The Odonata of Binyo Penyilam, a unique tropical wetland area in Bintulu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia

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R.A. Dow
J. Unggang

Abstract

Binyo Penyilam is a unique wetland conservation area within the Sarawak Planted Forest Project zone in Sarawak’s Bintulu Division. A variety of forest and open habitats are present in the area; these are characterised. An annotated list of 61 species of Odonata from 11 families collected in the area to-date is presented. At least seven of these species had not been found in Sarawak prior to their discovery at Binyo Penyilam, of these four - Pseudagrion coomansi, Merogomphus femoralis, Brachygonia puella and Chalybeothemis fluviatilis - have still not been found elsewhere in the state; no other location is known for the genus Merogomphus in Borneo. Although under-sampling makes assessments of the conservation status of south-east Asian Odonata difficult, at least 16 of the species found at Binyo Penyilam can be considered to be of potential conservation concern, at least within Sarawak.

Article Details

Section
Communications
Author Biographies

R.A. Dow

Rory A. Dow is a research associate at RMNH Naturalis, Leiden, where he is employed in various digitisation projects. His research interests are in the faunistics and taxonomy of Asian Odonata. He has extensive experience of working in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysian Borneo.

J. Unggang

Joanes Unggang is head of the Conservation Department of Grand Perfect Sendirian Berhad in the Sarawak Planted Forest Project. His background is in botany and he has extensive experience of working in conservation in Sarawak.