PRELIMINARY CHECKLIST OF BEETLES ASSEMBLAGES (ORDER: COLEOPTERA) FROM LIMESTONE FORESTS IN SOUTHERN SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

Wei Lim Tan, Nurfarida Anum Zainaddin, Siti Nurlydia Sazali, Annette Aurelia Molujin, Zulrafie Hambri, Ratnawati Hazali

Abstract


Beetles are becoming important subjects of ecological interest for conservation studies due to their high biodiversity and distribution, despite rapid urbanisation and deforestation activities. This study initiates to present a preliminary checklist of beetles from limestone forests in Southern Sarawak, Malaysia which included four selected localities within Bau and Padawan districts, namely, Mount Serumbu (Bau), Fairy Cave Nature Reserve (Bau), Raya Cave (Padawan) and Temurang Cave (Padawan). Each sampling trip was conducted for five consecutive days, using both active and passive methods. As a result, a total of 786 individuals representing 191 species (56 confirmed species and 135 morphospecies) from 81 genera under 57 subfamilies and 23 families were successfully recorded. Overall, the most speciose family was represented by Carabidae (39 species; 20.42%), followed by Scarabaeidae (32 species; 16.75%), Chrysomelidae (29 species; 15.18%), and Tenebrionidae (22 species; 11.52%), respectively. Meanwhile, Carabidae was the most abundant family (175 individuals; 22.26%), followed by Scarabaeidae (126 individuals; 16.03%), Chrysomelidae (124 individuals; 15.78%), and Tenebrionidae (116 individuals; 16.03%), respectively. In general, Triplatoma macleayi (Erotylidae) was the most abundant species with a total of 56 individuals (7.12%), followed by Amarygus sp. 1 (Tenebrionidae) with 39 individuals (4.96%). To conclude, this study is hopefully beneficial to document the diversity and abundance of beetles within limestone areas and useful to the local authority in identifying potential hotspot area(s) for biodiversity conservation and effective management practice. However, it is recommended that future studies should include other limestone forests, covering areas in the central and northern regions of Sarawak.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Abin, J.V.S., Lardizabal, M.L.T., Gohun, M., Ilstedt, U., Axelsson, P. & Grady, K.C. 2021. Diversity and abundance of canopy beetles in a forest restoration site in Luasong, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia. Serangga 26(4): 104–112.

Abuseman, H. 2012. Report on James Brooke’s cottage on Bukit Serumbu, Siniawan, Bau.

http://dcyberinfo.blogspot.com/2012/04/report-on-james-brookes-cottage-on.html [8 October 2023]

Adam, S. & John, L. 2019. Australian Beetle Volume 2. Australia: CSIRO Publishing.

Amazing Padawan. 2017. Kampung Temurang.

https://amazingpadawan.wordpress.com/2017/10/14/blog-post-title-4/ [6 January 2023].

Anon. 2009. Darkling Beetle (Family Tenebrionidae).

https://uwm.edu/field-station/darklingbeetle/ [8 January 2023].

Benest, G. 1989. The sampling of a carabid community. I. The behavior of a carabid when facing the trap. Revue d’Ecologie et de Biologie du sol 26: 205–211.

Biodiversity Philippines. 2022. Species checklist: The core data in biodiversity conservation. Information, education & research studies on biodiversity in the Philippines and around the globe.

https://biodiversityphilippines.org/species-checklist-biodiversityconservation/ [5 January 2023].

Bombastic Borneo. 2021. Paddy field of Kampund Skuduk, Payang, Chupak, Serian Sarawak.

https://bombasticborneo.com/2021/02/paddy-fields-of-kampung-skuduk-payang-chupak/ [7 October 2023].

Bosuang, S., Chung, A.Y.C. & Chan, C.L. 2017. A Guide to The Beetles of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.

Bouchard, P., Smith, A.B.T., Douglas, H.B., Gimmel, M.L., Brunke, A.J. & Kanda, K. 2017. Biodiversity of Coleoptera. In Foottit, R.G. & Adler, P.H. (eds.) Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society, 2nd Edistion., pp. 337–417. UK: West Sussex.

Chargualaf, R.G. & Salas, M. 2022. Limestone Forests of Guam. Guampedia. https://www.guampedia.com/limestone-forests-of guam/#Different_species_in_the_limestone_forests [10 January 2023].

Cheng, L., Tong, Y., Zhao, Y., Sun, Z., Wang, X., Ma, F. & Bai, M. 2022. Study on the relationship between richness and morphological diversity of higher taxa in the darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Diversity 14(1): 60.

Chung, A.Y.C. 2003. Manual for Bornean Beetle (Coleoptera) Family Identification. Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Chung, A.Y.C. 2007. An overview of research on beetle diversity and taxonomy in Malaysia. In Chua, L.S.L., Kirton, L.G. & Saw, L.G. (eds.) Status of biological diversity in Malaysia and threat assessment of plant species in Malaysia. Proceedings of the Seminar & Workshop, 28-30 June 2005 FRIM, KL, hlm. 121-132.

Clements, R., Sodhi, N.S., Schilthyizen, M. & Ng, P.K.L. 2006. Limestone karsts of Southeast Asia: imperiled arks of biodiversity. Bioscience 56: 733 –742.

Dahmar, S.M. & Khadakkar, S. 2004. Insect faunal diversity was collected through light trap at Akolavicinity of Maharashtra with reference to Scarabaeidae of Coleoptera. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2(3): 44–48.

da Rocha, J.R.M. Almeida, J.R., Lins, G.A. & Durval, A. 2010. Insects as indicators of environmental changing and pollution: A review of appropriate species and their monitoring. HOLOS Environment 10(2): 250–262.

