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Gut microbiome studies have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential in unveiling the role of microbial communities in animals’ health and ecological processes. However, the lack of standardized protocols in sample handling and processing across studies introduces variability, impeding the comparability of findings. This study addresses this issue by examining methodological variations in gut microbiome research on wildlife and domesticated animals in Southeast Asia. A comprehensive search of 91 relevant studies on the SCOPUS database yielded 54 suitable publications for review, encompassing diverse taxa such as invertebrates (20), fishes (7), reptiles (3), birds (5), and mammals (19). Notably, various methodological approaches were employed to characterize microbial communities, including the source of isolation, various culture-based approaches, sequencing methods, and the targeted markers. Based on the information provided in this study, future studies should strive to develop guidelines and best practices specific to gut microbiome studies. This would enhance comparability and facilitate the integration of findings. Such efforts will also advance our understanding of the microbial diversity associated with wildlife, and its potential implications for their health and conservation.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed genomics, presenting significant potential for advancing wildlife conservation. NGS technology offers opportunities and challenges for addressing scientific questions in wildlife management. Unfortunately, there is a lack of comprehensive records on NGS implementation in Southeast Asia, particularly concerning wildlife conservation. To address this gap, we analyzed NGS studies focused on wildlife monitoring in Southeast Asia and introduced a practical framework for implementing NGS technologies in global wildlife conservation, especially in Southeast Asia. We systematically reviewed NGS studies in wildlife monitoring from the SCOPUS database. We identified 137 relevant publications from 11 countries, with Malaysia contributing 36% of the studies. The included studies were categorized into five themes: species identification, dietary assessment, health monitoring, taxonomic resolution, and whole-genome sequencing, with the majority focusing on 38 publications related to wildlife health. The framework developed in this study help the researchers and conservation practitioners with insights on NGS technology application in conservation while also addressing the benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations associated with NGS use. This review offers a brief overview of NGS usage and provides guidelines for embracing NGS as a valuable tool for effective wildlife conservation strategies in our rapidly changing world.

The Asian region is globally renowned for its unparalleled biodiversity, rich ecosystems, and unique cultural heritage. However, the delicate equilibrium between human societies and the diverse flora and fauna faces increasing challenges due to the region's rich biodiversity and escalating utilization of wildlife resources. Hence, this paper aims to document the utilization of endangered wildlife across Asian countries and to report the existing conservation measures and recommendations for sustainable wildlife management over the years. We employed prominent academic databases, specifically SCOPUS, to explore the dynamics of wildlife utilization and its associated implications. From the findings, 9,989 records were successfully identified. However, only 65 articles were included in the review after the screening process. A total of 61 species, comprising 30 mammals, 22 reptiles, one amphibian, and eight birds, all endangered, were identified as subjects of wildlife utilization in 16 Asian countries. China possessed the highest count for wildlife utilization across all categories, including 15 species used for trading purposes. In conclusion, this research underscores the critical need for integrated approaches that balance human needs and conservation imperatives to ensure a sustainable future for Asia's wildlife biodiversity.

