A new megophryid species is described from southwestern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. In appearance, Leptolalax marmoratus sp. nov. is most similar to L. hamidi also from southwestern Sarawak, but differs from it by mtDNA sequence, larger body size, and higher dominant frequency of advertisement call. The assumption that more than one species of Leptolalax coexist at one locality in Borneo is supported. The finding of the new species raises the species number of Leptolalax known from Borneo to nine, and the island is thought to be one of the diversification centers of the genus.
A new species of Leptolalax is described from Kinabalu National Park in western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The new species had been assigned to L. dringi, L. gracilis, or L. fritinniens in the past. It differs from all congeners, including these species, by a unique combination of morphological characters, including small body size, rounded snout, narrower interorbital than upper eyelid, basal toe webbing, smooth skin with tiny tubercles on dorsum and dorsal side of head, small pectoral glands, absence of supraaxillary glands and ventrolateral glandular ridges, spotted venter, advertisement call consisting of long series of 1-149 notes, each composed of three or four pulses, and dominant frequency at 6.90-7.35 kHz, without prominent frequency modulation.
A cryptic Bornean torrent frog of the genus Meristogenys, which is divergent genetically and morphologically from all known congeners, is described from mountain streams of western Sarawak, East Malaysia (Borneo). The species occurs sympatrically with the type species of the genus, M. jerboa, but apparently differs from it in adult coloration and larval morphology, such as keratodont formulae and glands in tail fins. Females of the new species possess much larger and fewer eggs than in sympatric M. jerboa, suggesting significantly different reproductive traits between these species. A key to larvae of known species of the genus is provided.
A new species of Asian rock gecko, genus Cnemaspis, is described from Padawan, western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The new species forms a clade with C. paripari and C. nigridia of the C. nigridia group in a mitochondrial DNA phylogeny and is similar to them morphologically in some characters such as caudal scalation. It differs from the other Asian Cnemaspis species in its unique combination of snout-vent length (up to 62.7 mm), 4-9 precloacal pores in males, keeled subcaudals with an enlarged, smooth, median row, presence of ventrolateral caudal tubercles, and coloration (head and upper flanks dark-yellow; anterior portion of tail black; posterior portion of tail white with black, paravertebral blob). Phylogenetic relationships within the C. nigridia group and the distributional ranges of species within the group suggest allopatric speciation by geographic isolation.
The jaws of vertebrates display a striking diversity in form and function, but they typically open and close like a trapdoor rather than sliding like a saw. Here, we report unique feeding behaviour in the blunt-headed snail-eating snake, Aplopeltura boa (family Pareidae), where the snake cuts off and circumvents the indigestible part (the operculum) of its prey in the mouth using long sliding excursions of one side of the mandible, while the upper jaws and the mandible on the other side maintain a stable grasp on the prey. This behaviour, which we call 'mandibular sawing', is made possible by extraordinarily independent movements of the jaw elements and is a surprising departure from usual feeding behaviour in vertebrates.
We collected a specimen of a scincid lizard of Larutia Böhme, 1981 from the edge of a primary forest on Gunung Penrissen, Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The single specimen of the new species differs from all other known congeners by the molecular divergence in the mitochondrial ND1 gene and morphological characters including small adult body size (SVL 84 mm); 22 longitudinal scale rows around midbody; first pair of chinshields contacting second infralabial; second pair of chinshields separated from infralabials by an elongated scale; two subdigital lamellae on second toe; and body without yellow or pale bands or spots. It is the ninth species described in the genus and the second species of Larutia in Borneo.
Two lineages of stream toads in the genus Ansonia from Malaysian Borneo have long been suspected to be specifically distinct on the basis of molecular data. We assessed the taxonomic status of these lineages using morphological and additional genetic data. In mtDNA phylogeny, each lineage-one from Bario, Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, the other from Mt. Mulu of Sarawak and the Crocker Range of Sabah-is separated from other congeners by large genetic distances, comparable with those observed between heterospecific species in the genus. These lineages are also morphologically distinguishable from other species, and are considered to represent valid, independently evolving species. We therefore describe them as A. kelabitensis sp. nov. and A. kanak sp. nov.
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.
