By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 20: A total of 26 new frog species have been discovered across Sarawak following researches conducted during the recently concluded 10th World Congress of Herpetology.
Sarawak’s Deputy Premier and Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR) Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the congress which was held in Kuching from Aug 5 to 9, aimed to promote research, education and conservation of herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians).
“Of the 26 new frog species, six were given scientific names by the Premier of Sarawak (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg), based on the locations where they were discovered.
“For example, ‘Limnonectes muluensis’ was named after Mulu, and ‘Limnonectes penrissensis’ after Penrissen,” he said when presenting his ministerial winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.
The other four species are ‘Limnonectes dulitensis’, ‘Limnonectes matangensis’, ‘Limnonectes mararapsis’ and ‘Limnonectes sarawakensis’.
He also mentioned that the remaining 20 species are still undergoing morphological identification.
“This discovery highlights Sarawak’s rich biodiversity, particularly in frog species. Frogs are vital indicators of ecosystem health due to their sensitivity to environmental changes,” he added. — DayakDaily