The Bornean banded langur (Presbytis chrysomelas chrysomelas) is critically endangered species primarily found in Sarawak, Malaysia. Albeit this species is in peril, the ecology knowledge of this endemic species of Borneo is still scarce. Thus, a rapid survey employing total count and scan sampling method was conducted between July to August 2023 at Tanjung Datu National Park (TDNP), Sarawak to observe the social interaction of species with the environment. The behaviour of langur was recorded by employing scanning sampling method at 10 minutes intervals. This study sought to provide preliminary data on behavioural ecology of the Bornean banded langur within the national park. During the survey, three groups (consisting two to seven individuals) and a solitary male Bornean banded langur were recorded. The langurs were observed in both dipterocarp forests and coastal forests within the park. The daily activities of the Bornean banded langurs in TDNP were predominantly resting (31%), moving (29%), feeding (26%), vocalizing (14%), but not engaging in other social activities such as grooming, playing and mating. Knowing the behavioural ecological status as well as understanding ecology by identifying the activity pattern of langur is essential to government authorities and pertinent stakeholders to implement conservation strategies for the Bornean banded langur and their habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primate communities in the Genting Highlands consist of a single species of Hylobatidae and four species of Cercopithecidae, which are known to exhibit social interaction behaviour. Thus, a study on the diets of Symphalangus syndactylus (siamang; family Hylobatidae) and Macaca nemestrina (pig-tailed macaque; family Cercopithecidae) was carried out at Genting Highlands, in order to compare the dietary preferences and interspecific competition between the two primate families. A DNA metabarcoding approach was used to analyse diet intake using non-invasive samples based on the trnL region. Based on the 140 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) generated, 26 plant orders, 46 different families, 60 genera and 49 species were identified from 23 different plant classes. Fabaceae and Moraceae were classified as the most preferred plants at the family level for S. syndactylus; meanwhile, Piperaceae and Arecaceae were classified as the most preferred for M. nemestrina. Only six out of the 60 different plant genera classified in this study, were found to be consumed by both species. Therefore, the low similarity of preferred plants in the diets between the two families suggests that there is little interspecific competition. These findings are important for future conservation management of highland primates, especially in the Genting Highlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the prey preference of Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) in Malaysia is important to guide conservation planning initiatives. The utilisation of DNA metabarcoding provides valuable insights, particularly in the field of carnivora diet research. This technique has been proven to be effective for identifying various species within complex mixtures such as scat materials, where visual identification is challenging. The Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) locus has been selected as it is a widely used as an effective non-invasive approach for diet studies. Hence, given this advance approach, Malayan tiger scats were collected on the basis of existing records of their presence in two types of habitats, namely, protected areas (PA) and human–tiger conflict (HTC) areas. This study aimed to identify prey species in Peninsular Malaysia, based on Malayan tiger scat samples using DNA metabarcoding. Based on the partial mitochondrial COI region, DNA metabarcoding led to the taxonomic resolution of prey DNA remnants in scats and the identification of prey species consumed by Malayan tiger, which were predominately small-to-medium-sized prey, including livestock. The dominant DNA prey detected belongs to the family Canidae, followed by Bovidae, Vespertilionidae, Homonidae, Felidae, Phasianidae and Muridae. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in alpha and beta diversity using the Shannon index and PERMANOVA with regard to prey richness and evenness in two different habitat groups, namely, PA and HTC. Our finding provides insights into Malayan tiger dietary requirements, which can be used to develop conservation plans and strategies for Malayan tiger, particularly for habitat priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-tailed macaques have been roaming near Tenaga National Berhad Bukit Selambau Solar (TBSS) causing human–macaque conflicts. This study reveals the social organization and genetic variation of these macaques. Macaques’ groups were determined via direct observation and closedcircuit television. Genomic DNA from 29 fecal samples were extracted and proceeded with amplification of the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA. There are four main groups of primates at TBSS. Some members of the Kuil group and the Pekan group shared haplotype 1, forming a fission-fusion society. This finding can be used for TNB in mitigation plans involving human– macaque conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete mitochondrial genome sequences have significant relevance in the study of phylogenetic relationships, evolution, and population genetics. In this paper, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus) from Peninsular Malaysia, inferred using next-generation sequencing (NGS). The mitogenome is 16,785 bp in length with the structural organization of an avian mitochondrial arrangement compromising 13 proteincoding regions, 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and 1 control region. No internal stop codon was found in the protein-coding genes. Overall base composition is A: 30.3%, C: 32.5%, G: 13.5%, and T: 23.7%, indicating a high A + T content of 54.0%. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that red junglefowl from Peninsular Malaysia is grouped together with other members of Gallus gallus specifically from Southeast Asia, with 89% bootstrap value support. These research findings might be beneficial for red junglefowl genetic identification, molecular systematic studies, and conservation management interest in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Red, Green and Blue (RGB) colour model has been used to investigate relationships between primates' physiological and colour data. This study uses the RGB method to determine various pelage hues in white-thighed surili at different latitudes in Peninsular Malaysia. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) represents the lowland while Genting Highlands and Fraser’s Hill represent the highland area. Results indicated that no significant values were found based on the sample t-test on every section of the samples except on the nose (Green). Our findings can be utilised further for systematic and population genetic studies of Presbytis siamensis siamensis in Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) is a critically endangered species native to the Malaysian Peninsula. To imitate wild conditions where tigers do not hunt every day, numerous wildlife sanctuaries do not feed their tigers daily. However, the effects of fasting on the gut microbiota of captive Malayan tigers remains unknown. This study aimed to characterise the gut microbiota of captive Malayan tigers by comparing their microbial communities during fasting versus normal feeding conditions. This study was conducted at the Melaka Zoo, Malaysian Peninsula and involved Malayan tigers fasted every Monday. In total, ten faecal samples of Malayan tiger, two of Bengal tiger (outgroup) and four of lion (outgroup) were collected and analysed for metabarcoding targeting the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region. In total, we determined 14 phyla, 87 families, 167 genera and 53 species of gut microbiome across Malayan tiger samples. The potentially harmful bacterial genera found in this study included Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Solobacterium, Echerichia shigella, Ignatzschineria and Negativibacillus. The microbiome in the fasting phase had a higher composition and was more diverse than in the feeding phase. The present findings indicate a balanced ratio in the dominant phyla, reflecting a resetting of the imbalanced gut microbiota due to fasting. These findings can help authorities in how to best maintain and improve the husbandry and health of Malayan tigers in captivity and be used for monitoring in ex-situ veterinary care unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primate population assessment relies heavily on ecological techniques such as camera traps, distance sampling, and passive acoustic detection. Although these techniques have proven effective in estimating the number of individuals and primate groups, challenges arise when attempting to scale them up to larger areas such as districts, states, or national levels. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of public responses in determining the primate population at district level. Specifically, an online survey was designed to collect information from the public regarding the primate population within their respective areas of knowledge, focusing on Muar district in Johor, Malaysia. This district comprises of 12 sub-districts ('Mukims'). The survey was conducted over two consecutive months (February to March 2021). A combination of online social media platforms and face-to-face interviews was employed to distribute the survey and successfully gathered responses from 257 respondents. The data collected encompassed species availability, habitat availability, individual primate counts and human-primate conflicts. Chi-squared analysis, point biserial correlation, descriptive statistics and alpha diversity indices were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that Macaca fascicularis reported the highest number of individuals and was predominantly present across all sub-districts. This species also frequently engaged in conflicts with humans, primarily as agricultural pests and residential nuisances. The method described herein proved effective in providing reliable tests for species presence-absence, and collecting human-wildlife conflict data with specific geographical locations. However, further improvements in the design are required to