ThePangolin

A quartedybulletin ofThe Nature Society() on the venebratefauna (except bids) of Singaporeard the surroundinSreg.ion

Volume 5. 1992(issued Odober 1993)

MIT.A(P) 011/06.93 publishedby TheNature Society (Singapore) CoverIllustration: Bill-fishes of Singapore

From top to bottom: Indo-PacificSailfish (laiopfiorus plalypterus) Black Marlin (Mal

Illustrationfrom: Nakamura,I., i985. Billf shesof the ll/orld - an annolateda d ilhstrated catalogte. FAO speciescatalogue no. 125,Volume 5

* Seeunder current records, a recordof anIndo-Pacific Sailfish caught otrthe Bedok Jeuy,Singapore on page12. THB PANGOLIN Volume 5 Numbers1to4. December,1992

List of Contributors-

AYW - Alvin Wong GAN - GretheAnderson NIG - Nigel K. C. Goh CAJ - CathJetrs GBT-GilhTan NSS - N. Sivasothi CEK - ChuaEe Kiam GFL - GmfftoyLim PFR - PamelaFree CBF- CliveBriffett GIV - GilbertVendefiischelan PGL - Jefhey P. G. Lee CCY - ChangChia Yee HHC - Ho HuaChew PHR - Phil Hurrell CES- ChenEe Sin HKL - H. K Lua PNG - PeterK. L. Ng CHD - C. IL Diong JCH - JoanCramPhom RBT - Roben C. H. Teo CMF - ChoongMei Fun JND - JonarhanDavies RYH ^ Rae Hiscock CMY - C. lvl Yang JOH - JoyceF. L. Chin SBS- Sutari Supari CSH- ChanSan Hong KYL - KelvinK. P. Lim SHT - ShzronThomas DAP- DaphneS. L. Chnng KNY - KennethYong SSL - Si-Hoe SanLing DCH - DianaG. B. Chia LKC - Lim Kim Chuah SRI - R. Subharaj DHM-D.}lMuryhy LKK - Lim Kim Keang TJB - Tay JoeBoy DNL - DanielLim LKS - Lim Kim Seng TML - Tan Mei Ling DYL - DavidK. L. L€e MGC- MaggieChong TMT - Tommy H. T. Tan DFR- DavidFrce MGH - MargieHall YCO - Victor Ong FAH - Faridllamid MCH - Mke Chong YSII - Yeo SuayHwee FJM - FaizalJarnal MKT - MauriceKouelat

They also sawFlying Lemurstwice in forest at the noflh shoreof Lower PeirceReservoir in April. One at Lower Peirce forest on 2715 (SRI) was seen comPiledbY gliding suddenlydown to tle baseof a nearby Eee,and S.}l Yeoand Kelvin K. P. Lim quickly shinning up the runk to disappear into the canopy. SINGAPORE A cbestnuFcolouedindiYidual was obsewed hanging from a branchwith flashlight on 6/6 (SRI et a/.) at Sime RoadforesL Flying Lemur (Cynocephalusvarie Sattts) One in the MacRitchieforest was seenat pre-dawn'7/7 The StraitsTimes (30.3.1992,pg.3 of Section2) rcports (sRD. a flying lemur being canghtin the GermanSchool near Timah, in early March. The rhe Bukit Turf Club, Bukit Banded Leaf Monkey (Presbytisfemoralis) photographshows clearly a sucklingju- accompanying AII sightings&orn the Nee Soon Swamp-forest five, 19/ !o fte animal's abdomen. Notiing is venile clinging 1 (TML, YSID; seven,32 (YSIDi at leastfour along eventualoueome of this capturg. known of the edgeof range2, 15/5(K\{L, HKL, CM9; two separare on a tree,about 1.5 metresup, along NIG observedone troopsof five and nine memberseach, about one tm Bukit TimahNatue Reserveon V5. themain road of the apart, 1815 YSn; at least four, 2215 t{]{'\'1-' encounteredone at about 1:30 pm at the GML, DNL & GBT YCO);about five adults se€n botween 10:45-11:00 am' l1/5 at the north shore of Sele{ar base of a Ee€ on possiblyassociating with macaquesand x 6:05pm'216 Reservoir. /"Trrr. Tr.|u crfl' ccl \ TheNaune Society (SingapuP) gate Long-tailed Macaque (M acacafas cicularis\ alongOld UpperThomson Road near the to Upper was Onsat Pulaullbin on 26ll (SRIet al'J. PeirceRe.servoir Pa* on 2116@YH). This one Twoin rubb€restate at PulauUbin on 162 (SBS). rusty-brownabove, cr€an below. 13at lower PeirceForest on 5/3(SBS). A squashedexample along Rifle RangeRoad, 2916 Onear Man