Feng, L. 2006. Rhinolophus hipposideros.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhinolophus_hipposideros/ [9 October 2023].

Grimm, R. 2018. New and little-known species of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) of Borneo (8). Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart contributions of History 1(1): 59–70.

Hall, L., Jadwin, L. & Winkelstern, I. 2011. Hipposideridae. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Hipposideridae/ [9 October 2023].

Hammond, P.M. 1979. Wing-folding mechanisms of beetles, with special reference to special investigations of adephagan phylogeny (Coleoptera). Carabid beetles: Their evolution, natural history, and classification (pp. 113–180). Netherlands, The Hague: Junk.

Harper, J.L. & Hawksworth, D.L. 1994. Biodiversity: Measurement and estimation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 345(1311): 5–12.

Hendrich, L. & Balke, M. 2003. Neptosternus arnecornelii sp. n. from Borneo and notes on other species of the genus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Linzer Biologische Beiträge 35: 181–187.

Hill, D.S. & Abang, F. 2010. The Insects of Borneo (Including South-east Asia). Kota Samarahan: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

Janssen, P., Fortin, D. & Hebert, C. 2009. Beetle diversity in a matrix of old-growth boreal forest: influence of habitat heterogeneity at multiple scales. Ecography 32(3): 423–432.

Japir, R., Momin, B., John, L.Y. & Chung, A.Y.C. 2021. Insect diversity of Sungai Serudong Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia. Serangga 26(2): 1–15.

Jocque, M., Teofilova, T.M. & Kodzhabashev, N.D. 2016. Light trapping as a valuable rapid assessment method for ground beetles (Carabidae) in a Bulgarian wetland. Acta Zoologica Bulgarian 68(4): 529–539.

Kádár, F. & Szél, G. 1989. Carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) collected by light traps in apple orchards and maize stands in Hungary. Folia Entomologica Hungarica 50: 27–36.

Kirmse, S. & Ratcliffe, B.C. 2019. Composition and host-use patterns of a scarab beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) community inhabiting the canopy of a lowland tropical rainforest in Southern Venezuela. The Coleopterists Bulletin 73(1): 149–167.

Linz, D.M., Hu, A.W., Sitvarin, M.I. & Tomoyasu, Y. 2016. Functional value of elytra under various stresses in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Scientific Reports 6: 34813.

Marcellinus, I.S., Sazali, S.N., Hazali, R., Fitri, F.N.A.H.A. & Razak, A.I.A. 2022. A preliminary study on the beetle fauna in peat swamp forest of Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology 12(2): 48–56.

Muhaimin, A.M.D., Halim, M., Syarifah Zulaikha, S.A. & Yaakop, S. 2019a. Habitat preferences of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) based on abiotic factors: A study from Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 269: 012035.

Muhaimin, A.M.D., Wan Nur Madihah, W.A.H. & Yaakop, S. 2019b. The diversity and richness of leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) at Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Malaysia. AIP Conference Proceedings 2111: 060001.

Musthafa, M.M. & Fauzah, A. 2019. Beetle species richness along environmental gradients at montane ecosystem in Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana 48(7): 1395–1407.

Musthafa, M.M., Rajandram, D. & Abdullah, F. 2019. Diversity and abundance of beetle Kuala Kelapor, National Park, Malaysia. Serangga 24(2): 198–215.

Mutinelli, F., Federico, G., Carlin, S., Montarsi, F. & Audisio, P. 2015. Preliminary investigation on other Nitidulidae beetles species occurring on rotten fruit in Reggio Calabria province (south-western Italy) infested with small hive beetle (Aethina tumida). Journal of Apicultural Research 54(3): 233–235.

Ngo, T.L. & Ngyuyen, D.T. 2019. The tropical limestone forest ecosystem: A review of distinctive characteristics. Journal of Science and Technology 17(4): 44–50.

Phang, G.J. 2021. Host records for Erotylinae (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) of Taiwan: Part 1. Formosan Entomologist 41(4): 220–228.

Sane, S.P. 2003. The aerodynamics of insect flight. Journal of Experimental Biology 206: 4191-4208.

Shahabuddin, S., Hasanah, U. & Elijonnahdi. 2014. Effectiveness of dung beetles as bioindicators of environmental changes in land-use gradient in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biotropia 21(1): 53–56.

Sarawak Forestry. n.d. Wind cave & fairy cave nature reserve. https://sarawakforestry.com/parks-and-reserves/wind-cave-fairy-cave-nature-reserve/ [7 October 2023].

Skelley, P. 1988. The pleasing fungus beetles of Florida (Coleoptera: Erotylidae). M.S. Thesis, University of Florida, Central Science Library, Gainesville.

Texas, A. & Agrilife, M. 2022. Bug hunter. https://bughunter.tamu.edu/collection/collectionequipment/handpicking/ [7 January 2023].

Ulyshen. M.D., Hanula. J.L. & Horn. S. 2005. Using Malaise trap to sample ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The Canadian Entomologist 137(2): 251–256.

World Wildlife Fund Malaysia. 2018. Limestones Forests and Caves.

http.www.wwforg.my./about_wwf/what_we_do/forests_main/the_malaysia_rainforest/tpes_of_forests/limestone_forests_and_caves/ [5 January 2023].

Zakaria, S.S., Zaidi, N., Ghani, N.S.A., Baki, N.A.M.A., Ruslan, N. & Ramli, N.H. 2022. Kepelbagaian dan kelimpahan Onthophagus sp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) di ladang kepala sawit Kg. Benting dan hutan UiTM cawangan Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Serangga 27(3): 172–186.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.