more accurately evaluate the primate populations. Nonetheless, this method serves as a promising pilot approach for estimating wildlife populations at the state level, offering a rapid, cost-effective, and extensive alternative to traditional ecological techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-elephant conflict (HEC) contributes to the increasing death of Asian elephants due to road accidents, retaliatory killings and fatal infections from being trapped in snares. Understanding the diet of elephants throughout Peninsular Malaysia remains crucial to improve their habitat quality and reduce scenarios of HEC. DNA metabarcoding allows investigating the diet of animals without direct observation, especially in risky conflict areas. The aim of this study was to determine: i) the diet of wild Asian elephants from HEC areas in Peninsular Malaysia using DNA metabarcoding and ii) the influence of distinct environmental parameters at HEC locations on their feeding patterns. DNA was extracted from 39 faecal samples and pooled into 12 groups representing the different sample locations: Kuala Koh, Kenyir, Ulu Muda, Sira Batu, Kupang-Grik, Bumbun Tahan, Belum-Temengor, Grik, Kampung Pagi, Kampung Kuala Balah, Aring 10 and the National Elephant Conservation Centre, which served as a positive control for this study. DNA amplification and sequencing targeted the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase gene using the next-generation sequencing Illumina iSeq100 platform. Overall, we identified 35 orders, 88 families, 196 genera and 237 species of plants in the diet of the Asian elephants at HEC hotspots. Ficus (Moraceae), Curcuma (Zingiberaceae), Phoenix (Arecaceae), Maackia (Fabaceae), Garcinia (Clusiaceae) and Dichapetalum (Dichapetalaceae) were the highly abundant dietary plants. The plants successfully identified in this study could be used by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) to create buffer zones by planting the recommended dietary plants around HEC locations and trails of elephants within Central Forest Spine (CFS) landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) has a wide range in both Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Although the primates are especially vulnerable to habitat alterations, this primate lives in disturbed habitats due to human-induced land-use. Thus, this study presents a faecal metabarcoding approach to clarify the plant diet of long-tailed macaques from five locations in Peninsular Malaysia to represent fragmented forest, forest edge, island and recreational park habitats. We extracted genomic DNA from 53 long-tailed macaque faecal samples. We found 47 orders, 126 families, 609 genera and 818 species across these five localities. A total of 113 plant families were consumed by long-tailed macaques in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 61 in the Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, 33 in Langkawi Island, 53 in Redang Island and 44 in the Cenderawasih Cave. Moraceae (33.24%) and Fabaceae (13.63%) were the most common families consumed by long-tailed macaques from the study localities. We found that habitat type impacted diet composition, indicating the flexibility of foraging activities. This research findings provide an understanding of plant dietary diversity and the adaptability of this macaque with the current alteration level that applies to long-tailed macaque conservation management interest in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of the welfare status of captive and semi-captive animals often compare how their expression of natural behaviors differs from that of free-ranging conspecifics. From December 2015–2016, we recorded and analyzed the activity budget and postural behaviors of three orangutans in Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island (BMOUI) to evaluate their welfare status. The orangutans' activity budget was dominated by resting (60%), feeding (13%), playing (14%), and moving (9%). Behavioral categories followed a similar trend: resting > feeding > moving > playing, except that the subadult male spent significantly more time playing than the two adults. The most predominant posture was sitting (47.0%), followed by pronograde standing (29.4%), lying (10.5%), and clinging (4.5%). Our results suggest that orangutans on BMOUI engage in less feeding but more resting, and show less postural diversity than free-ranging individuals. We propose that appropriate interventions to shift activity budgets, especially feeding vs. resting, and postural behaviors of captive orangutans toward those found in free-ranging orangutans might be beneficial for their welfare and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) belongs to the frugivorous bats, which play a crucial role in maintaining proper functioning of an ecosystem and conservation of the environment. Bats are well-known carriers of pathogenic viruses, such as BatCov RaTG13 from the coronavirus family that share 90.55% with SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen causing recent global pandemic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). However, bats' possible role as a carrier of pathogenic bacteria is less explored. Here, using metabarcoding analysis through