Characterization of indigenous Durio species from Sarawak, Borneo: relationships between chemical composition and sensory attributes.

Sarawak, Borneo, harbours 16 unique Durio species, half of which are edible, with only Durio zibethinus widely cultivated. Despite their nutritional and economic significance to the rural communities in Sarawak, the lesser-known indigenous durians remain underrepresented in the scientific literature while facing the risk of extinction in the wild. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct comprehensive chemical analyses of these wild edible durians, offering insights into their nutritional and sensory taste attributes. The edible part was separated at optimal ripeness, and the samples were subjected to further analysis. Wild edible durian genotypes exhibit varied characteristics, even within the same species. The majority of wild durians are characterized by a sugar composition consisting predominantly of sucrose, constituting 67.38-96.96%, except for the red-fleshed Durio graveolens renowned for its low total sugar content (0.49 ± 0.17 g per 100 g). Despite its bland taste, this species possessed significantly greater fat (14.50 ± 0.16%) and fibre (12.30 ± 0.14%) content. Durio dulcis exhibited a significantly greater carbohydrate content (29.37-30.60%), and its intense smell was attributed to its low protein content (2.03-2.04%). Indigenous durians offer substantial percentages of daily mineral intake, with 100 g servings providing approximately 15.71-26.80% of potassium, 71.72-86.52% of phosphorus, 9.33-27.31% of magnesium, and sufficient trace minerals. The vibrant flesh colours of yellow-, orange- and red-fleshed Durio graveolens and Durio kutejensis show high levels of ascorbic acid (31.41-61.56 mg 100 g-1), carotenoids (976.36-2627.18 µg 100 g-1) and antioxidant properties, while Durio dulcis and Durio oxleyanus, despite their dull flesh, contained high phenolic (67.95-74.77 mg GAE 100 g-1) and flavonoid (8.71-13.81 QE mg 100 g-1) levels. These endeavours provide a deeper understanding of the nutritional richness of wild edible durians, thereby supporting commercialization and conservation efforts.

Establishing species boundaries in Bornean geckos.

Species delimitation using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) remains an important and accessible approach for discovering and delimiting species. However, delimiting species with a single locus (e.g. DNA barcoding) is biased towards overestimating species diversity. The highly diverse gecko genus Cyrtodactylus is one such group where delimitation using mtDNA remains the paradigm. In this study, we use genomic data to test putative species boundaries established using mtDNA within three recognized species of Cyrtodactylus on the island of Borneo. We predict that multi-locus genomic data will estimate fewer species than mtDNA, which could have important ramifications for the species diversity within the genus. We aim to (i) investigate the correspondence between species delimitations using mtDNA and genomic data, (ii) infer species trees for each target species, and (iii) quantify gene flow and identify migration patterns to assess population connectivity. We find that species diversity is overestimated and that species boundaries differ between mtDNA and nuclear data. This underscores the value of using genomic data to reassess mtDNA-based species delimitations for taxa lacking clear species boundaries. We expect the number of recognized species within Cyrtodactylus to continue increasing, but, when possible, genomic data should be included to inform more accurate species boundaries.

Tropical beetles more sensitive to impacts are less likely to be known to science.

Insects are posited to be declining globally. This is particularly pertinent in tropical forests, which exhibit both the highest levels of biodiversity and the highest rates of biodiversity loss. However, for the hyper-diverse tropical insects there are scant data available to evidence declines. Understanding tropical insect diversity and its response to environmental change has therefore become a challenge, but it is estimated that 80% of tropical insect species remain undescribed1. Insect biodiversity predictions are based mostly on well-studied taxa and extrapolated to other groups, but no one knows whether resilience to environmental change varies between undescribed and described species. Here, we collected staphylinid beetles from unlogged and logged tropical forests in Borneo and investigated their responses to environmental change. Out of 252 morphospecies collected, 76% were undescribed. Undescribed species showed higher community turnover, reduced abundance and decreased probability of occurrence in logged forests. Thus the unknown components of tropical insect biodiversity are likely more impacted by human-induced environmental change. If these patterns are widespread, how accurate will assessments of insect declines in the tropics be?

