New 'vampire crab' species discovered in Gunung Jerai
KUALA LUMPUR: A new species of freshwater "vampire crab" has been discovered on Gunung Jerai in Kedah, adding to Malaysia's growing list of endemic highland wildlife.
Known scientifically as Geosesarma bunian, the crab belongs to a genus of vividly coloured, land-dwelling crabs, often referred to as vampire crabs due to their glowing eyes and dark hues. Unlike typical crabs, they live entirely in freshwater and hatch directly into their juvenile form.
The species was found at elevations above 1,100 metres and is named after the elusive "Orang Bunian" of Malay folklore — spirit beings believed to inhabit hidden forest realms. The name reflects both the crab's striking appearance and the fact that it had escaped scientific detection until now.
The discovery was made by a team of three researchers from the National University of Singapore and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, working in collaboration.
Their findings were published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology on March 19.
"The combination of colour, claw structure and reproductive features clearly sets this species apart from its closest relatives," the authors noted in the paper.
Geosesarma bunian is closely related to other species in its genus but can be distinguished by the shape of the male reproductive organ and the unique pattern of bumps on its claws.
The team encountered the crabs at night, nestled in soil burrows along a forest path. One specimen was seen perched on a low shrub, suggesting the species may be at least partly arboreal.
Specimens have been deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore for further study and reference.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Using AI to track hornbills in Malaysian jungles
FOR years, lecturer Dr Mehran Behjati and his wife would spend their weekends outdoors, taking to the bike trails and cycling into the remote areas and villages of Selangor, and even as far as Bukit Tinggi in Pahang, some 70km away from the Klang Valley. Armed with binoculars, they would keep a lookout for birds, particularly hornbills. 'For us, the hornbill is one of the most majestic birds we have ever seen. Every time I see this majestic bird in its environment, I'm fascinated. I'm excited to see them,' Behjati says during a recent interview at his office in Sunway University's Faculty of Engineering and Technology. Behjati, an enthusiastic birdwatcher, also knows that these magnificent creatures, like much of the wildlife in Malaysia, are increasingly losing their habitat due to deforestation and other factors. 'So I think, yeah, why not? We use technology to protect these animals. Most of the time, researchers are developing systems to help humans but not many researchers think about other species,' he says. With that in mind, Behjati has come up with a way to help not just his favourite hornbills but also other wildlife species. Using his knowledge of tiny machine learning (TinyML) and edge computing – which brings computing power closer to where the data is generated – he has put together a cost-effective, sustainable device to monitor these birds' presence in the dense Malaysian jungle. This is done by first recording their calls and then identifying the species by comparing those sounds against a database. Anyone who has hiked through our jungles will understand the challenges faced by wildlife researchers trying to identify calls amid the din of the forest, or even spotting a bird, what more with wildlife like hornbills which are shy and occupy the more dense areas of the jungle. The land of hornbills There are 10 species of the birds in Peninsular Malaysia, and eight in Sabah and Sarawak. Although globally there are 57 species of hornbills, Peninsular Malaysia is considered to be a stronghold for Asian hornbill species, trailing only behind Thailand and Indonesia, both of which have 13 species. At some sites, such as the Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complex in Kedah and the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex in Perak, all 10 hornbill species can be found in one spot. The Malaysian species includes the great hornbill, the rhinoceros hornbill, and the rare, frumpy-looking helmeted hornbill, valued by poachers for its heavy casque known as 'red ivory'. Dubbed 'farmers of the forest', hornbills play an important role in dispersing seeds, which is crucial for plant diversity. A study of Asian and New Guinean hornbills by the National University of Singapore in 2024 strongly suggests that large seeds are highly dependent on hornbills for their dispersal. However, deforestation from development has massively impacted the local hornbill population. Besides being ousted from their habitat, many hornbill species need tree cavities in which to nest and raise their young – and trees are disappearing. Behjati, who has worked on various environmental monitoring and protection projects in Malaysia over the past decade – including one at Tasik Chini, Pahang – knows how challenging things can get for researchers. 'In Malaysia's dense rainforests, traditional environmental and wildlife monitoring methods – like manual surveys, remote camera traps, or conventional wireless sensor networks – often fall short. 'These approaches can be expensive, labour-intensive, invasive, and impractical in remote and hard to reach areas,' he points out. But thanks to recent innovations in embedded systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced wireless technologies like 5G and 6G, we now have the essential tools to build low-power, autonomous, and sustainable devices that can 'listen' or 'see' without disturbing or intruding on the environment. 'These intelligent systems can detect animal behaviours, track ecological changes, and deliver real-time insights to researchers – all with minimal human intervention. 