period. The best-fitting significant variables were SMP the day before and TEMP the same day. The first resulted in a mix of positive and negative coefficients, the second largely positive ones. An adjustment for dry-period showers was applied. Interactions were stronger in dry than wet period. Negative relationships for overstorey trees can be interpreted in a reversed causal sense: fast transporting stems depleted soil water and lowered SMP. Positive relationships for understorey trees meant they took up most water at high SMP. The unexpected negative relationships for these small trees may have been due to their roots accessing deeper water supplies (if SMP was inversely related to that of the surface layer), and this was influenced by competition with larger neighbour trees. A tree-soil flux dynamics manifold may have been operating. Patterns of mean diurnal girth variation were more consistent among species, and time-series coefficients were negatively related to their maxima. Expected differences in response to SMP in the wet and dry periods did not clearly support a previous hypothesis differentiating drought and non-drought tolerant understorey guilds. Trees within species showed highly individual responses when tree size was standardized. Data on individual root systems and SMP at several depths are needed to get closer to the mechanisms that underlie the tree-soil water phenomena in these tropical forests. Neighborhood stochasticity importantly creates varying local environments experienced by individual trees.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  16. Umai Dish Preparation Practices and Food Safety Behaviors in Bintulu Locals on Borneo Island, Malaysia
    Sukirman AN, Khalex HB, Mustafa S, Sarbini SR, Hassan S, S-Hussain SS, et al.
    J Food Prot, 2020 Oct 01;83(10):1764-1774.
    PMID: 32463874 DOI: 10.4315/JFP-19-543
    ABSTRACT: Umai is a popular, traditional, native dish of the Melanau ethnic group in Sarawak. It is prepared using thin slices of raw marine fish marinated with calamansi juice and seasoned with other ingredients. The local people believe that the acidity of the citrus juice, along with the use of salt and spice, can slightly cook the fish and remove the fishy smell. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) the different umai handling and preparation practices and (ii) the personal experience of umai consumption among respondents. A purposive sample of 100 umai makers, divided into two equal groups, professionals and nonprofessionals, participated in the study. We found that Spanish mackerel and hairfin anchovy were ranked first and second in the list of species chosen for making umai, with the former mostly preferred by the professional group, as opposed to the latter, which was preferred by the nonprofessional group. Black pomfret was ranked third, where it is equally preferred by both groups. About 20% of respondents would freeze the raw fish chunks prior to preparing umai, as opposed to 26% who would sun dry their fish. Other techniques, such as salting and marinating (using calamansi juice), were also used during the preparation of umai. Most of the respondents indicated that they would consider the umai ready to eat soon after marinating (with all ingredients) the raw fish. One-third of both respondent groups indicated that they would chill the umai dish at 4°C for 30 min before serving. The respondents could not provide any rationale behind these food preparation practices. Overall, this study provides evidence of the different preparation methods for umai. These practices can thus be considered important targets for public health education campaigns seeking to improve food safety surrounding this food group.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  17. North Borneo (Malaysia): a new locality for Schistosoma japonicum
    Kuntz RE
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1978 Jan;27(1 Pt 1):208-9.
    PMID: 415627
    Eleven pairs of schistosomes, indistinguishable from the classical Schistosoma japonicum, were found in a monkey (Macaca fascicularis) taken near Ranau in North Borneo. The new locality is within the recorded range of the species which extends from Japan, China, Taiwan, and Philippines through Southeast Asia to the Celebes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  18. Fulltext Baseline coral disease surveys within three marine parks in Sabah, Borneo
    Miller J, Sweet MJ, Wood E, Bythell J
    PeerJ, 2015;3:e1391.