Gaps in cancer care in a multi-ethnic population in Sarawak, Borneo: A central referral centre study.

BACKGROUND: The state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo in East Malaysia, in working towards developing and strengthening cancer services through a holistic patient-centred approach, must focus on the comprehensive needs of cancer patients by taking into account the psycho-social, cultural and spiritual aspects of Sarawak's multi-ethnic, multi-cultural population. METHODS: A 42-item survey questionnaire was developed and validated with a total of 443 patients. The perceived importance of information provided and level of patient satisfaction were assessed with a 5-point Likert scale in 10 domains (Diagnosis, Surgery, Radiotherapy, Systemic therapy, Clinical trials, Pain management, Treatment monitoring, Psychosocial support, Sexual care and fertility issues, and Financial support). A Spearman's rank correlation test was applied to determine the correlation between response in both item and domain categories for perceived importance and satisfaction. RESULTS: Overall, patients were more satisfied with information related to cancer diagnosis, treatment and surgery but less satisfied with information pertaining to sexual aspects of care and family planning, psycho-social support and financial support. The majority of patients were satisfied with the level of treatment-related information received but preferred the information to be delivered in more easily comprehendible formats. Sexual aspects of care and family planning, psychosocial support and treatment monitoring post-discharge were perceived as important but seldom addressed by health care professionals due to lack of professional counsellors, social workers and clinical nurse specialists. Many patients face financial toxicity following a cancer diagnosis, particularly when diagnosed with advanced cancer requiring complex multi-modality treatment. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients in Sarawak have various unmet information needs. Written information and educational videos in local indigenous languages may be more suitable for Sarawak's multi-ethnic population. Sexual aspects of care and family planning are challenging but essential topics to discuss, in particular due to the high prevalence of breast and cervical cancer amongst young women of reproductive age in Sarawak. Financial assessment and information on support services offered by government and non-government organisations should be provided to eligible patients. A holistic needs assessment of each patient at time of diagnosis and support through their cancer journey requires a multi-disciplinary team of medical, nursing and allied health professionals including clinical nurse specialists, pharmacists, counsellors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians and social workers.

Dental sculpting and compensatory shearing crests demonstrated in a WEAR series of Presbytis rubicunda (Cercopithecoidea, Colobidae) with dental topography analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Maintaining effective and efficient occlusal morphology presents adaptive challenges for mammals, particularly because mastication produces interactions with foods and other materials that alters the geometry of occlusal surfaces through macrowear and/or catastrophic failure (i.e. "chipping"). Altered occlusal morphologies are often less effective for masticating materials of given diet-but not always-some species exhibit dental sculpting, meaning their dentitions are set up to harness macrowear to hone their occlusal surfaces into more effective morphologies (i.e. secondary morphologies). Here we show that dental sculpting is present in the folivorous Presbytis rubicunda of Borneo. METHODS: Thirty-one undamaged lower second molars of P. rubicunda exhibiting various stages of macroscopic wear were micro-CT scanned and processed into digital surfaces. The surfaces were measured for convex Dirichlet normal energy (vDNE, a measure of surface sharpness), and degree of surface wear. Regression analyses compared surface sharpness with several measures of wear to test for the presence and magnitude of dental sculpting. RESULTS: Positive correlations between the wear proxies and vDNE reveal that P. rubicunda wear in such a way as to become sharper, and therefore more effective chewing surfaces by exposing enamel-dentine junctions on their occlusal surfaces and then honing these junctions into sharpened edges. Compared to another primate folivore in which increasing surface sharpness with macrowear has been demonstrated (i.e., Alouatta palliata), the worn surfaces are similarly sharp, but the dental sculpting process appears to be different. DISCUSSION: The results presented here suggest that not only do some primates exhibit dental sculpting and the attendant secondary morphology, but that there appear to be multiple different morphological configurations that can achieve this result. P. rubicunda has thicker enamel and a more stereotyped wear pattern than A. palliata, although both show positive correlations of occlusal surface sharpness (vDNE) with various wear proxies. These findings shed light on the varied approaches for the maintenance of effective and efficient occlusal surfaces in primates.

