SANDAKAN: A collaborative research initiative involving the Sabah Forestry Department, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore (LKCNHM), and the Natural History Museum of Paris (MNHN) has led to the identification of two new bush cricket species (katydids).
The newly identified species are Tapiena dimidia, found in the Maliau Basin, and Tapiena munae, discovered in Long Pasia, Sabah.
Additionally, the recently published paper in Zootaxa 5604 (4): 505-528, dated March 17, 2025, documents other significant findings, including new locality records and descriptions of the calling songs of bush crickets from the Phaneropterinae family.
Dr. Tan Ming Kai from LKCNHM, along with Dr. Tony Robillard from MNHN, has been researching this group of insects in collaboration with Dr. Arthur Chung from the Sabah Forestry Department and the FRC Entomology Team (Razy J., Dg. Fazrinah, John L.Y., Herwin M., and Azizan A.) for six years, starting in 2019, with support from the Sabah Biodiversity Council and the Centre.
This recent collaborative project received funding from the National Geographic Society. Specimens will be housed in the insect collection at the Forest Research Centre in Sepilok, under the auspices of the Sabah Forestry Department.
Datuk Frederick Kugan, the Chief Conservator of Forests, highlighted the significance of collaborative research in conserving biodiversity, particularly among the diverse tropical insect populations.
Through partnerships with scientific experts, we can uncover valuable insights from the rainforests, which will enhance our understanding of the species and their ecological roles in Sabahโs forests.
The identification of new species will bolster the departmentโs conservation initiatives within designated forest reserves. He expressed gratitude to the Sabah Biodiversity Centre, Yayasan Sabah, and others who contributed to the fieldwork, as acknowledged in the publication.
