All Creatures Great and Small # 15
Tom’s Note: The changes in font and colour mean nothing. I still can’t figure out how to change them.
The Kimaragang People of Sabah
The essay describes the Kimaragang about where they came from, where they live, their language, economy and relations with each other. ETHNIC MINORITIES IN BORNEO: THE KIMARAGANG PEOPLE (I have a copy if needed)
New Species of Beetles
Seven new species of beetles Phaedis (Tenebrionidae: Cnodalonini) have been found in Borneo. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4999.5.3 In other beetle news, another species was discovered from Sarawak. Insecta Mundi 0877: 1–5.
Nipa Palm Wine Blamed for Hepatitis A Outbreak
An outbreak of Hepatitis A has been blamed on Nipa Palm Wine drunk at a funeral, doctors say. Sixteen cases, 90% male and aged 18-58 were believed to be infected. The wine was made with untreated river water which was used to dilute the wine. The outbreak is extremely rare. American Journal of Tropical Medicine doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0036
Bidayuh Language
This article discusses the Hliboi language of West Kalimatan Indonesia. The language has several features that warrant attention. If you don’t understand linguistic jargon, you can skip this one. 10.1353/ol.2021.0004
Baitul Mal of Sambas
Baitul Mal is the Islamic governing body responsible for the distribution of funds from collections from the people. This article tells of the problems associated with the distribution from 1944 to the present. https://doi.org/10.18860/j.v12i1.10942
Otter Species
Streams in agricultural sites were determined to have a greater population of otters in forested areas. Oil palm landscapes along streams provided large trees and other vegetation. In general, streams in oil palm plantations with vegetation are a useful habitat for the otters. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 38(3) 2021
Wild Cattle
Unregulated hunting is responsible for the near-extinction of wild cattle. The population in Sabah requires active management to prevent further decline. The results of this paper suggest the shielding of wild cattle against hunting will be the key to survival in the wild. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01112
New Genus of Moths
A new genus and four new species of moths have been discovered in Borneo. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5004.3.4
Austronesian Review
A comprehensive summary with new genetic data on the Austronesian theory of expansion is presented. An important new work. If you don’t read anything else, read this. I have a copy. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol_preprints/182
Agriculture and Biodiversity
This paper shows how biodiversity loss can be limited in oil palm estates if people would incorporate the idea of corridor development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109243
Bamboo Sharks
Brown-banded bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium punctatum) live at the bottom of the sea. They are a major component of fish landed by trawlers. They are weak swimming sharks. Genetic information shows that the fish do not breed beyond their home areas, the genes in the home areas are quite different, there is a difference between how far apart they are and the directional gene flow travels from Peninsula Malaysia to Borneo. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94257-7
Shrews
The family of Shews (Crocidura) are one of the species that live throughout the Southeast Asian region. They stopped changing about 40,000 years ago when the waters began to rise. The differentiation between the two lines in Borneo is attributed to the mountains. The black-footed shrew is a very recent breach of the Wallace Line by humans. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab045
Bamboo
The fastest-growing plant on earth has long been considered a source for paper, chopsticks and other replacements for timber. The problem is a fungus keeps attacking the plants. Three different locations for the species of bamboo(Gigantochloa scortechini) were prepared for the electron microscope. Researchers found the fungi were able to grow in the interior cells of the plants. Sufficiently treated bamboo were able to withstand the fungal decay. DOI: 10.9734/bpi/castr/v11/2610F
Bajau Sea Nomads
A chapter in a book tells that Kendari Baju are a distinct group perhaps driven by marriages outside the population. Other factors include the Bajau are a result of a genetic admixture and the origin of the Bajau population was in southeast Borneo. A Genomic Perspective of the Origin and Dispersal of the Bajau Sea Nomads in Indonesia
Pacific Swift Migration
The birds avoided prolonged sea crossing in their 10,000 km journey from Russia to Australia. They performed detours moving from Sakhalin Island (Russia) to the nearest Asian continent, Primorie, Russia and then to Indo China and the Indonesia Archipelago and onwards to Australia. The southward migration was 12 days longer than the return northern journey. During the northward migration, swifts stopped in Indonesia and Viet Nam. The data suggests they had to adjust to the weather conditions such as the end of the dry season in Australia the end of the wet season in Indonesia and the delay of spring in the far northern reaches. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-021-01913-w
Singapore Shipwrecks
Two ancient shipwrecks have been found off the coast of Singapore. They date to the early 14th century and late 18th century. Southeast Asian Archaeology 31 July 2021
Differences in zooplankton
This study documents the differences in zooplankton during the northeast, south-west and inter monsoon seasons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101952
Crickets
Five new species, three from Borneo, have been named. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.761.1449
Flowers and Songkets
This study is an ongoing project that identifies the flowers on traditional songkets in Sarawak. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 6(SI4 (Special Issue 4).
Stick Insects
The stick and leaf insects are thought to have evolved about 55-38 million years ago. They originated in the Australasian/Pacific region and moved westward through Southeast Asia to the Southeast Asian mainland. They are thought to have evolved together with the flowering plant rainforest. Communications Biology volume 4, Article number: 932 (2021)