A new species of Languidipes Hubbard (Ephemeroptera, Polymitarcyidae) from Borneo.

The genus Languidipes is currently represented by three species distributed in southeastern Asia, India, and Sri Lanka. Languidipes corporaali is the most widely distributed species, and both, male and female imagos, as well as nymphs, are known. In contrast, the other species, L. taprobanes and L. lithophagus, are only known from nymphs. Here, we describe a new species, Languidipes janae sp nov, based on male imagos collected from Borneo, Indonesia. This new species is characterized by the presence of ommation on mesonotum, and penis almost completely divided, with sub-quadrate base and a small outer projection basal to the long and slender distal arms. This constitutes the first record of the genus for Borneo. A cladistic analysis of the subfamily Asthenopodinae supports its taxonomic status.

Vocal complexity in the long calls of Bornean orangutans.

Vocal complexity is central to many evolutionary hypotheses about animal communication. Yet, quantifying and comparing complexity remains a challenge, particularly when vocal types are highly graded. Male Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) produce complex and variable "long call" vocalizations comprising multiple sound types that vary within and among individuals. Previous studies described six distinct call (or pulse) types within these complex vocalizations, but none quantified their discreteness or the ability of human observers to reliably classify them. We studied the long calls of 13 individuals to: (1) evaluate and quantify the reliability of audio-visual classification by three well-trained observers, (2) distinguish among call types using supervised classification and unsupervised clustering, and (3) compare the performance of different feature sets. Using 46 acoustic features, we used machine learning (i.e., support vector machines, affinity propagation, and fuzzy c-means) to identify call types and assess their discreteness. We additionally used Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) to visualize the separation of pulses using both extracted features and spectrogram representations. Supervised approaches showed low inter-observer reliability and poor classification accuracy, indicating that pulse types were not discrete. We propose an updated pulse classification approach that is highly reproducible across observers and exhibits strong classification accuracy using support vector machines. Although the low number of call types suggests long calls are fairly simple, the continuous gradation of sounds seems to greatly boost the complexity of this system. This work responds to calls for more quantitative research to define call types and quantify gradedness in animal vocal systems and highlights the need for a more comprehensive framework for studying vocal complexity vis-à-vis graded repertoires.

The chemical profiles and cytotoxicity of gaharu bouya oil from Borneo's Gonystylus bancanus wood.

Gaharu bouya oil obtained from distillation of the woods from Gonystylus genus has attracted essential oil industry interest. However, the information about gaharu bouya essential oil profile is limited. The presence of Gonystylus species is also critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Therefore, exploring the -omics profiles of Gonystylus bancanus, a native plant from Borneo Island, is important for Indonesia to conserve the population. This research investigated the metabolite profiling of G. bancanus oil, especially the volatile components of its essential oils. Distillations were performed in two technical ways: hydrodistillation on a laboratory scale and steam distillation on an industrial scale. According to LC-MS and GC-MS profiles, both essential oils displayed similar chemical compositions. This article also discusses the similarity of the chemical contents of gaharu bouya oil and agarwood oil from the gaharu superior type (Aquilaria) to support the value of the oil. This research also investigated the cytotoxicity of gaharu bouya oil against three cell lines: HeLa, MCF-7, and HT-29.

Relationships of primary productivity with anuran abundance, richness, and community composition in tropical streams.