(72.1616) ^LTelak Silvered Leaf Monkey dusk abovePasir Panjang be€ch and (2316) h.rlauRedang, Trengganu (KVL (Trachypithecus ristatus DalamKechil on c ) Redang,it has been observedeither flying NaluePak (Selangor)'7-8110 et al.). On PresentatKuala Selangor alone or in twos, and is highly vocal and apparently Melawati feeding on aeesamund (SBS); Eoop ftom Br quarelsome. However, on Pulau Tioman off Pahang, in morningsand two otier trocps in forests carpat there over sixry werecounted at dusk over KampungJuara on lake sysem, 14-16/10 (NSS)' southof 8-96(KYL,TJBpVL). (PresDytis Banded Leaf Monkey femoralis) Ashy Roundleaf Bat Templer'sParh Selangor' on 15/10 At leasttlree seen at ( (SRD. Hiryoideros cineracew) baa flying in the hesentat Ktau Gane Reserve, Pahang, 13/6 GND. Small,chesEDt-coloued leaf-nosed night i o chaletrooms and tlrc canrcenat the beach PasirPanjang, Pulau Redang on g-tailed Macaque (Mac ac a cicul ar is) resortat Clrengganu) Lon fas 22-2616,may be of thisspecies (KW). A captive young female seentethered to a canteennear KampungRedang, Pulau RedangCftenggant) on 2416 Maf ayan Pangolin (Manis jat,anica) by KVL, NSS, TI{T apparentlybelongs to fte island's TWomad casualties in Johor:one on side of ParitSulong- endemic subspecies, Macaca fascicularis Road,25l; theother at about62 Isn, YongPeng' argentimenbris. Muar 2.6fi(MKT, KW). Four seen along the nofih bank of the Sungai Benut' JohorBahru Road, alonglpoh-Kuala Kangsar Road Johoron 6/8 by NSS er cl. A flatlenederample (Perak), (SBS). A troop was seenassociating with Dusky Leaf Monkeys 29-30/12 on tlrc roadat Ayer Hitam,Johor on al the fonestedje, Telok BahangVillage, Penang,on 2ll Oneseen crushed (SBS). 10 (Kw) andat the Hokkien cemetrythere (NSS). 2116 freshlykilled by vehiclesat 15 individuals were seenat ttlu Kenong forest,Pahang' A maleof over60 crnfound Pontian,Johor on 31/12 (CEK). 22 (SBS). Three seenforaging in Kul'up mangrove,Iohor on 2312 (sBs). Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel 12 seentrying to cross lhe Kota Tinggi-Mening El$k (Rantaafrnis) road nearthe Panti forest,Johor, on 2/3 (SBS). Oneat Krau Game Rqserve, Paiang, 1V6 (KNr. Threeseen by SBS in somefruiting treeson tlrc shoreof KeneringLake (Uppet Perak),7-1179. Black-bandedSquirrel (Selangor), ltesent at Kuala SelangorNaJue Park 7-8110 (C allo s ciurus nigrovittatus) (SBS): therein evenings,14-16/10 in mangrove O{SS). Oneseen at Krau GameReserve (Pahang), on trail to Reserve 13/6(KI"ll'). Presentat Krau Game @ahang), SungaiKrau, 13/6 (IO{9. (Macaca nemestrina) Pig-tailed Macaque Plantain Squirrel (Callosciwus notatus) Reserve(Pahang), 13i6 (KNY). Presentat KrauGame hesentat LtluKenong forest, Pahang on V2 (SBS). Callosciuusnotatus plasdcus