high-throughput sequencing, we explored the gut microbiome composition of different island populations on the east and west coasts of Peninsula Malaysia. The 16S rRNA gene in samples from Redang Island, Langkawi Island, Pangkor Island and Tinggi Island was amplified. Bacterial community composition and structure were analysed with a and ß diversity metrics. A total of 25,658 operational taxonomic units at 97% similarity were assigned to eight phyla, 44 families, 61 genera and 94 species of microbes. The Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in all populations. Meanwhile, the genera Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella, isolated in this study, were previously found in the rectum of other fruit bats. Our analyses suggest that Redang Island and Langkawi Island have high bacteria diversity. Thus, we found geographic locality is a strong predictor of microbial community composition and observed a positive correlation between ecological features and bacterial richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnoprimatology can be defined as the interaction between human and nonhuman primates that share integrated social and ecological spaces through cultural, religious, and customary contexts. Orang Asli community is highly dependent on natural resources around them and utilise animals in their daily life, including primates, for many purposes such as food, medicine, and pets. However, indiscriminate hunting practice and overhunting have caused a major decline in the primate population, including the species with high conservation importance, which may lead to extinction. Hence, this study aims to document the information on primate utilisation by Temuan in Gunung Ledang, Johor, Malaysia, using an ethnoprimatological approach through a semistructured interview with the aid of a questionnaire. The results indicate that Temuan in Gunung Ledang mainly used five species of primates (Macaca fascicularis, M. nemestrina, Presbytis sp., Hylobates lar, and Trachypithecus obscurus) that comprised two families, namely, Cercopithecidae and Hylobatidae, as entertainment and pets. However, respondents acknowledged that these cultural practices rapidly eroded because of the decline in the primate population in their ranging area, thus making it harder for them to spot and hunt the primates. Findings from this study can be used for developing a sustainable action plan that involves Orang Asli toward conservation of primates and preservation of traditional knowledge of Temuan in Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dusky leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus obscurus), are widely distributed in Peninsular Malaysia. The shortage of studies on phylogeographic structure of T. obscurus, at subspecies and population level, as well as the absence of study for the population in Gunung Ledang National Park, Johor, Malaysia, it may adversely affect their conservation management. This study aims to determine the phylogenetic position of T. obscurus at subspecies and population level, as well as the absence of study for the population in Gunung Ledang National Park, Johor, Malaysia, it may adversely affect their conservation management. This study aims to determine the phylogenetic position of T. obscurus in Gunung Ledang and compare it to those of other Malaysian populations using the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA. Faecal samples were collected from the wild population in Gunung Ledang and sequenced, and used in phylogenetic analysis with six additional genetic samples of T.obscurus from other regions in Peninsular Malaysia, and one sequence of Presbytis melalophos from GenBank. Both neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony trees indicate that populations from Gunung Ledang should beclassified as T. o. obscurues and are monophyletic with thea populations from Endau-Rompin, Johor, and Selangor. This study provides a new insight and contributes to the conservation management strategies of T. obscurus in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnoprimatology is the study of interaction between human and non-human primates that share integrated social and ecological spaces. Orang Asli depends on the forest product as they are known to consume and utilize the forest products in their daily life, including wildlife such as primates as pets and in food, pets, medicine, belief, and other applications. Owing to increases in anthropogenic activities, wildlife, specifically primate populations, is decreasing alongside abandonment of traditional knowledge among the Orang Asli in Malaysia. Therefore, the aim of this study is to document the primate species consumed and utilized by the Semoq Beri community in Pahang using a semi-structured interview with the aid of questionnaires. The result indicates that Semoq Beri has consumed and utilised five species of primates (Macaca fascicularis, Macaca nemestrina, Trachypithecus obscurus, Presbytis sp., and Hylobates lar) for foods and as pets. The hunting method is similar to that of other Orang Asli tribes, who use blowpipe (sumpit) with a poisonous dart. The hunting of primates in the Semoq Beri community is less nowadays as the community has assimilated with the Malay community, and they claim