The relationship between primary productivity and diversity has been demonstrated across taxa and spatial scales, but for organisms with biphasic life cycles, little research has examined whether productivity of larval and adult environments influence each life stage independently, or whether productivity of one life stage's environment outweighs the influence of the other. Experimental work demonstrates that tadpoles of stream-breeding anurans can exhibit a top-down influence on aquatic primary productivity (APP), but few studies have sought evidence of a bottom-up influence of primary productivity on anuran abundance, species richness and community composition, as seen in other organisms. We examined aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity in two forest types in Borneo, along with amphibian abundance, species richness, and community composition at larval and adult stages, to determine whether there is evidence for a bottom-up influence of APP on tadpole abundance and species richness across streams, and the relative importance of aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity on larval and adult phases of anurans. We predicted that adult richness, abundance, and community composition would be influenced by terrestrial primary productivity, but that tadpole richness, abundance, and community composition would be influenced by APP. Contrary to expectations, we did not find evidence that primary productivity, or variation thereof, predicts anuran richness at larval or adult stages. Further, no measure of primary productivity or its variation was a significant predictor of adult abundance, or of adult or tadpole community composition. For tadpoles, we found that in areas with low terrestrial primary productivity, abundance was positively related to APP, but in areas with high terrestrial primary productivity, abundance was negatively related to APP, suggesting a bottom-up influence of primary productivity on abundance in secondary forest, and a top-down influence of tadpoles on primary productivity in primary forest. Additional data are needed to better understand the ecological interactions between terrestrial primary productivity, aquatic primary productivity, and tadpole abundance.

Observed and future shifts in climate zone of Borneo based on CMIP6 models.

Climate change has significantly altered the characteristics of climate zones, posing considerable challenges to ecosystems and biodiversity, particularly in Borneo, known for its high species density per unit area. This study aimed to classify the region into homogeneous climate groups based on long-term average behavior. The most effective parameters from the high-resolution daily gridded Princeton climate datasets spanning 65 years (1950-2014) were utilized, including rainfall, relative humidity (RH), temperatures (Tavg, Tmin, Tmax, and diurnal temperature range (DTR)), along with elevation data at 0.25° resolution. The FCM clustering method outperformed K-Mean and two Ward's hierarchical methods (WardD and WardD2) in classifying Borneo's climate zones based on multi-criteria assessment, exhibiting the lowest average distance (2.172-2.180) and the highest compromise programming index (CPI)-based correlation ranking among cluster averages across all climate parameters. Borneo's climate zones were categorized into four: 'Wet and cold' (WC) and 'Wet' (W) representing wetter zones, and 'Wet and hot' (WH) and 'Dry and hot' (DH) representing hotter zones, each with clearly defined boundaries. For future projection, EC-Earth3-Veg ranked first for all climate parameters across 961 grid points, emerging as the top-performing model. The linear scaling (LS) bias-corrected EC-Earth3-Veg model, as shown in the Taylor diagram, closely replicated the observed datasets, facilitating future climate zone reclassification. Improved performance across parameters was evident based on MAE (35.8-94.6%), MSE (57.0-99.5%), NRMSE (42.7-92.1%), PBIAS (100-108%), MD (23.0-85.3%), KGE (21.1-78.1%), and VE (5.1-9.1%), with closer replication of empirical probability distribution function (PDF) curves during the validation period. In the future, Borneo's climate zones will shift notably, with WC elongating southward along the mountainous spine, W forming an enclave over the north-central mountains, WH shifting northward and shrinking inland, and DH expanding northward along the western coast. Under SSP5-8.5, WC is expected to expand by 39% and 11% for the mid- and far-future periods, respectively, while W is set to shrink by 46%. WH is projected to expand by 2% and 8% for the mid- and far-future periods, respectively. Conversely, DH is expected to expand by 43% for the far-future period but shrink by 42% for the mid-future period. This study fills a gap by redefining Borneo's climate zones based on an increased number of effective parameters and projecting future shifts, utilizing advanced clustering methods (FCM) under CMIP6 scenarios. Importantly, it contributes by ranking GCMs using RIMs and CPI across multiple climate parameters, addressing a previous gap in GCM assessment. The study's findings can facilitate cross-border collaboration by providing a shared understanding of climate dynamics and informing joint environmental management and disaster response efforts.