is thesubspecies endemic SlowLoris (Nycrtcebuscoucang) to hrlau Redang,Trengganu. It wasconspicuous on tie Threespot-lighred at separatelocalities along the Old islandaI PasLPanjang beach resort area (2U6,K\L)' GentingRoad (Selangor), t l/6 (KNY). Commonat KrauGame Reserve (Pahang), 13/6 (l}r9. Onespot-lighted ootside the guesthouse,Krau GameRe- (Kl'lY serve(Pahang), 13/6 et dl.). Grey-beltied Squirrel (Cal los ciurw canic ep s) Commonat KrauGame Reserve (Pahang), 13/6 (KlrD. Common Treeshrew (Tupaia glis) Kluangon 26i4 One seenat GunungLornbal, Preyost's Squirrel (Callosciurus pr evostii) (TML,YSH). Tupaid glis obscura is the subspeciesen- Onese€n at KrauGame Reserve @ahang), 13/6 (IA\in. denic to PulauRedang (Trengganu). KVL sightedone on the island in the foresl betweenPasir ChagarHutang Low's Squirrel (Sundascturus lowii) andTelok Kerma (2316). Presentar Kran Game Reserve (Pahang), 13/6 GNn. Large Flying Fox (Pteropusvampyrus) (Sundasciurustenuis) 15se.en over Krau Game Resewe, Pahang, 18/6 (KNn. Slender Squirrel Pressnta! KrauGame Reserve, Pahang, 13/6 (XI.f$. is PulauRedang's Fox Sundasciurustenuis sordidus Island Flying (Irengganu)endemic subspecies. KYL notedone on the (P ter opus lrypome lanw I ePidw ) islandin forestar dawn behind Telok Dalam Kechil (24i Thisis thesubspecies found on the island along lhe east or. coastof PeninsularMalaysia- Especially conspicuous at Tbe NaE€ Socbty (SingaPore) of the obs€rYer'until his dinghy Flying Squirrel (subfamilyPetauristinae) reacheswere "unafraid' close", whereuponthey dived and resurfaced A "small-sizedindividud of unknownidentity was came"!oo nearthe shqe. spoFlightedio a Eeeon thenight of 68 artlp Belal area of TarnanNegara" Pahang (SRI). Smootb Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) FlyingSquirrel (/ornys horsfieldD SBSobserved two individuals playing on the river bank Horcfield's Kuala Kurau (Perak) on 29112. Wlt,e;l^aV possibleindividual obsexved in he day (7:15an) at hdt 30, One proachedin a rubber dingby, the oEersdived into 0le fromthe trail along Sungai Lompar, Krau Game Reserve water and rcsudacedat about 10 meEesup$ream near (Palnng),1al6 GND. ttrebank Oneof themwas approached"really close" as it scmmbled up the mangrove-linedriver bank' and Red Giant FlYing Squirrel "played hide-and-seek"with the observer. SBS de- '4'pearing (Pewrista petaurista) scribesthe o$ersas big wi& massiveheads"' Ooe@-ligbted alongOld GentingRo4 some2 hn NSS also sighted ouers, probrably of this species.In afterthe Universiti Malaya Gombak Field Study Centre Kuala SelangorNanrc Park an adr t in the lake sysEm (Selango$,rV6 (KNY). nearcoastal bund (16/10:6pm); a groupof not lessthan One ryot-tghledoutside the guesfiouse,Krau Game six in