that the population of primates around them is decreasing tremendously. Findings from this study can be used for a sustainable action plan that involves Orang Asli toward conservation of primate and preservation of traditional knowledge of Semoq Beri people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visitors presence in primate ecotourism areas could provide variety in primate dietary intake. For this reason, we recorded a list of plants and anthropogenic foods that are consumed by habituated silvered langurs (Trachypithecus cristatus) of Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 24 plant species was identified as the primary natural food resources. Langurs were also exposed to anthropogenic foods brought by visitors. Interestingly, langurs become more selective with anthropogenic foods when they are full. They were also observed rejecting all types of sweets. As feeding primates with anthropogenic food can be harmful, visitors should be educated and provided appropriate information to prevent feeding langurs inappropriate foods. We also suggest that the effects of these foods on langurs should be examined in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife surveys were conducted in Usun Apau National Park (UANP), Sarawak from Oct 2017 to Oct 2020. This was the first attempt to document fauna diversity in Usun Apau National Park on the UANP plateau at 1200-1400 m a.s.l. On 17 September 2020, 10 AM, we observed an orangutan individual, Pongo pygmaeus, over a period of one minute at Libut Camp UANP (E: 114039'.546, N: 2052'36.44) at 1,020 m a.s.l. We also recorded four nests and orangutan vocalisation twice. This observation is important for Bornean orangutan conservation as this was the first orangutan sighting in UANP and well outside the species distribution range for in Sarawak. [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]

Abstract Genus Apanteles is a cosmopolitan and largest genus in Microgastrinae that can be set as chief example of the subfamily to be studied for. However, highly similar morphological characters intraspecifically lead to difficulty in identifying this genus. In this study, 25 individuals of Apanteles were identified morphologically and molecularly by using error rates approach of barcoding analysis. The phylogenetic of the Apanteles that consisted of five species-groups were studied together with their molecular time divergences by using four molecular markers i.e., COI , 16S , 28S and Cyt B. The species groups are mycetophilus , ultor , merula , merope and ater. The phylogenetic analyses show that each species groups were monophyletic with formation of sister clad for merula and merope -group. The phylogenetic analyses of Apanteles species-group were well resolved and supported by their morphological and taxonomical status. This study is a first record on the phylogenetic of five Oriental Apanteles species-group. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • 19 MOTUs were successfully identify from 25 individuals of Apanteles using morphological and molecular data. • ME, NJ, MP and BI tree were generated using COI , 16S , 28S and Cyt B molecular regions. • Each species-group, i.e. mycetophilus -, ater -, ultor -, merope - and merula -group are formed as monophyletic group. • Sister clade relationships were formed between merope- and merula- groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) play a significant role in reducing the pest population of the bagworm species Metisa plana. This study presents the abundance and DNA barcoding information of eight parasitoid wasps species, Dolichogenidea metesae (47%), Brachymeria carinata (19%), Buysmania oxymora (12%), Goryphus bunoh (7%), Pediobius anomalus (5%), Eupelmus cotoxanthae (2%), Apanteles aluella (5%), Apanteles sp.1 (3%) and that emerged from M. plana collected from three highly infested oil palm plantations in Selangor (west), Perak (north) and Johor (south) in Peninsular Malaysia. Samples of infested M. plana were collected from the field and reared in a rearing room. The parasitoid wasp species D. metesae recorded the highest emergence numbers and the broadest presence in all the sampling sites. The relationships among the parasitoids species were estimated and visualized using Neighbor Joining (NJ) phylogenetic analyses with the Ceraphronidae family as an outgroup. The resulting NJ tree showed that the identified parasitoid wasps were successfully classified into specific species and supported with bootstraps values between 55% to 100%. This study provides important information on potential biological control agents for M. plana that may be useful for the Malaysian oil palm industry. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The first ever DNA Barcoding information of 8 species of parasitoids in Peninsular Malaysia were determined. • 13 sequences of parasitoids were successfully deposited in Genbank. • Phylogenetic relationship of parasitoids were resolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pig-tailed macaques were preferred by handlers and trainers for traditional coconut picking. In May-August 2011, the training phases for coconut-picking macaques were observed in Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia. The training phases were distinguished, and new teaching methods of different trainers were noted. The mode of training involved two stages: first, at the base of the coconut tree and second, on the coconut tree. For stage one, the first step was to keep macaques interested in coconuts, which was the most difficult part of the training process. Macaques were encouraged to play with coconuts to instill interest in the fruit before learning to twist it from the infructescence. At the second stage, the training in climbing the tree and choosing targeted fruits was conducted using vocal commands. There were approximately 30 types of vocal commands in the dialect spoken by the handlers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been utilized in molecular studies to amplify DNA fragments even from small amounts of genetic material. A good PCR product is based on good amplification of DNA segments in condition optimisation. We conducted a molecular study to optimize the annealing temperature and concentration of primers to find the optimal condition of PCR for Malaysian mousedeer species. DNA samples from six Tragulus kanchil and Tragulus napu species of Malaysian mousedeer were extracted for PCR amplification. Several ranges of annealing temperatures and concentrations were tested using the increment and decrement method. Results indicated that the optimal annealing temperatures for T. kanchil and T. napu were 56.0°C and 47.2°C, respectively. For primer concentration, 10 to 20 µM is best to produce good PCR amplification. All six samples for the D-loop region had good DNA chromatograms and scores between 90% and 100% in BLAST. Based on the high scores, all mousedeer samples were considered to be highly purified DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia endosymbiont is a maternally inherited bacteria that infects a wide range of hosts, including parasitoids and their respective hosts. In this study, a total of 171 individuals of braconid endoparasitoids, consisting of Fopius arisanus, F. vandenboschi, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata, Psyttalia sp.1, Psyttalia sp.2, P. fletcheri and P. incisi, and their host tephritid fruit flies of Bactrocera dorsalis, B. papayae and B. carambolae infesting carambola were screened molecularly by the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene. Interestingly, 21 (24.14%) wsp gene sequences were successfully isolated from 87 braconid samples tested, showing a low infection rate of Wolbachia. However, despite the close ecological contact between parasitoids and their hosts, none of the tephritid individuals were infected by Wolbachia. A comparison of wsp and host mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences found that braconids did not cluster in connection with Wolbachia infection, suggesting that selective sweep has not yet occurred becauseWolbachia may have recently infected the braconid populations in Peninsular Malaysia (≈0.1MYA). Despite of relatively recent infections of Wolbachia, the history of Wolbachia infection into F. arisanus populations of Peninsular Malaysia is complex, involving at least two independent occasions of infection and two secondary losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral Histone H4 is a type of bracovirus gene that is highly conserved. It has a unique N-terminal that controls gene expression by chromatin remodeling. This region has been utilized to study the relationships between bracovirus and its parasitoid wasps. In this study, 10 individuals from seven significant species of Microgastrinae in highland ecosystems Cotesia , Apanteles sp. 1, Apanteles sp. 2, Apanteles sp. 3, Apanteles sp. 4, Dolichogenidae , and Choeras —were studied for relationships between the bracovirus and parasitoids using viral Histone H4 , COI and 16S rRNA by using implementation of Bayesian inference (BI) analysis. We found that both trees were mutually incongruent, so we performed Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares (PGLS) analysis to prove Histone H4 evolves independently, then reconfirmed the host adaptation of parasitoid towards host was driven by bracovirus and not vice versa . This study also demonstrates that the Histone H4 region is not suitable to study the relationships of the endosymbiont and its host. Nevertheless, these results provide new insight into the co-adaptation of bracovirus and its parasitoid towards the host, lepidopteran larvae, as well as providing the first ever samples of bracovirus from Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gaur (Bos gaurus) is one of the two extant wild cattle species that can be found in several Asian countries. This species is threatened by extinction due to declining wild populations. Selembu is the name of the Malayan gaur ? domestic cattle hybrid. We planned this study to determine the position of the Malayan gaur and its hybrid, the selembu, in the phylogenetics of the genus Bos (Bos gaurus, Bos javanicus, Bos indicus, and Bos taurus). The mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene and the control region (D-loop) were sequenced in 29 Bos samples. Sequences from one water buffalo (Bubalus) were used as an outgroup. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony in PAUP 4.0b10 and Bayesian inference in MrBayes 3.1. All tree topologies indicated that the Malayan gaur belongs to its own monophyletic clade that is distinct from other species of the genus Bos. Selembu samples were grouped in zebu and/or taurine cattle clades. The results also indicated that there are significant embranchment differences in the tree topologies between wild (Malayan gaur and banteng/Bali cattle) and domestic (taurine cattle, zebu cattle, and selembu) cattle. The results showed the complete maternal inheritance situation among the studied samples of all cattle species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