Novel insight into the genetic diversity of strongylid nematodes infecting South-East and East Asian primates.

With many non-human primates (NHPs) showing continued population decline, there is an ongoing need to better understand their ecology and conservation threats. One such threat is the risk of disease, with various bacterial, viral and parasitic infections previously reported to have damaging consequences for NHP hosts. Strongylid nematodes are one of the most commonly reported parasitic infections in NHPs. Current knowledge of NHP strongylid infections is restricted by their typical occurrence as mixed infections of multiple genera, which are indistinguishable through traditional microscopic approaches. Here, modern metagenomics approaches were applied for insight into the genetic diversity of strongylid infections in South-East and East Asian NHPs. We hypothesized that strongylid nematodes occur in mixed communities of multiple taxa, dominated by Oesophagostomum, matching previous findings using single-specimen genetics. Utilizing the Illumina MiSeq platform, ITS-2 strongylid metabarcoding was applied to 90 samples from various wild NHPs occurring in Malaysian Borneo and Japan. A clear dominance of Oesophagostomum aculeatum was found, with almost all sequences assigned to this species. This study suggests that strongylid communities of Asian NHPs may be less species-rich than those in African NHPs, where multi-genera communities are reported. Such knowledge contributes baseline data, assisting with ongoing monitoring of health threats to NHPs.

Epidemiology of Uterine Cancer in Sarawak, Borneo, A 20-Year Review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of uterine cancer in Sarawak, Malaysia, using data from a population-based cancer registry. METHODS: The study population included all women diagnosed with uterine cancer in Sarawak, Malaysia between January 1996 and December 2015. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from the Sarawak Cancer Registry. The crude incidence rate, age-standardized incidence rate (ASR), and incidence risk ratios (IRR) were calculated. Joinpoint regression analyses were performed to assess trends in incidence rates. RESULTS: A total of 811 women were diagnosed with primary uterine cancer during the study period. The overall crude incidence rate for uterine cancer in Sarawak for the period 1996-2015 was 3.7 per 100,000. The ASR was 4.4 per 100,000 with a 95% CI (4.1-4.8). The ASR in 2011-2015 is 1.6 times higher than the ASR of uterine cancer in 1996-2000. Higher incidence rates were observed in women aged 40-59 years and those aged 60 years and above. Chinese women had the highest ASR, followed by Malay and Iban women. Joinpoint regression analyses showed a significant increase in cases of uterine cancer among all ethnic groups and age groups. CONCLUSION: The incidence of primary uterine cancer in Sarawak, Malaysia, has increased over the past 20 years, with higher incidence rates observed in older age groups and among Chinese women. The findings suggest the need for continued efforts to improve the prevention, early detection, and treatment of uterine cancer in Sarawak.

Seroevidence of SARS-CoV-2 spillback to rodents in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated from a spillover event, where the virus jumped from bats to humans, leading to an epidemic that quickly escalated into a pandemic by early 2020. Despite the implementation of various public health measures, such as lockdowns and widespread vaccination efforts, the virus continues to spread. This is primarily attributed to the rapid emergence of immune escape variants and the inadequacy of protection against reinfection. Spillback events were reported early in animals with frequent contact with humans, especially companion, captive, and farmed animals. Unfortunately, surveillance of spillback events is generally lacking in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by investigating the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in wild rodents in Sarawak, Malaysia. RESULTS: We analysed 208 archived plasma from rodents collected between from 2018 to 2022 to detect neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a surrogate virus neutralisation test, and discovered two seropositive rodents (Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus), which were sampled in 2021 and 2022, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus may be susceptible to natural SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, there is currently no evidence supporting sustainable rodent-to-rodent transmission.