Long-tailed Giant Rat Malay Civet (Viveta tangalunga) (Leopoldatnys sabanus) SBS iclendfied one road victim on the road !o Ayer Theidentity is notconfirmed. One large female rat seen Hiam, Johor,as this species,2il6. by SBSand MGC at the summit of GunungBubu (Peraii) at 56W, 25-28t12,had nfous broli'n upperpartsand Three-stripedPalm Civet seemedto havebeen whfteunderpafis, and a tail which (Ar ctog ali dia trivirSata ) theobservers, and read' choprpedoff. It wasunafraid of Trvo spot-lighEdalong the Old GentingRoad' some3 .5 o it" includingdried ily acceptedscraps of foodoffered Lm ftom the Univeniti Malaya Gombak Field Study It onlyappe€ted at nighl sotongmeal. Centse(Selangor), i V6 GA$n. Onespot-lighted near the salt'lick on the SungaiLompat Brown Spiny Rat (MaxomYsraiah) trail, Krau GameReserve, Pahang on 1716(KNY). A roadtdlt(Head-body lenglh about 16 cm, tail lengdl abou 16cm) seen along the Old Gornbak Roa4 Selangor GoldenCat (Felis temminckii) *ith on 2n GNY, MCH). It haddarli brown upperPar6 Oneseen in Mayby CAJat theKrau Game Reserve, underparlswith distinctspines dorsally, creamy-whib Pahang. orangefront part somebrown stseaking, or-ange cbeets, ' forefimh. Thereis alsoan orange band dividing tbe 'Iiger of (P ant hera tigris upperand under pans. Tail hairless,light gray;hind ) Thereis a report with picnles on The StraitsTimes limbsunifomtly light-brown. (9.6.1992,pg. 3) on two Indonesianlabourers being FELDA settlementoil palmplan- (Ambloryx ciner eus mauledby a rigerin a Smatl-clawedOtter ) udon ar Air TawarEmpat, about 25 km nofihwestof at 108 km' THT noted an otler crossing the road Desaru,Southeast Johor. The attackoccued at 10 arn. (Pahang)al 10:50am on MeKing-Kuantancoastal Road on2515. Both men survived the ordeal with headand leg forcsted' 96. The inland sideof the road waslargely injuries.The Johor Departrnent of Perhitianhas looked forcst al the Two otlers crosseda din track in logged into themafier according to thereport. southemedge of the Endau-RompinPark (Johoo. Ob- servedby TIIT andotiers on 6/4 al 1O30am. Leopard (P anthera ) A small otter observed squashedin dre middle of Pardus MGChad fleeting glances ofa blackpanther as Jemenlah-Kg.Bukit Kepong Road, Muar, northwest SBSand it disappearcdinio the forestalong the GunungBubu Johoron 25f K\.L) may be of the sared species. SBSidentified one adult with threejuveniles swimming mil Qenk),25-'28112. down$eam in the PerakRiver from a canoenear Intan (Elephas SurayaUpper Perak, 9-15l8' Asian Elephant maximw) At TemengorLake, Gerik (Pera&),SBS observedfour SBS heardone rumpeting from the forest around sepanlepairs benveen29-30/12 playing by the bank of KeneringLake (Upper Perak), 7- i iD. tlre uper reachesof the Temengor' The Orang As[ appearednot to hunt or eat them' so tre animalsthere seemedto be quire bold. Two pain seenat the lower ThePangolin 5(14)