èPhylogenetic relationships among Malaysia's long-tailed macaques have yet to be established, despite abundant genetic studies of the species worldwide. The aims of this study are to examine the phylogenetic relationships of Macaca fascicularis in Malaysia and to test its classification as a morphological subspecies. A total of 25 genetic samples of M. fascicularis yielding 383 bp of Cytochrome b (Cyt b) sequences were used in phylogenetic analysis along with one sample each of M. nemestrina and M. arctoides used as outgroups. Sequence character analysis reveals that Cyt b locus is a highly conserved region with only 23% parsimony informative character detected among ingroups. Further analysis indicates a clear separation between populations originating from different regions; the Malay Peninsula versus Borneo Insular, the East Coast versus West Coast of the Malay Peninsula, and the island versus mainland Malay Peninsula populations. Phylogenetic trees (NJ, MP and Bayesian) portray a consistent clustering paradigm as Borneo's population was distinguished from Peninsula's population (99% and 100% bootstrap value in NJ and MP respectively and 1.00 posterior probability in Bayesian trees). The East coast population was separated from other Peninsula populations (64% in NJ, 66% in MP and 0.53 posterior probability in Bayesian). West coast populations were divided into 2 clades: the North-South in MP and 1.00/0.80 posterior probability in Bayesian) and Island-Mainland (93% in NJ, 90% in MP and 1.00 posterior probability in Bayesian). The results confirm the previous morphological assignment of 2 subspecies, M. f. fascicularis and M. f. argentimembris, in the Malay Peninsula. These populations should be treated as separate genetic entities in order to conserve the genetic diversity of Malaysia's M. fascicularis. These findings are crucial in aiding the conservation management and translocation process of M. fascicularis populations in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiloscyllium, commonly called bamboo shark, can be found inhabiting the waters of the Indo-West Pacific around East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has categorized them as nearly threatened sharks out of their declining population status due to overexploitation. A molecular study was carried out to portray the systematic relationships within Chiloscyllium species using 12S rRNA and cytochrome b gene sequences. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian were used to reconstruct their phylogeny trees. A total of 381 bp sequences' lengths were successfully aligned in the 12S rRNA region, with 41 bp sites being parsimony-informative. In the cytochrome b region, a total of 1120 bp sites were aligned, with 352 parsimony-informative characters. All analyses yield phylogeny trees on which C. indicum has close relationships with C. plagiosum. C. punctatumis sister taxon to both C. indicum and C. plagiosum while C. griseum and C. hasseltii formed their own clade as sister taxa. These Chiloscyllium classifications can be supported by some morphological characters (lateral dermal ridges on the body, coloring patterns, and appearance of hypobranchials and basibranchial plate) that can clearly be used to differentiate each species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastid trnL-trnF and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences were obtained from selected wild-type individuals of Polygonum minus Huds. in Peninsular Malaysia. The 380 bp trnL-trnF sequences of the Polygonum minus accessions were identical. Therefore, the trnL-trnF failed to distinguish between the Polygonum minus accessions. However, the divergence of ITS sequences (650 bp) among the Polygonum minus accessions was 1%, indicating that these accessions could be distinguished by the ITS sequences. A phylogenetic relationship based on the ITS sequences was inferred using neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. All of the tree topologies indicated that Polygonum minus from Peninsular Malaysia is unique and different from the synonymous Persicaria minor (Huds.) Opiz and Polygonum kawagoeanum Makino. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study which investigated the genetic structure and evolutionary relationships among populations of Hylarana erythraea or ranidae in Sarawak, Malaysia. The study used the partial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene of mitochondrial (mt) DNA. It showed high numbers of migrants per generation and panmictic populations of the species. It revealed the relationship of different species of the animal in Borneo and implied a greater barrier created by a feature in the landscape.