Novelties in Fissistigma (Annonaceae) from Borneo

Five new species of Fissistigma are described from Borneo. Fissistigma brevistipitatum sp. nov. is a species of lowland and hill forest mostly recorded from Sabah. Fissistigma bygravei sp. nov. is similar to F. hypoglaucum (Miq.) Merr. of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. Fissistigma carrii sp. nov. is from Mount Kinabalu. Fissistigma crassicaule is a robust plant known from a couple of collections from Sarawak. Fissistigma montanum sp. nov. is a species from hill and montane forest recorded from Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak. A new combination in Fissistigma is made for Melodorum multivenium Diels. Two recently described species of Fissistigma from Borneo ( F. cordifolium Irawan and F. magnisepalum Irawan) are reduced to synonymy of Friesodielsia excisa (Miq.) Steenis and Friesodielsia affinis (Hook. f. & Thomson) D. Das, respectively. Both species of Friesodielsia are lectotypified.     

Begonia baik and B. padawanensis spp. nov. (Begoniaceae) from sandstone areas in Sarawak,Malaysia

Two new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae), B. baik and B. padawanensis, from Sarawak are described and illustrated. Begonia baik, a member of sect. Petermannia, resembles B. conipila, but is distinguishable by having glabrous ovary (vs sparsely hispid) and margins of bracts dentate and glandular hairy (vs entire). Begonia padawanensis (sect. Reichenheimia) is similar to B. andersonii, differing in the leaves being obtriangular‐spatulate (vs orbicular) and having 5 pistillate flower tepals (vs 4). Both new species were discovered in a sandstone area in Padawan, Sarawak.     

Orchidantha inouei (Lowiaceae), a new species from Borneo

A new species, Orchidantha inouei , is described from Sarawak. Two types of paracladium in the inflorescence are reported with a discussion on the inflorescence morphology of Lowiaceae.     

Studies on Homalomeneae (Araceae) of Borneo XXIII: a new rheophytic species of Homalomena (Punctulata Clade) from the Tau Range,Sarawak

Homalomena cataractae is described and illustrated as a new species of Steenisian rheophyte belonging to the Homalomena punctulata-clade from the Tau range, Central Sarawak. A key to the species of the Homalomena punctulata-clade is provided.     

First Record of the Gekkonid Genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 from Gunung Mulu National Park,Northern Sarawak,East Malaysia may Represent an Undescribed Species

We provide confirmed photographic evidence for the previously overlooked occurrence of the polyphyletic Asian gecko genus Cnemaspis from Gunung Mulu National Park, the world-renowned UNESCO natural heritage site in northern Sarawak, East Malaysia. This new record from Sarawak province represents a remarkable range extension for Cnemaspis cf. kendallii by 550 km to the northeast and denotes the most northern occurrence of the genus in Borneo. Our new finding makes it very likely that these gekkonid lizards also inhabit appropriate limestone karst habitats in adjacent Sabah, Brunei, and Kalimantan. Given the visible differences in the Mulu specimen compared to those from the remaining distribution range on Borneo and the Malaysian Peninsula together with the fact that numerous Cnemaspis species are restricted to small areas, it seems plausible that another undescribed, rather cryptic and possibly locally endemic Bornean species is involved. Lastly, the new record contributes to the importance of the Mulu National Park as a major conservation area in East Malaysia of international concerns.     

A new species of the wild banana genus,Musa (Musaceae), from Borneo

A new species of wild banana, Musa bauensis Häkkinen & Meekiong, is described and illustrated. It is from the Bau limestone area, Sarawak, East Malaysia.     

Phylogenetic analysis of hampala fishes (subfamily Cyprininae) in Malaysia inferred from partial mitochondrial cytochrome B DNA sequences

This study examined 396 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from 110 individuals belonging to the genus Hampala, a group of freshwater cyprinids that inhabit Southeast Asia. The samples were taken from various locations throughout Sarawak, Sabah, and peninsular Malaysia. The nucleotide sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analyses by using the neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood methods. All three methods revealed the reciprocally monophyletic relationship of Hampala macrolepidota to the other Hampala forms, thus strongly supporting its status as a distinct species. Phylogenetic analysis also discovered the existence of two H. bimaculata lineages endemic to Borneo: (1) a newly identified species from the southern and central part of Sarawak assigned as H. bimaculata Type A and (2) the previously described H. bimaculata from northern Sarawak and the west coast of Sabah assigned as H. bimaculata Type B. However, the status of H. sabana and an intermediate form were not elucidated. The results suggest that the intermediate form from the Tawau population is actually a subpopulation of H. sabana, while the highly divergent intermediate form from Kalabakan could represent a cryptic species. The sharing of H. macrolepidota haplotypes in the southern peninsular Malaysia and southern and central Sarawak samples (Hm1 and Hm2) reflected the recent disconnection of the two regions, during the late Pleistocene. Overall, the partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was useful for resolving the phylogenetic relationships among Hampala fishes in Malaysia.     