TVild Pig (Sm scrqfa) Possibleindividuals were heard gundng and crashing into thickets along the GunungBubu tnil (Perak)by sBs,25-28/12 comPiledbY KelvinIC P. Lim & R.Subharaj Sambar Deer (Cennn unicolor) A herdof 13was viewed frorr tle hidenear the head- quafiersof TamanNegara (Pahang) at Kuala Tahanon SINGAPORE the night of 7D (SRJ).

LesserMousedeer (Tragulw javanicus) CommonBlind Snake Four individuals spot-Ughtedon dle nighl of 14/6 by (R anp ho ryp hlop s br atninus ) PHR ar the ISau GameReserve, Pahang. MGHidentified a 12cm dead individual in a gardenat King'sAvenue (Sembawang on28n.

Lrre ENT"EsFRox 1991 Reticulated Python (Pytha n r eticul atw) 144"with very pale markings, squashed arhead in Ulu Long-taifed Macaque (Ma.cacafascicularis) Sembawang,4/3 (RYID. Fairly commonon LangtawiLsland, l2-l5llUl91 About 96", deadnear 14 km, , 2014 (TMLJSI{). (RYTD. Two separaretwo-metre examples seen alive in forest Dusky Leaf Monkey along the e3stbank of Lower Peirce Reservoir on the (SRI (Trachypithe cw obscurw night of 7/3 dt al.). ) alive al Jungle Fall Valley, Bukit Two at GunungRaya, I-angkawi Island, feeding at Under one metre, TimahNa$rc Resewe,1/5 ftIc). groundlevel. l3l12l191 (n\4L,YSID. 86.4 cm, deadon Old Upper ThomsonRoad, near the gate!o UpperPeirce Reservoir Pa*, 2 1/6 (RY[D. Siamang (Hylobates sy ndac tyltu) 91.4 cm, deadbut in good condition, found by Martin Heardcatling from fre forcsLabout 5 km off Rembau, Baines @ersonalcommunicadon to RYH, who con- NegriSembilan, or 1Dll991(DF& PF& SBI). hrmed the identity of the snake)on l,Ialcolm Road by rheSainr Joseph's Institution, 15/6. Malay Civet (Viv ena tangalu,nga) A ca.9 I cm specimen,badly squashedalong the Mandai Onefound squashed on theroad on the\vestern side of dual carriageway ne3rlhe MandaiRoad tumoff on 24t LangkawiIsland on l4l1Ul991 (TI4L,YSID. RYA. TheLianie Wanbao (5.8.1992, pg. 4) carriesa report, Large Indian Civet (Vivena zibetha) with picnrresof a tbre€mere yellow python being cap Oneobserved along a din trackthough oil pkn, 5 kn tured alive in a chicken farm at Punggol Road on 4/8. off Rembau,Negri Sembilanon thenight ot 11211991 This individual,an abberantcolour form of the common (DFRPF&SBI). Reticularcdh/thon, has been donatedto lhe Singaporc Zoo, whereit is presenflybeing exlibited- Leopard Cat (Felis bengalemis) ?9 cm, deadalong north side of Mandai dual carriage Oneseen along a difl trackthmugh oil palm,5 tm off way,10/10 @YH). Rembau,Negd Sembitan,on the night of lPillggl A twcfoot individual was seenalive at SeasidePark, (DFR,PFR" SBJ). 21l8(SRJ). Iridescent Earth Snake(Xenopeltis unicolor) BORNEO() 16", squashedalong CanberraRoad near the junction with Dehli Road(Sembawang), 11/1 (RYE). SepilokNature Reserve,3/5. 26', frestrly dead along Neo Tiew Road, Kranji Dam The following wereidentified there by YSIL end,21li (RYID. About one metse,alive on manhy grassarea, Nee Soon Long-tailed Maoaqr,e(Macaca lrscr'cularis), several: (KVL, Pig-tailedMacaque (M acaca ne mi saina),*verali Swampforesr,nighr of 2?5 CcY). junction SlenderTree Shrew(Tupaia gracilis),twoi 36", road victim at of Ulu SelerarRoad and (RYI!. Plain Pygmy Squirrel(Exili sciurusexilis), orci UpperThomson Road" 2/5 Road,2/5 (RYII). Cream-colouredGiant Squhel (Rarufa afrinis), pzle 22", fteshlydeadalong form, two al separatelocations; One,dead near the CentralLibrary, Kent Ridge, in June PrevosCsSquirel (Callosciurusprevostii pluto), tarcat (csID. seDaraElocations. 48J cm, deed,on Old UpperThomson Road near the gareo UpperPeirce Reservoir Park, 2116 (RYII). About1 m, deadat RifleRange Road, 2517 (SM. TheNanrre Society (Sing4orc)