New species of Echinobothrium van Beneden, 1849 (Cestoda: Diphyllidea) from Indo-Pacific maskrays (Neotrygon Castelnau) off Australia and Borneo.

Four new diphyllidean species of the genus Echinobothrium van Beneden, 1849 are described from Indo-Pacific maskrays (Neotrygon Castelnau, Dasyatidae). Echinobothrium giraffaeous sp. n. from Neotrygon leylandi (Last) off northern Australia, Echinobothrium ivanovae sp. n. from Neotrygon orientalis Last, White et Serét off Borneo, and Echinobothrium bethae sp. n. from Neotrygon varidens (Garman) off Borneo are distinguished from all but one of the 33 valid species of the genus by the possession of the outermost A hooks with an extended base into which the bases of the three outermost B hooks are inserted. Echinobothrium rhynchobati (Khalil et Abdul-Salam, 1989) is the only known species with this unique feature, but its rostellum has a system of interlocking knobs and sockets that articulate bases of the A and B type hooks with one another, which is not present in any of the newly described species. Echinobothrium tyleri sp. n. from Neotrygon australiae Last, White et Serét off northern Australia is distinguished from all known species of Echinobothrium by its unique rostellar hook formula {2-3 18/17 2-3}. With the present addition of four new species, the central Indo-Pacific realm becomes the major hotspot for Echinobothrium, from which 13 species have been reported.

Oxytelus acriculiclypeatus, a New Species of Oxytelus Gravenhorst, 1802 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) from Borneo.

A new species, Oxytelus acriculiclypeatus sp. nov., is described from Malaysia (Borneo: Sabah). The species is similar to O. megaceros Fauvel, 1895, but can be separated based on four male features: a more pointed tip on the anterior margin of the clypeus, a wider central plate on the posterior margin of sternite VIII with a carina that spans the entire width of the posterior margin of medial plate, two sharper and thinner projections on the apical orifice, and the apico-medial hook with a smaller apical tip but without the connecting scape. As a result, a total of 31 confirmed species have been recorded in Southeast Asia hitherto.

At the Heart of the Community: Implementation of Echocardiographic Screening for Rheumatic Heart Disease in Primary Care Facilities of Northern Borneo Island.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a potentially life-threatening condition that causes long-standing public health concerns. Echocardiography is a reliable diagnostic and screening technique for many cardiovascular conditions, including RHD. It is commonly used in tertiary care facilities worldwide but less so in the community setting. The primary aim of this study was to introduce and elaborate on the echocardiographic screening for RHD that was implemented by a Malaysian primary care clinic in Penampang district, Sabah. We also set out to present the uptake of the service in its initial years of establishment, as well as the challenges faced. METHODS: In the first part of this study, document reviews were conducted to compile relevant information about the conceptualization and implementation of this service. Following that, we also obtained secondary data on the echocardiographic screening service from its first implementation in April 2020 until May 2021 to examine the uptake and the patient profile. RESULTS: From April 2020 to May 2021, a total of 189 echocardiographic screening was conducted by primary care doctors using handheld ultrasound. Of the 189 children screened, 19 (10.1%) were found to have cardiac anomalies and were referred for a formal echocardiogram. Upon follow-up, 8 were detected with mild mitral regurgitation and referred to the nearest tertiary hospital for further management. CONCLUSION: Based on our review, the echocardiographic screening for RHD among children conducted by the Penampang Health Clinic was deemed successful. Echocardiogram service provided by primary care centers located in suburban and rural areas is highly beneficial for patients with poor access to specialized health care services because they stay far away from tertiary care facilities. Tapping into family medicine physicians located closer to communities to conduct echocardiographic screening and review the results can improve the detection of cardiac anomalies requiring further investigation. With the success of this project, echocardiographic services in the primary healthcare setting can be expanded by garnering the necessary collaborative efforts and consistent support from various stakeholders.

Evaluation of the microplastics in bivalves and water column at Pantai Teluk Likas, North Borneo, Malaysia.

