Search

The gut microbiome refers to the microorganism community living within the digestive tract. The environment plays a crucial role in shaping the gut microbiome composition of animals. The gut microbiome influences the health and behavior of animals, including the critically endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni). However, the gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers, especially those living in their natural habitats, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used next-generation sequencing DNA metabarcoding techniques to analyze the gut microbiome of wild Malayan tigers using fecal samples collected from their natural habitats and in captivity. Our aim was to determine the gut microbiota composition of the Malayan tiger, considering the different types of habitat environments. The results revealed a diverse microbial community within the gut microbiome of Malayan tigers. The prominent phyla that were observed included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Fusobacteriota and Bacteroidota. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers that inhabited oil palm plantations, in villages and protected areas. Diversity analysis also revealed significant difference in the gut microbiome between wild and captive Malayan tigers. However, the distinctions of gut microbiome between wild and captive alpha diversity did not yield significant differences. The differences in microbiome diversity resulted from the interplay of dietary intake and environmental factors. This information will facilitate the establishment of focused conservation approaches and enhance our understanding of the effect of microbiome composition on Malayan tiger health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questing is a situation when a tick is seeking to get closer or ambush its potential host. However, information on questing tick species in Malaysia is still lacking, thus the association with tick-borne diseases (TBD) is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the tick species from five most frequently visited recreational areas in Pahang and Terengganu states, which were recorded to have high potential of TBD cases. By implementing handpick method, a total of 18 males and 15 females belonging to five Dermacentor Koch, 1844 species, were collected, namely D. compactus Neumann 1901, D. tricuspis (Schulze, 1933), D. auratus Supino 1897, D. steini (Schulze, 1933), and D. falsosteini Apanaskevich, Apanaskevich & Nooma respectively. The specimens were collected and identified based on morphological characters prior to obtaining the molecular data of COI and 16S rDNA. The D. compactus was the most abundant species collected in this study, while D. falsosteini was the least. All species were distinctly separated on the Neighbor Joining and Maximum Parsimony tree topologies and supported with high bootstrap values. Furthermore, a low intraspecific variation (0.00 - 0.01) was observed amongst the individuals of the same species in both genes. Meanwhile, each Dermacentor species was genetically different, with interspecific values ranging from 0.13-0.19 and 0.11-0.20 for COI and 16S rDNA. These findings had successfully recorded the tick species that were potentially associated with TBD, and which might be circulated among humans and animals. This study also has some implications on the diversity and geographical extension of Dermacentor ticks, thus should warrant further investigation as a potential vector of tick-borne diseases and public health importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourists are attracted to the Bukit Melawati Kuala Selangor (BMKS) of Peninsular Malaysia, a small hill park, for both its status as a historical site and the free-ranging silvered langurs (Trachypithecus cristatus) that come for provisioning. We assessed the population trends and group sizes of T. cristatus over 10 years in the BMKS and examined their ranging patterns. Comparisons of observed populations between 2005 (190 individuals) and 2017 (193 individuals) revealed the stable demography and group sizes of the six T. cristatus groups in the BMKS. Based on a total of 185 location points of the six groups in 2017, their mean ranging area was 3.6 ha with a range of 0.86–6.93 ha with extensive spatial overlap. We also found a significant positive relationship between the six groups' ranges and group sizes in 2017. Additionally, qualitative ecological comparisons with a previous study on T. cristatus in 1965 (before provisioning) suggest that the artificial food supply in the study area could modify the population dynamics and socioecology of T. cristatus. The modifications might alter their range size and territoriality in the BMKS. Overall, we found that provisioning had negative effects on the ecology of T. cristatus in the BMKS. Therefore, modifying management policies, such as banning feeding and implementing educational programs, may contribute to their proper conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bandicoot rats (genus Bandicota) are distributed widely across the Indomalay biogeographic realm of tropical East Asia. One widely distributed species, the greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica), has a disjunct distribution including both north and south of the biogeographic break at the Isthmus of Kra. We compared genetic variation of greater bandicoot rats from north and south of the Isthmus of Kra using mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b, 1140 bp) and nuclear interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP, 801 bp) sequences. We found that the greater bandicoot rat (B. indica) is not native to Sundaland, the region south of the Isthmus of Kra. The species was introduced to the region recently as the genetic divergence with other regions is very low and phylogenies of both genes showed Malaysian greater bandicoot rat very closely related to conspecifics from Lao PDR. Haplotype data revealed all individuals from Malaysia are homogenous, which implied that the species was introduced recently. The greater bandicoot rats in Malaysia are so far only reported in the rice producing regions of Kedah and Perlis, but they may be increasing in number and distribution. A more detailed survey on the distribution and population demographics of Malaysian greater bandicoot rats are needed to support a management plan for this invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the current distribution of otters (Lutrinae) in all states of Peninsular Malaysia. Four species of otters have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia in the past based on field survey methodology, namely