New Species

A new species of flea beetle has been made known to the Western world. The beetle was found in Brunei. 119481 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e119481

New Species

Four new species of the Tussock Moth have been discovered in the Philippines. | DOI 10.3897/nl.47.114772

New Species

A new species of parasite which attacks rats, reptiles and other small mammals has been made known to the scientific community. It is known to attack the forest rats of Borneo. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-024-06230-8

Borneo Rivers

Human activities along Borneo rivers have rendered them polluted. By passing electricity through the river system at certain points, it removes suspended or dissolved contaminants from the water. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2024.112514

New Species

 A single novel species of Winteraceae was recently recorded for the first time in Borneo. It is of interest because it is a very primitive plant. It grows primarily around and below the equator. doi: 10.36253/jopt-15522

Fish Classification

Kapuasia, a new genus of loach is created to accommodate ‘Nemacheilus’ maculiceps, from the Kapuas drainage on Borneo. DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2024-0008

Sun Bear

The research was conducted at the Matang Wildlife Center Kuching. Many Sun Bears are in captivity to preserve the species and to participate in breeding programs where their offspring are released into the wild. Female sun bears could be stressed because of unusually high levels of hormones. This can lead to the possibility of reduced fertility and foetal development. Consequently, high levels of stress can influence the reproductive hormone balance in female Malayan sun bears, potentially affecting conservation efforts for this endangered species. Therefore, it is recommended to improve the bear enclosures by providing larger spaces and enrichments to mitigate their stress levels in captivity. 10.1088/1755-1315/1316/1/012001

Mangrove Forests

Mangroves are very important to provide places to live for developing smaller fish. Mangroves are found in Malaysia, particularly in Sarawak, and have an area of around 167,312 ha, which is valuable both financially and ecologically. However, the majority of mangroves found in Southeast Asia are endangered, partially denuded, and have poor species diversity. Sarawak is one of the least affected areas, but only a few mangrove surveys are being conducted there. The main goal of this study is to conduct a biodiversity study of the mangrove forest in Awat-Awat, Limbang, Sarawak. The ecological survey describes the dominant plant species, wildlife, and environmental conditions (soil and water). doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1316/1/012002

Dog Faced Fruit Bat

Bats reproduce at all times of the year and the peak periods are associated with the rainy seasons. The first peak of reproduction (pregnancy and lactation) occurred from January to April and the second peak from June to November. The highest frequency of pregnancy and lactation in females coincided with the fruit abundance. The results indicated that C. brachyotis performed a non-seasonal reproductive pattern. The findings are important in understanding the reproductive biology of bats and in protecting this ecologically important and diverse group of mammals. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science Volume No. 47 Issue No. 1 January – April 2024 p. 9-18

Indonesian Pyramid Paper Retracted

A journal has retracted, over the objections of the authors, a controversial 2023 paper claiming a dig site in Indonesia is home to the largest pyramid built by humans. The work was led by the Indonesian geologist-cum-archeologist Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, of the Research Center for Natural Disasters in Bandung. The retraction notice stated “This error, which was not identified during peer review, is that the radiocarbon dating was applied to soil samples that were not associated with any artefacts or features that could be reliably interpreted as anthropogenic or “man-made.” Therefore, the interpretation that the site is an ancient pyramid built 9000 or more years ago is incorrect, and the article must be retracted.” https://retractionwatch.com/2024/03/20/controversial-pyramid-paper-retracted

Toba Volcano

 The eruption of the Toba volcano 74,000 years ago caused widespread destruction and created a reduction of the human population to 100 human pairs. However, this is disputed. A new study published last week in Nature suggested humans may have moved along rivers during the arid times as well as along humid corridors. Glass shards found in Africa and linked to the eruption in Sumatra showed this migration could have possibly occurred. The new evidence shows the effect of the eruption on the human population was mild. 10.1038/s41586-024-07208-3

British East India Company

A summary of the British East India Company by Samuli Kaislaniemi, a chapter in the book  Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes, is available. The publication summarizes each county and tells the effects the company had on it. : doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192855282.013.2

New Species

The region of Borneo is very interesting in its diversity of gekkonid lizards of the genus Cyrtodactylus. Until now, it is known to harbour 14 described species. Herein, we described a new member of this genus from the adjacent island of Maratua. Cyrtodactylus tehetehe sp. nov. is named after the speciality of the traditional cuisine of the Derawan Islands (sticky rice with coconut milk and a little salt wrapped in sea urchin skin, Echinoidea spp.).  10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5428.3.3

 New Species

Four new species of tapeworm, three found in the waters off of Borneo in Indo-Pacific mask rays have become known to the scientific community. https://doi.org/10.14411/fp.2024.003 

Trace Fossils

A trace fossil is a fossil of a footprint, trail, burrow, or other trace of an animal rather than of the animal itself. Trace fossils have been found in the Eocene period of 56-33.9 million years ago, in the Tanjung Formation on the southern coast of Kalimantan. Fossil footprints of birds associated with dinosaurs and many invertebrate species have been discovered. The area was believed to be a tidal influence. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2023.004

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