Anadara granosa or blood cockles have been reported to be a candidate for biomonitoring agents due to their sedimentary nature and their nutrient uptake mechanisms. Yet, this bivalve is still regarded as a delicacy in Asian cuisine. Malaysia is the largest exporter of this sea product that contaminated cockles may also be experienced by the importing countries. However, the bioaccumulation of microplastics in A. granosa cultivated in Malaysia has not been extensively studied. It is crucial to comprehend the risk posed to humans by consuming A. granosa in their diet. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the levels of microplastic accumulation in A. granosa from major exporters in Peninsular Malaysia, to evaluate the associated risk of microplastics on the species, and to estimate daily human consumption of microplastics through the consumption of A. granosa. The abundance of microplastics was quantified through the use of a stereo microscope, and the polymer type was determined using FTIR and micro-FTIR. Findings from this investigation revealed that all samples of A. granosa were contaminated with microplastics, with the highest levels of accumulation found in bivalves collected from the west coast (0.26 ± 0.15 particles/g) of Peninsular Malaysia. Fragment and fiber microplastics, measuring between 0.05 and 0.1 mm in size, were found to be the most prevalent in A. granosa, with blue being the dominant identified colour and rayon being the most common polymer type. Microplastic risk assessment due to the presence of polyacrylate, polycarbonate (PC), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resulted in a high risk of contamination for A. granosa. It was further determined that the current estimated dietary intake (EDI) suggests that consumers of A. granosa uptake approximately 21.8-93.5 particles/person/year of microplastics. This study highlights that A. granosa accumulates microplastics, which could potentially result in bioaccumulation and biomagnification in humans through consumption.
The red-bellied form of Calliophis intestinalis (Laurenti, 1768) sensu lato was originally reported from Pahang, west Malaysia. To determine the taxonomic status of this form, we examined the type specimens of Elaps sumatranus Lidth De Jeude, 1890, Calliophis intestinalis everetti (Boulenger, 1896), and Callophis furcatus var. nigrotaeniatus Peters, 1863. The results indicated that the red-bellied form of C. intestinalis should be named as Calliophis nigrotaeniatus comb. nov., whose valid species status was based on morphological and molecular analyses. We designate a lectotype and redescribe the species, which is genetically close to Calliophis bilineatus (Peters, 1881) from the Philippines, and is clearly distinguishable from other congeners by possessing a pair of gray or dark blue lateral stripes and by being bright red on the ventrum. Elaps sumatranus and C. i. everetti are relegated to subjective junior synonyms of C. nigrotaeniatus.
We found a uniquely colored dicroglossid frog of the genus Occidozyga from western Sarawak, East Malaysia. It is divergent from other congeners in morphology and mtDNA sequences. In a molecular phylogeny, this species is the sister lineage to the continental species O. lima and O. martensii with weak support. The species is small with SVL 16-18 mm in males and 18-19 mm in females, without dorsolateral fold but with transverse wrinkles on dorsum, tips of fingers lacking disks but of toes with disks, only first and second toes webbed to disks, and orange-brown dorsum with dark brown band. We thus describe it as a new species.
A survey was carried out at Gunung Panti Forest Reserve, Johor from 3-7 August 2006, 2-5 June 2008, and 28-31 July 2008 to inventory the herpetofauna therein. An updated checklist for the area which incorporates findings from previous studies is provided. In total, 37 species of frogs, 1 turtle, 27 lizards, and 11 snakes have been recorded from Gunung Panti Forest Reserve, Johor.
A fanged frog Limnonectes kuhlii was once thought to be wide-ranging in Southeast Asia, but is now confined to its type locality Java through recent phylogenetic studies, which clarified heterospecific status of non-Javanese populations, and monophyly of Bornean populations. However, large genetic differences among Bornean populations suggest occurrence of cryptic species, which we test using dense geographic sampling. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships among samples of Bornean populations together with their putative relatives from the continental Southeast Asia, using 2517bp sequences of the 12S rRNA, tRNA(val), and 16S rRNA of mitochondrial DNA, and 2367bp sequences of the NCX1, POMC, and RAG1 of nuclear genes. In the mtDNA trees, Bornean L. kuhlii-like frogs formed a monophyletic group split into 18 species lineages including L. hikidai, with the deepest phylogenetic split separating L. cintalubang from the remaining species. Almost all of these lineages co-occur geographically, and two to three lineages were found syntopically in each locality. Co-occurrence of more than one lineage may be maintained by differential morphology and microhabitat selection. These syntopic lineages should be regarded as distinct species. Our results clearly indicate that taxonomic revision is urgent to clarify many evolutionary problems of Bornean L. kuhlii-like frogs.