'This will empower ecologists, conservationists, and policymakers to make faster, more informed decisions to safeguard endangered ecosystems.' Smart networks Originally from Iran, Behjati has been based in Malaysia for 15 years, lecturing at Sunway with expertise in, among others, wireless communications, nonterrestrial networks, Internet of Things (IoT), edge intelligence, and TinyML. Behjati focuses his research on designing intelligent systems for real-world applications, particularly in the areas of environmental monitoring, smart cities, and digital inclusion. He explains that while most Malaysians would know AI by the popular large language models like ChatGPT, Deepseek, and Gemini that can generate text or images or answer questions, these cannot be applied to real world conservation efforts. 'Why not? Because they are power hungry. They are a centralised system, they rely on Internet connectivity,' he says. While such AI models can be used to implement, say, an air quality monitoring system in Kuala Lumpur where there's telecommunication infrastructure to transmit data captured by sensors to a centralised machine learning system, this is not possible in remote areas where there's no data network or even electricity. The other limitation, says Behjati, is that centralised AI is power hungry, consuming a huge amount of energy to maintain algorithms. 'When it comes to implementing these devices in remote areas, then we need to provide a power source as well. This is very challenging. 'So these limitations are the main reasons that we can't use AI to support conservation efforts,' he says. Behjati with part of the device that will help monitor hornbills in Malaysia's dense, difficult to penetrate jungles. — ONG SOON HIN/The Star But with TinyML, according to Behjati, there's actually a paradigm shift, as it allows AI models to be run directly on ultra small microcontrollers – devices no bigger than a matchbox. Hence the term tiny machine learning. Microcontrollers are small computers on a single integrated circuit chip that are designed for specific tasks. Examples of microcontrollers are the Arduino Nano 33 BLE, which can cost anywhere between RM115 and RM140, a tiny fraction of the cost of a Nvidia AI chip. For Behjati, the hornbill conservation project began with the collection of real-world audio samples of hornbill calls from open source bird sound archives like Xeno-Canto. These recordings were then digitally cleaned up and processed to extract distinct acoustic features using a method called mel-frequency energy, which effectively captures an acoustic 'fingerprint' of each bird's call. 'Next, we trained a lightweight yet powerful AI model – a 1D Convolutional Neural Network – to recognise and classify the calls of five hornbill species: the Oriental pied hornbill, black hornbill, white-crowned hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, and bushy-crested hornbill. 'After compressing and optimising the model, we deployed it onto the Arduino Nano, a low-power microcontroller equipped with an onboard microphone,' Behjati explains. By bringing intelligence to the 'edge', where data is collected, the system can function independently, detecting, classifying, and recording wildlife activity in real time, without the need for Internet access or external servers. Once installed in the field, the device continuously listens to its surroundings and identifies hornbill calls in real time, without relying on Internet connectivity or cloud processing. Behjati has detailed the research in a paper titled 'Edge Intelligence for Wildlife Conservation: Real-Time Hornbill Call Classification Using TinyML', co-authored with fellow Sunway University researcher Kong Ka Hing, and published in April; it is accessible via the open access repository arXiv, as well as Behjati's blog. Proof of concept Ultimately, Behjati believes that the system he developed is not limited to saving any particular wildlife and can be applied to broader realms of ecological conservation. The first phase of the project, the proof of concept which corresponds to universal Technology Readiness Level 4, has already been successfully completed. In this phase, the system was successfully tested under simulated forest conditions, confirming its technical feasibility and reliability. 'We are now preparing for broader field deployments in collaboration with local conservation groups and ecologists,' he says, adding that they are especially keen to partner with biodiversity researchers and NGOs that are actively involved in hornbill conservation to scale up the initiative. 'Our long-term goal is to establish a network of these intelligent listening nodes across protected forest areas, enabling continuous, real-time monitoring of hornbill activity. 'By developing a solution that is low-cost, energy-efficient, and open to collaboration, we aim to complement and amplify the important work already being done by Malaysia's environmental community, particularly in biodiversity hotspots such as Taman Negara, Bukit Tinggi [in Pahang], and Sabah and Sarawak, where hornbill habitats face increasing threats,' says Behjati. It's about time that smart technology in the field of conservation in Malaysia takes flight.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Bleached reefs signal ecological, economic alarm
