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Ramli FF, Munian K, Mahyudin NAA, Othman N, Haris H, Abdullah-Fauzi NAF, Sariyati NH, Ilham-Norhakim ML, Abdul-Latiff MAB. First documentation on herpetofauna diversity in Gunung Belumut Amenity Forest, Peninsular Malaysia: Implications for conservation in an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). Biodivers Data J 2024; 12:e108476. [PMID: 38235165 PMCID: PMC10793111 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.12.e108476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaysia is blessed with lush tropical rainforests that harbour an exceptional diversity of amphibians and reptiles. However, compared to other animal groups, amphibians and reptiles have received limited attention in research, despite their ecological significance. With amphibians and reptile species having been declining rapidly due to anthropogenic activities, there is a pressing need to conserve these species and their habitats. Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are designated regions that are beneficial due to their critical role in providing essential ecosystem services and serving as repositories of biodiversity. Nonetheless, the classification of ESAs in Malaysia lacks biological elements and only focuses on physical attributes. To enhance the current ESA classification framework by integrating biological components, there is an urgent need to obtain information on diversity and habitat in Malaysia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were twofold: to determine the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in Gunung Belumut Amenity Forest and to conduct a comparative analysis between the herpetofauna assemblages in Gunung Belumut with other forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia. The survey was carried out between March and June 2022, with additional sampling conducted in February 2023. The Visual Encounter Survey (VES) and pitfall trap methods were employed to survey the herpetofauna species, focusing on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats within the study area. A total of 210 individuals representing 38 species of herpetofauna were recorded, comprising 18 amphibian and 20 reptile species. Amongst the observed species, Limnonectesblythii was the most frequently encountered amphibian, with 59 individuals observed, while the dominant reptile species was Cyrtodactylusconsobrinus, represented by eight individuals. This pioneering study serves as a vital baseline documentation of the amphibian and reptile assemblages in Gunung Belumut Amenity Forest. It provides valuable information for identifying extant herpetofauna species, including those of potential conservation concern or rarity. These findings contribute to ongoing conservation efforts dedicated to the preservation of herpetofauna within the region. By understanding the diversity and distribution patterns of amphibians and reptiles in Gunung Belumut, effective conservation strategies can be developed to protect these species and their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Farhana Ramli
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
| | - Kaviarasu Munian
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
- Zoology Branch, Forest Biodiversity Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109, Kepong, Selangor, MalaysiaZoology Branch, Forest Biodiversity Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109Kepong, SelangorMalaysia
| | - Nur Aina Amira Mahyudin
- Zoology Branch, Forest Biodiversity Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109, Kepong, Selangor, MalaysiaZoology Branch, Forest Biodiversity Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109Kepong, SelangorMalaysia
| | - Nursyuhada Othman
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
| | - Hidayah Haris
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
| | - Nurfatiha Akmal Fawwazah Abdullah-Fauzi
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
| | - Nur Hartini Sariyati
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
| | - Mohd Lokman Ilham-Norhakim
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
- Kim Ichthyologist Centre, Kg Parit Samsu, Jalan Temenggong Ahmad, 84150, Parit Jawa, Muar, Johor, MalaysiaKim Ichthyologist Centre, Kg Parit Samsu, Jalan Temenggong Ahmad, 84150, Parit JawaMuar, JohorMalaysia
- Akim Fishes Enterprise, 81P Pesta 2, Kg Kenangan Tun Dr Ismail, 84000, Muar, Johor, MalaysiaAkim Fishes Enterprise, 81P Pesta 2, Kg Kenangan Tun Dr Ismail, 84000Muar, JohorMalaysia
| | - Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdul-Latiff
- Environmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Pagoh, Johor, MalaysiaEnvironmental Management and Conservation Research Unit (eNCORe), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600Pagoh, JohorMalaysia
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Flury JM, Haas A, Brown RM, Das I, Pui YM, Boon-Hee K, Scheidt U, Iskandar DT, Jankowski A, Hertwig ST. Unexpectedly high levels of lineage diversity in Sundaland puddle frogs (Dicroglossidae: Occidozyga Kuhl and van Hasselt, 1822). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 163:107210. [PMID: 34029720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
One of the most urgent contemporary tasks for taxonomists and evolutionary biologists is to estimate the number of species on earth. Recording alpha diversity is crucial for protecting biodiversity, especially in areas of elevated species richness, which coincide geographically with increased anthropogenic environmental pressures - the world's so-called biodiversity hotspots. Although the distribution of Puddle frogs of the genus Occidozyga in South and Southeast Asia includes five biodiversity hotspots, the available data on phylogeny, species diversity, and biogeography are surprisingly patchy. Samples analyzed in this study were collected throughout Southeast Asia, with a primary focus on Sundaland and the Philippines. A mitochondrial gene region comprising ~ 2000 bp of 12S and 16S rRNA with intervening tRNA Valine and three nuclear loci (BDNF, NTF3, POMC) were analyzed to obtain a robust, time-calibrated phylogenetic hypothesis. We found a surprisingly high level of genetic diversity within Occidozyga, based on uncorrected p-distance values corroborated by species delimitation analyses. This extensive genetic diversity revealed 29 evolutionary lineages, defined by the > 5% uncorrected p-distance criterion for the 16S rRNA gene, suggesting that species diversity in this clade of phenotypically homogeneous forms probably has been underestimated. The comparison with results of other anuran groups leads to the assumption that anuran species diversity could still be substantially underestimated in Southeast Asia in general. Many genetically divergent lineages of frogs are phenotypically similar, indicating a tendency towards extensive morphological conservatism. We present a biogeographic reconstruction of the colonization of Sundaland and nearby islands which, together with our temporal framework, suggests that lineage diversification centered on the landmasses of the northern Sunda Shelf. This remarkably genetically structured group of amphibians could represent an exceptional case for future studies of geographical structure and diversification in a widespread anuran clade spanning some of the most pronounced geographical barriers on the planet (e.g., Wallace's Line). Studies considering gene flow, morphology, ecological and bioacoustic data are needed to answer these questions and to test whether observed diversity of Puddle frog lineages warrants taxonomic recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana M Flury
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany; Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Haas
- Centrum für Naturkunde, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rafe M Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Dyche Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Indraneil Das
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Yong Min Pui
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Kueh Boon-Hee
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Ulrich Scheidt
- Naturkundemuseum Erfurt, Große Arche 14, 99084 Erfurt, Germany
| | - Djoko T Iskandar
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesa 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - André Jankowski
- Centrum für Naturkunde, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan T Hertwig
- Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, 3005 Bern, Switzerland; University of Bern, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3006 Bern, Switzerland.
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