the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana), and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). This study aims to determine the current number of otter species and their distribution in Peninsular Malaysia through molecular approaches using D-loop and Cyt b loci of mitochondrial DNA sequences. Our findings indicate that 337 samples were identified as three species of otter that are currently distributed in Peninsular Malaysia: A. cinereus (112 samples), L. perspicillata (218 samples), and L. sumatrana (7 samples). All three species can be found in Perak, Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor, and Johor while other states only contained two species (A. cinereus and L. perspicillata). Seven sympatric locations were recorded between two or three species: Tumpat and Kg. Padang Salim (Kelantan), Penarik and Sg. Kemaman (Terengganu), Taman Negara (Pahang), Tg. Piai (Johor), and Kuala Gula (Perak). The discovery of L. sumatrana in this study has confirmed that this species is still present in Peninsular Malaysia. However, L. lutra was not observed in this study. Our findings successfully highlight the diversity and distribution of Peninsular Malaysian otters that suggest the importance of continuous assessment and population status of otters to ensure their ongoing survival in Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomic confusion among island flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus) still in debate as in the lack of further genetic studies that describe subspecies validity needs verification. On the basis of morphological variants, 17 subspecies of P. hypomelanus are currently recognized. A previous study showed the distribution of two subspecies of P. hypomelanus in Malaysia: P. hypomelanus robinsoni in Pangkor Island, west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and P. hypomelanus lepidus from Perhentian Island, Kapas Island, and Tioman Island, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Herein, using the displacement loop (D-loop) region of mitochondrial DNA sequences, phylogenetic and haplotype network was conducted on their population structure in Peninsular Malaysia upon 42 genetic samples from Dangli Island (Langkawi), Pangkor Island (Perak), Redang Island (Terengganu), and Tinggi Island (Johor). Phylogenetically, two main clades separating northwest and southeast populations emerged. No haplotype was shared between the populations. The results from genetic differentiation (estimate of population subdivision (FST) and nucleotide subdivision (Nst)) yielded a gene flow that was nearly cut-off because of the central mountain that forms as an effective barrier between islands of the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia. Although the above finding genetically confirms their subspecies designation, examination using a nuclear marker is needed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about the feeding ecology and dietary overlap of sympatric primates is essential for understanding how animals avoid or reduce interspecific competition. From April 2014 to March 2015, we investigated the feeding ecologies of two sympatric primates, a hindgut fermenter, the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and a foregut fermenter, the dusky langur (Trachypithecus obscurus obscurus), in a mixed landscape consisting of urban and agro-forested areas and forest fragments in Malaysia. We collected a total of 5570 and 4029 of feeding records for M. fascicularis and T. o. obscurus, respectively, using the 10-min scan sampling method. Food availability and seasonal changes in plant species consumed by both study groups were determined by vegetation surveys carried out across an area of 1.6 ha. A total of 113 and 130 plant species were consumed by M. fascicularis and T. o. obscurus, respectively. Leaves (51%) and fruits (40%) accounted for the majority of the feeding records in T. o. obscurus, whereas fruits (32%) and anthropogenic foods (27%) together with leaves (15%) and insects (6%) accounted for the majority of the feeding records for M. fascicularis. Throughout the year, there were 59 consumed plant species common to both species, and the dietary overlap was the highest for fruits. Although leaves were always more abundant than fruits in our study site, the amount of monthly fruit eating by the two species showed a significant correlation with that of fruit availability. Monthly fruit availability had a positive effect on overall monthly dietary overlap while flower and leaf availability had a negative effect. We showed that fruit was the preferred food resource of two sympatric species with different digestive systems. This could have implications for resource competition, interspecific competition, and niche separation, which should be investigated in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disjunct distribution of Presbytis femoralis subspecies across Sumatra (P. f. percura), southern (P. f. femoralis) and northern (P. f. robinsoni) Peninsular Malaysia marks the unique vicariance events in the Sunda Shelf. However, the taxonomic positions and evolutionary history of P. f. femoralis are unresolved after decades of research. To elucidate this evolutionary history, we analyzed 501 base pairs of the mitochondrial HVSI gene from 25 individuals representing Malaysia's banded langur, with the addition of 29 sequences of Asian Presbytis from Genbank. Our results revealed closer affinity of P. f. femoralis to P. m. mitrata and P. m. sumatrana while maintaining the monophyletic state of P. f. femoralis as compared to P. f. robinsoni. Two central theses were inferred from the results; (1) P. f. femoralis does not belong in the same species classification as P. f. robinsoni, and (2) P. f. femoralis is the basal lineage of the Presbytis in Peninsular Malaysia. Proving the first hypothesis through genetic analysis, we reassigned P. f. femoralis of Malaysia to Presbytis neglectus (Schlegel's banded langur) (Schlegel in Revue Methodique, Museum d'Histoire Naturelle des Pays-Bas 7:1, 1876) following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (article 23.3). The ancestors of P. neglectus are hypothesized to have reached southern Peninsular Malaysia during the Pleistocene and survived in refugium along the western coast. Consequently, they radiated upward, forming P. f. robinsoni and P. siamensis resulting in the highly allopatric distribution in Peninsular Malaysia. This study has successfully resolved the taxonomic position of P. neglectus in Peninsular Malaysia while providing an alternative biogeographic theory for the Asian Presbytis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]