    PMID: 26732905 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1391
    Two of the most significant threats to coral reefs worldwide are bleaching and disease. However, there has been a scarcity of research on coral disease in South-East Asia, despite the high biodiversity and the strong dependence of local communities on the reefs in the region. This study provides baseline data on coral disease frequencies within three national parks in Sabah, Borneo, which exhibit different levels of human impacts and management histories. High mean coral cover (55%) and variable disease frequency (mean 0.25 diseased colonies m(-2)) were found across the three sites. Highest disease frequency (0.44 diseased colonies per m(2)) was seen at the site closest to coastal population centres. Bleaching and pigmentation responses were actually higher at Sipadan, the more remote, offshore site, whereas none of the other coral diseases detected in the other two parks were detected in Sipadan. Results of this study offer a baseline dataset of disease in these parks and indicate the need for continued monitoring, and suggest that coral colonies in parks under higher anthropogenic stressors and with lower coral cover may be more susceptible to contracting disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  19. Fulltext Coral Reefs at the Northernmost Tip of Borneo: An Assessment of Scleractinian Species Richness Patterns and Benthic Reef Assemblages
    Waheed Z, van Mil HG, Syed Hussein MA, Jumin R, Golam Ahad B, Hoeksema BW
    PLoS One, 2015;10(12):e0146006.
    PMID: 26719987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146006
    The coral reefs at the northernmost tip of Sabah, Borneo will be established under a marine protected area: the Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) by the end of 2015. This area is a passage where the Sulu Sea meets the South China Sea and it is situated at the border of the area of maximum marine biodiversity, the Coral Triangle. The TMP includes fringing and patch reefs established on a relatively shallow sea floor. Surveys were carried out to examine features of the coral reefs in terms of scleractinian species richness, and benthic reef assemblages following the Reef Check substrate categories, with emphasis on hard coral cover. Variation in scleractinian diversity was based on the species composition of coral families Fungiidae (n = 39), Agariciidae (n = 30) and Euphylliidae (n = 15). The number of coral species was highest at reefs with a larger depth gradient i.e. at the periphery of the study area and in the deep South Banggi Channel. Average live hard coral cover across the sites was 49%. Only 7% of the examined reefs had > 75% hard coral cover, while the majority of the reef sites were rated fair (51%) and good (38%). Sites with low coral cover and high rubble fragments are evidence of blast fishing, although the observed damage appeared old. Depth was a dominant factor in influencing the coral species composition and benthic reef communities in the TMP. Besides filling in the information gaps regarding species richness and benthic cover for reef areas that were previously without any data, the results of this study together with information that is already available on the coral reefs of TMP will be used to make informed decisions on zoning plans for conservation priorities in the proposed park.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
  20. Revision of the genus Devadatta Kirby, 1890 in Borneo based on molecular and morphological methods, with descriptions of four new species (Odonata: Zygoptera: Devadattidae)
    Dow RA, Hämäläinen M, Stokvis FR
    Zootaxa, 2015;4033(3):301-49.
    PMID: 26624409 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4033.3.1
    Species of Devadatta from Borneo are studied using both morphological and molecular methods. As well as D. podolestoides Laidlaw, four new species are recognised from the island: D. aran spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Pulong Tau National Park, Miri division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH), D. clavicauda spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Bukit Mina, Bukit Mina Wildlife Corridor, Sarawak Planted Forest Project, Bintulu division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH), D. somoh spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from the Sungai Kahei area, Ulu Balui, Kapit division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH) and D. tanduk spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Poring Hot Springs, Kinabalu National Park, West Coast division, Sabah, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH). The Philippine taxon D. basilanensis Laidlaw is considered a good species rather than a subspecies of D. podolestoides. The Bornean species plus D. basilanensis are provisionally considered to form a species group, the podolestoides-group, within Devadatta. The species of the podolestoides-group are so similar in morphology and colouration that they are close to truly cryptic species. Two species appear to exhibit character displacement where their ranges overlap with other Devadatta species. A molecular analysis using four markers (COI, 16S, ITS and 28S) is presented. This analysis includes specimens of all species from the podolestoides-group and two Devadatta species from mainland Asia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Borneo
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