Microplastics (MPs) are a pervasive pollutant in the marine environment. Pantai Teluk Likas in Sabah, Malaysia is one of the most visited beaches where tourism, recreational, and fisheries activities are high in this area. Hence, the area suffers from severe pollution, particularly from plastics. This study aims to quantify the microplastic composition in terms of color, shapes, and polymer types in marine bivalves (Anadara granosa, Glauconome virens, and Meretrix lyrata) and water column samples from Pantai Teluk Likas. All samples were digested using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and incubated in the oven for at least 48 h. Serial filtration was done for each sample before they were observed under the dissecting microscope. The microplastics were identified and counted based on their physical attributes which were colors and shapes. The functional group of the polymers was determined using FTIR spectroscopy. Microplastics were found present in all samples collected. G. virens had the highest abundance of microplastics at 113.6 ± 6.5 particles/g followed by M. lyrata at 78.4 ± 3.7 particles/g. On the contrary, A. granosa had the least microplastics with an abundance of 24.4 ± 0.6 particles/g. Meanwhile, 110.0 ± 36.2 particles/L of microplastics were found in water column samples from Pantai Teluk Likas. Based on the analysis, fibers were the most common shape in bivalves, while fibers and films were common in the water column. In terms of colors, black, blue, and red were a few of the most abundant colors observed in both samples. The most common polymer detected in all bivalve species and water column samples is polycarbonate (PC), followed by polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Future study that focuses on the correlation between microplastic abundance in the marine biota and the water column is recommended to better understand microplastic availability and exposure.

Projected development in Borneo and Sumatra will greatly reduce connectivity for an apex carnivore.

The islands of Borneo and Sumatra are strongholds for biodiversity and home for many endemic species. They also have experienced amongst the highest deforestation rates globally. Both islands are undergoing massive, rapid infrastructure development, leading to further deforestation and habitat fragmentation. Here, we identify priority areas for continued functional forest connectivity across Borneo and Sumatra, using spatial models of clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi, a forest indicator species) movement, and impacts thereto from existing and future infrastructure development. We specifically measure and map the anticipated impacts on forest functional connectivity of three major infrastructure development projects (Pan Borneo Highway, Trans-Sumatran Toll Road, and the new Indonesian capital city of Nusantara). We found that core clouded leopard habitats are already highly fragmented in Sumatra, constituting only ∼13 % of the island, with potential dispersal corridors still linking some habitat fragments. In Borneo, clouded leopard core habitats cover 34 % of the island, with one large central core area and several much smaller satellite cores, which are largely unprotected (15 % protected, compared to 42 % in Sumatra). The largest negative effect on habitat connectivity was predicted for Nusantara (66 % of the total connectivity loss predicted for all three infrastructure projects), reverberating across the entirety of Borneo with the strongest effects in East Kalimantan. The Pan Borneo Highway accounted for 28 % of the total connectivity loss, affecting every province in Borneo and Brunei, with 6 % of this decrease located within protected areas. The Trans-Sumatran Toll Road had the smallest negative effect on connectivity (6 %) but only when excluding the already built segments, which, when included, produce a total negative impact similar to that of the Pan Borneo Highway.

New species of the elusive crickets from the genus Pendleburyella Chopard, 1969 (Gryllidae, Pentacentrinae) from Sabah, Borneo.

Only one species of Pendleburyella Chopard, 1969 (Gryllidae, Pentacentrinae) was previously known to occur in Borneo: Pendleburyella eirmosa Tan, Muhammad & Wahab, 2023 from Brunei Darussalam. Here, two additional new species of crickets from the genus Pendleburyella are described from the highlands of Sabah, Borneo: Pendleburyella eremita sp. nov. from Bukit Hampuan and Pendleburyella nimba sp. nov. from Mount Trus Madi. In total, six species of Pendleburyella are currently known, three from Borneo and three from Malay Peninsula. It is likely that many more species are awaiting discovery owing to its cryptic morphology and elusive nature.