All Creatures Great and Small #80
Nasopharynx Cancer
Nasopharyngeal cancer, a malignancy associated with the Bidayuh of Sarawak, is strongly linked to the Epstein-Barr virus. The virus is associated with initiating and progression of the tumor. Epstein-Barr virus also stops the immune system from attacking the tumour. International Medical Journal, 2025, Vol 32, Issue 4, p173
New Species
A new species of ant has been found in the leaf litter on Simeulue Island. The island is located in the Indian Ocean off of Sumatra.DOI: 10.25221/fee.539.1
New Book
A reprint of the 2001 book Faunal and Floral Migration and Evolution in SE Asia-Australasia contains a chapter Borneo as a Biogeographic barrier to Asia Australian Migration. The book cost an insane US149.00 but the chapter can be had on the books publicity page.
New Species
A new species of darkling beetle outside of Borneo has been found on the Malay Peninsula. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5748.1.7
New Book
The Wildlife Atlas of Sabah, presenting information on the 31 mammal species living in North Borneo, has recently been published. It can be downloaded at Wildlife Atlas of Sabah | WWF Malaysia https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605325101567
New Book
The Chinese in Brunei, a new book of a collection of essays from Ooi Keat Gin of the University of Brunei fame has been published by Routledge. The price is an astounding $174.50
Malayan Pangolin
Research has revealed three genetically distinct populations of the endangered Malayan Pangolin. The largest population is found between China and to almost the whole of Southeast Asia. The other two smaller populations were from Borneo. Another species of Pangolin has been proposed, the Philippine Pangolin. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag016
Ensera Iban
Ensera is a literary work of the Iban people that contains the values of the community in ancient times. It was initially created as entertainment, passed down orally from person to person using the Iban language. Women have specific roles, dignity, and image as depicted in the ensera. This article aims to examine the roles of women in “Ensera Iban”. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100316
Caves and Karsts
The objective of this report is to promote conservation of the caves and exposed outcrops of karstic rock in the Bau Serian area of Sarawak. The report records 487 cave entrances associated with 303, mostly multi-entrance caves. Gill, D.W. & Laverty, M. (2025). Caves and karst of SW Sarawak, Malaysia – an overview. Cave and Karst Science, 52(2), 71–82.
Sarawak Hokkien and Penang Hokkien
There are two distinct types of Hokkien: North Malaya Hokkien, which includes Penang and nearby areas and South Malaya Hokkien, common in Johore, Melaka and Singapore. Penang Hokkien and Sarawak Hokkien share words but have different tones. Sarawak Hokkien is a blend of the two different types of Hokkien. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/205527
Bats
Mops johorensis, commonly called the Northern Free-tailed Bat, has been recorded in Borneo. doi: 10.15560/21.5.1047
New Species
These two fish species, which are members of the Asiatic Glass Fish family and are freshwater, have been made known to science from Borneo. They are known to eat the scales of other fish, and you can see through them. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70310
Arrival of Diptercarps in Borneo
The dipterocarps trees arrived in Borneo during the breakup of Gondonowa around 100-66 million years ago during the reign of the dinosaurs. However, the timing and route to Southeast Asia are unknown. A fossil species, Dryobalanops rajangensis sp. nov., is described from the early Miocene(23-15 million years ago) of the Merit-Pila coal basin in Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo), based on leaf impressions and cuticles. This aligns well with the out of India theory.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jop.2026.100340
New Book
Borneo: The History of an Enigma by Oliver Hein has just been published by Oxford University Press (2026) From the sales blurb ” Olivier Hein’s sweeping tale uncovers the little-known events that shaped not only Borneo but the whole Malay Archipelago.” The cost is $30.00 or ~RM 120.
Salt Water Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus, is the largest and most widely distributed species of saltwater crocodile in Asia. The species is distributed from southeastern India and Sri Lanka, over Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to northern Australia and numerous islands in the western Pacific. This paper adds new information to the extinct Seychelles crocodile, which was annihilated by humans in 1819. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.251546
New Species
A new species of Planchonella, commonly known here in Sarawak as Malacensis has been made known on Borneo Island in Sabah. The tree grows to 30 meters tall and exudes white latex. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10310-y
Northeast Monsoon
Two distinct monsoon seasons affect the Malaysian area: the Northeast monsoon and the Southwest monsoon season. The period between these two phases is called the intermonsoon phase. The Northeast monsoon triggers cloud formations and rain with the local sea and air mixing. This impact usually dominates from late November through February. About 50-70 % of the rainfall of the east coast of Malaysia occurs during this time. This is further enhanced by cold surges from Siberia 5-6 times during the season. Looking ahead, the amount of rainfall is expected to substantially increase because of global warming. Weather types and rainfall variability during the Northeast Monsoon over Malaysia (OSF Preprint) (osf.io in Bing)
Tall Trees
The tallest tropical trees in the world are located in Sabah, and they belong to a group which came from a common ancestor in the dipterocarp family. They are called the Giant Merantis. One has a height of 97.5 meters. However, the author concedes there may be taller trees. SANDAKANIA 27 (2025): 285–301 https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2019.00032
Blue Green Algae
Cyano bacteria are forms of blue-green algae. In order to tell these individuals apart, scientists must employ various methods. These methods include looking at them under a microscope, DNA seququencing and determining what chemicals are in the cells. A study was conducted in Kota Samarahan who isolated seven strains of Blue Green algae. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.741.2.5
Buket
The Buket ethnic is one of the indigenous communities in Sarawak, residing in the interior regions of Borneo. As part of the broader Orang ulu group, which includes several indigenous populations living in the highlands and riverine areas of Sarawak and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). The Buket represent one of the smallest and most threatened ethnic groups in the state. Despite outward migration, the Buket have maintained their beliefs. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2026.2623392
Tom McLaughlin for BorneoHistory.net