Sea rainforests: Coral reefs play a vital role in coastal protection, acting as natural breakwaters in reducing the impact of strong waves and preventing coastal erosion. — AFP PETALING JAYA: Coral reefs, often known as rainforests of the sea, are more than just a haven for marine biodiversity. They play a vital role in coastal protection, acting as natural breakwaters in reducing the impact of strong waves and preventing coastal erosion. 'For many coastal communities and islands in Malaysia, reefs are also the backbone of marine ecotourism, supporting livelihoods through diving, snorkelling and nature-based tourism,' said Assoc Prof Dr Tan Chun Hong of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). The research fellow at UMT's Institute of Oceanography and Environment said reefs support a vast array of marine life, providing essential nursery grounds, feeding areas and shelter for countless species. He said bleached reefs result in more than just losing their vibrant colours. 'Prolonged bleaching can lead to mass coral mortality, weakening the entire marine food web. 'Fish populations decline, especially species that depend directly on healthy coral for food and habitat. 'The loss of coral reefs also reduces Malaysia's resilience to storms and rising sea levels, putting coastal communities at greater risk,' he said. Tan said the recovery of bleached coral reefs depends on their resilience. 'Under ideal conditions, some resilient coral species can start showing signs of recovery within a few months. 'However, full ecosystem recovery can take up to 10 to 15 years, and in some cases, even longer,' he said. He said the mass bleaching across Malaysian waters last year was not just a scientific concern but also an ecological, economic and social crisis. 'The best remedy is prevention by reducing global warming and local stressors before the next mass bleaching event strikes,' he added. He said Malaysia must ramp up its transition to renewable energy, enforce carbon reduction commitments, and integrate marine ecosystems into climate resilience strategies. Tan also proposed stronger enforcement in marine protected areas (MPAs), including integrating coral reef protection into national climate policies, prioritising early warning systems for bleaching, promoting sustainable fishing, and reducing marine litter. 'If we protect coral reefs, we are also protecting fisheries, coastal communities, and future generations from the escalating impacts of a warming planet. 'The fight against coral bleaching is also a fight against climate change,' he said. Aquatic biologist Dr Ahmad Syafiq Ahmad Nasir said mass coral bleaching was mostly due to climate change and ocean warming that is heavily driven by global warming, while intensified marine heatwaves are linked to El Nino and greenhouse gas emissions. 'This produces prolonged elevated sea temperatures that disrupt the symbiotic relationship between corals and their algae, triggering widespread bleaching,' he said. Ahmad, a senior lecturer at the Aquatic Resource Science and Management Programme at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said bleaching was also accelerated by increased human activity after the lifting of Covid-19 lockdowns. He said the rise in unregulated and unsustainable tourism had overwhelmed reefs in areas like Redang island in Terengganu and Tunku Abdul Rahman Park in Sabah, with divers possibly causing damage by trampling on them and anchor scarring. 'Pollution has also promoted harmful algal blooms and reduced water quality. 'Illegal dynamite fishing and overfishing further degrade coral structures and disrupt ecological balance, making reefs more vulnerable,' he added. Ahmad said the loss of coral reefs impacts interconnected systems like mangroves and seagrass, which depend on healthy reef dynamics to grow. He also called for improved enforcement in MPAs nationwide to ensure protected areas are well managed while also shifting away from mass tourism to lower-impact ecotourism.
New Straits Times
02-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Authorities, organisers must better monitor release of fish
KUALA LUMPUR: Authorities and fishing competition organisers must better monitor the release and removal of fish in lakes, especially non-native species, to prevent ecological harm. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu senior research fellow at the Institute of Climate Adaptation and Marine Biotechnology, Professor Datuk Dr Mazlan Abd Ghaffar said organisers should also record the average size of fish released into lakes to identify whether recaptured fish are new or existing ones. He warned that even enclosed lakes could overflow during heavy rain, allowing invasive species like African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) to escape and disrupt native ecosystems. "The African catfish is a very hardy catfish species and very aggressive compared to local indigenous fish species, as they pose a greater ecological threat due to their behaviour and rapid growth," he told the New Straits Times. Once released into rivers, they can outcompete native species, disrupt food chains and take over natural habitats, he added. "For competitions, organisers must ensure that participants take the fish home and cook them - this would prevent further ecological harm… and ensure that these fish are not discarded back into the river after the competition. "The Fisheries Department, too, should also monitor the number of fish released and removed, tracking the inflow and outflow accurately," he said. Asked about the impact of the species entering rivers, Mazlan said these aggressive, fast-growing fish will compete for food and outcompete native species. He said the risk of them preying on indigenous species is high. The Fisheries Department has announced that it will draft new regulations to strengthen control activities of fish release into public waters, following complaints regarding the release of African catfish into Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps) Lake. The fish were released in conjunction with a fishing competition organised by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) for the Showtech 2025 programme. The department said the fishing competition's secretariat will install additional hapa nets, provide bins to collect African catfish caught during the competition, and disseminate awareness material while carrying out fishing activities throughout the programme. Earlier, on May 7, the Fisheries Department had also advised against the release of foreign fish species into public waters without proper consultation, following an incident on May 2 involving a non-governmental organisation releasing fish into a drain at Jalan Lee Sam. An inspection found that the fish released was also African catfish.