A revision of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gomphostemma</Emphasis> (Lamiaceae) in Sabah and Sarawak

A taxonomic revision of the genus Gomphostemma Wall. ex Benth. in Sabah and Sarawak is presented. Three species, G. microcalyx Prain, G. javanicum (Blume) Benth., and G. curtisii Prain are recognised; one new species, G. hirsutum Walsingham, is described.     

Some Upper Triassic species of Dipteridaceae from Japan and Borneo

Three Upper Triassic species of Dipteridaceae are described. By new finds of twisted arms and fertile pinnae Dictyophyllum japonicum Yokoyama (1891) from the Yamanoi Formation (Upper Carnic to the Lowest Noric) is transferred to Camptopterisjaponica (Yokoyama) Kon'no, comb. nov. Morphological and taxonomical relation of Dictyophyllum falcatum Naito (MS.) from the Middle Carnic formation with other genera and species is discussed with additional data of fertile pinnae. CUxthropteris meniscoides Brongn. is described from near the south-western border of Sarawak; this gives evidence of the presence of the southernmost outpost of the Dipteridaceae flora of south-eastern Asia in Borneo during the Upper Triassic Period.     

Three new species of Merizocotyle Cerfontaine, 1894 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the nasal tissues of dasyatid rays collected off Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo

Three new species of Merizocotyle Cerfontaine, 1894 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) are described from the nasal tissues of stingrays collected off Borneo. Merizocotyle macrostrobus n. sp. is described from the dwarf whipray Himantura walga (Müller & Henle) collected in shallow waters off Sematan, Sarawak, Malaysia. This species can be distinguished from the other members of the genus by the morphology of the sclerotised male copulatory organ, which is long with many twists and loops. The vaginae of this species are also long and looped. Merizocotyle papillae n. sp. is described from the roughnose stingray Pastinachus solocirostris Last, Manjaji & Yearsley collected off Sematan and Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is distinguished from the other species of Merizocotyle by the morphology of the male copulatory organ, which is a sclerotised tube that expands slightly and then tapers at the distal end, and by the presence of papillae on the dorsal edge of the haptor. Merizocotyle rhadinopeos n. sp. is described from the whitenose whip ray Himantura uarnacoides (Bleeker) collected off Manggar, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It can be differentiated by the male copulatory organ, which is a short, narrow, curved, sclerotised tube tapering distally, and the path of the ovary, which runs anteriorly to the base of the o?type. We also provide details of new host and/or locality records for M. australensis (Beverley-Burton & Williams, 1989) Chisholm, Wheeler & Beverley-Burton, 1995, M. icopae Beverley-Burton & Williams, 1989 and M. pseudodasybatis (Hargis, 1955) Chisholm, Wheeler & Beverley-Burton, 1995.     

Theloderma licin McLeod and Ahmad, 2007 （Lissamphibia： Anura： Rhacophoridae）, a New Frog Record for Borneo

A new record of the rhacophorid frog, Theloderma licin is reported from Gunung Serambu, in the Bau region of western Sarawak, East Malaysia, which comprises the first published record of the species from the Sundaic island of Borneo. The species was previously known from the Malay Peninsula （southern Peninsular Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia）. Species of Theloderma are widespread in mainland and insular Southeast Asia, their arboreal habits perhaps contributing to our perception of rarity.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Stemonurus corrugatus</Emphasis> (Stemonuraceae,Icacinaceae s.l.) a new species from Sarawak

Summary   Stemonurus corrugatus Utteridge & Schori is described and illustrated as a new species from Sarawak, Malaysia. The new species is similar to S. grandifolius, S. scorpioides, and S. umbellatus, and morphological differences among the taxa are discussed. A distribution map and notes on the new species’ conservation status are provided.     

A new cave-inhabiting Ptomaphaginus beetle from Sarawak (Leiodidae: Cholevinae)

Abstract. A new troglophilic species, Ptomaphaginus chapmani , is described from caves in Sarawak. it has the very unusual combination of very reduced eyes but functiobnal wings and may be interpreted as a phylogenetic relict, with characters suggesting a New World origin for this Oriental genus.     

The identity of Siderobombyx and a new species of Xanthophytum (Rubiaceae)

The monotypic genus Sidernbombyx is reduced to Xanthophytum . A new species Xanthophytum bullatum from Borneo, Sarawak, Gunung Mulu National Park is described, the first species in the genus with bullate leaves. An overview of character states is given for the genus Xanthophytum . This covers aspects of vegetative, flower, fruit, seed and pollen morphology. It is shown that the genus Kajewskiellu is very close to Xanthophytum .     

Three new species of Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) from Borneo

Three new species from northern Borneo are described: Etlingera rubromarginata from Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah; E. belalongensis presently only known from the Temburong District of Brunei; and E. corrugata presently only known from Danum Valley, Sabah.     

Conservation of some rare and endangered plants from Peninsular Malaysia

Malaysia has approximately 15,000 species of vascular plants. Its flora is distributed between two major geographical regions; Peninsular Malaysia on mainland Asia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia has over 8,300 plant species and Sabah and Sarawak in a recent estimate have about 12,000 species. Total species endemism for Peninsular Malaysia is about 30%; its tree endemism is 26.3%. For Sabah and Sarawak, the endemism level is higher, recently revised figures gave a tree species endemism of 42.1%. Malaysia has recently published its national strategy for plant conservation, which now forms the basis of conservation activities for the country. Since 2004, we have been running a project entitled “Conservation Monitoring of Rare and Threatened Plants of Peninsular Malaysia”, in which conservation status assessment is scored for a number of families. Results of the assessment of 458 taxa included 46.1% in some threat category. Detailed conservation studies are in progress for 33 species of threatened plants. Initial work on these species include spatial distribution studies at regional level based on herbarium records, and at a more local level, population studies to determine demography of populations. Regular phenological observations were also made for many of the species.     

Revision of the lygaeid genera Porta and Primierus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), with the description of a new genus of Ozophorini from Papua New Guinea (Hemiptera)

Abstract. The lygaeid genera Porta Distant and Primierus Distant are revised and placed in the tribe Ozophorini. A key to all species is included. Phylogenetic relationships are discussed and a cladogram constructed. The following new species are described: Porta illustris (Philippines); P.longipes (Sabah), Primierus quadrispinosus (Sarawak, Sabah, Malaya), P.venustus (Sabah), and P.longirostris (Thailand). Gressittocoris intimidator is described as a new genus and species of Ozophorini from Papua New Guinea. Porta gracilis Distant is reported from Sabah, Sumatra and Thailand for the first time and records of P.gracilis from the Philippines are referred to Porta illustris sp.n. Illustrations include details of the genitalia and dorsal views of Primierus quadrispinosus, P.longirostris and Gressittocoris intimidator.     

Gerarda prevostiana(Eydoux and Gervais,1837)(Squamata:Serpentes:Homalopsidae),a New Snake for Borneo

A new record of the homalopsid snake, Gerarda prevostiana is presented from a mangrove-dominated patch in the vicinity of Kampung Bako, Sarawak, East Malaysia, and this comprises the first published record from the Sundaic Island of Borneo. A possible second locality for the species is a ca. 6.68 km site to its northeast, Kampung Buntal, based on an unlocated museum specimen. The species is widespread in mainland Southeast Asia, with additional records to the west(the Indian Subcontinent) and east(the Philippines Archipelago), but was previously unrecorded from the islands of the Sundas. The secretive habits of the species, including the occupancy of mud lobster(Thalassinia spp.) mounds in mostly inaccessible, swampy habitats may be a reason for its perceived rarity and few published records.     

Endangered even before formally described: Bulbophyllum kubahense n.sp., a beautiful and assumedly narrowly endemic orchid from Borneo

B. kubahense J.J. Verm. & A. Lamb is described, a new species differing from B. refractilingue in having a longer rachis, longer lateral sepals and larger petals. This attractive species is known from a single locality within a national park in Sarawak, Malaysia. Nevertheless, wild-collected plants have turned up in nurseries in Singapore, causing concern about its continued existence in the wild.