ComrnonMalaYan Racer Orange-bellied Ringleck (Elaphe (Li ope lti s balio de irw) flovolineau) Old A youngspecimen, about 45 cm, Aeshly dead on Pulau 37 cm,seen by RYHbeing ran over by a caron Ijbin,31/10(SRI). UpperThomson Road" 19f. 45.7 cm, deadal Ulu Sembawang,1416 (RYI'. Pink-headedReed Snake Red-tailed Racer (Goryosorutoxyceplnla) (Cal atnaria sc hl eg e li) CBF observeda 1.5 metre-longexample cuded al the One,alive at Nee Soon Swamp-forest, 2215 night (AVW' top of a deadtree in the ealy morning of 14/9. It had ccY). apparcntly been waiting unsuccesslyfor starlings lo 36.8 cm, deadon Old Upper ThomsonRoad, 1416 perctr*ltttin its reacn. It waskepl underobservation fq (RYI', abo$ 20 minuEswhencefGth it descendedinto the scrub 40.6cm, squashed along Old Upper Thomson Road' 1, vegelationbelow. (RYID. 42 cm, &-ad atongOld UpperThomson Roa4 7/11 Indo-ChineseRat Snake(Pryas torros) (RYI{). 74", with bright matings, partialy squashedin mid- 38 cm,dead along Rifle RangeRoad 711 @YH). section,along Neo Trew Rmd, 4/3 (RYIO. 46", squashedalong the had shoulderof the north side Striped Bronzeback of hn IstandExpressway between the Telecomdishes (D endr eI aphi s caudo Ii neatus) andEng Neo Avenueunn-offpoint, 2311(RYII). 247 cm, Aeshlydead by enEanceto Fack 11 of Choa 107cm, deadon Neo Tiew Road,8/l l GYID. ChuIkng Road,22f (RYII). About 1.5 m, dead on a bund at Senokoprawn ponds, 110cm, freshly tlead on Old Upper Thomson Road, 29l 27llZ (SRJet al.). (RYI'. 104cm, deadon Old UpperThomson Road near the House Snake(lyco don aulicus) enranceto UpperPeirce Reservoir, 20,8 GYI{). 2l', squashedalong lorong Danau Poyan' 4E GYII). 60 cm, roaclvic6m on Rifle RangeRoad' 1714 Elegant Bronzeback (D endrelaphisformosus) GI{LJSIT). 1.1 m, roadvicdm nearYio Chu Kang,/OldUpper 45.7 cm, deadon Old UpperThomson Road, 1416 ThomsonRoad jurction, 18/3(YSF{) &YH), Oneseen chasing a GreenCrested Lizard near the Sate 58cm, dead on Rifle RangeRoad, 27tr @YI{). to UpperPeirce Reservoir,4/6 CIML' YSIO 56cm, squashed on Rifle Range Road, 39/8 (RYID. 3', deadat Old UpperThomson Road, 2514 (SRl)' 64 cm, deadat tlle junction of ClemenriRoad and 106.7cm, squashed along Neo Tiew Road' 2116 (RYID. ClementiAvenue 2, 13n0GYID. 119.4cm, freshly-dead along Old Upper Thomson Road, 40 cm,dead, on Neo Tiew Road, 84 1 G.Y[D. 1t (RYI{). A living, ca 110cm specimencrossed Old Upper Black-headed Collared Snake ThomsonRoad from catchment area to scrublandon 29l (Sibyrcphi s melano ceP halw ) 7 (RYI'. About30 crn,seen by CBFcrossing a joggingtrack at A ca. ?6 cm living exampleseen along RiIie Range (RY[D. SimeRoad forcst, 2718. Roadnear Chartered Industries on 306 junction 38.1 cm, deadon Old UpperThomson Road' 1416 137cm, dead along Upper Thomson Road, of aYIo. Lorongllandalan, 25112 (RYI'. 35 cm, deadalong Neo Tiew Road,2712 (RYI{). This snakewas found on theroad beside a HouseRat (Ratfis Painted Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus) raras). RYH speculatesthat fie rar could have been A 18" specimenwith a distinctlump in ttremiddle of carying the snake,or perhaps,fighting it before they body went in a west-eastdirection across Neo Tiew both got run over. Track10 on l1l1 RYf!. Another,about 30", movednorth to southacross Jalan Striped Kukri Snake(Oligodnn octolineatus) Bahtera,2ll1 (RYID. 8",dead along Choa Chu Kang Road, 19/1 (SRI et 4r.). 28",fteshly-rtead on ChoaChuKang Road, 19ia RYI{). 22", squashednear the enEancetro Upper Peirce Reser- 30",squashed on NeoTiew Road, 19/4 (RYII). (SRI voir Pa* at Old UpperThomson Road' 2/5 (RYID. one. 5" at lpwer Peirceforest on 3i/5 et aI )' 48.3 cm, deadalong Neo Tiew Road,2116 (RYID. Oneliving example, about 76 cm,in themiddle of Choa 76.2cm, deadat thejunction of MandaiRoad and Upper Chu KangRoad near junction with JalanBahr' 2116 ThomsonRoad, 2116 (RYI{). (RYID. Three,61,19 and 16.5cm, founddead by RyH a few Threeroad victims,76.4,71.2 nd 68.6cm, along Neo hun&ed meres apart,along Old Upper ThomsonRoad TiewRoad, 2116 (RY!D. neargate to UpperPeirce Reservoir Park on 10/10. The 30.5cm, road victim at tle junctionof MandaiRoad and two smallerones had very bright red venu'alscales. thel4anclai dual caniage way, 2116 (RYI{) ThePangolin 5(14)

7 I cm,dead on ChoaChu Kang Road, 7B @YID. Jasper's Cat Snake (Boigajaspidea) About 80 cm, deadalong Yishun Avenue6' 25110 Oneseen and photographed in Lower Peirce forcst on (RYII). tlre night of 7/3 (HHC et dl.). 66 cm,@d onRifle RangeRoad, l/11 @YH1. Dog-toothedCat Snake (Boiga cynodan) Paradise Tree Sn^ke (Chrysopeleaparadisi) A metre-longroad victim on Old UpperThomson Road" One,over 30', wasbriefly observed along Track 15, off 2913(vSH). Mandaikte Roadon 2111(RYI{). Only the dorsal 200 cm, squashedon Upper TbomsonRoad on the oul- scaleson the fiont half of its bodywere mrted wi$ red. boardside of the scmblandbetween Old UppetThomson 34" without red markings,squashed along Ulu Roadand Upper ThomsonRoad, 2917 (RYt{). Sembawangtrack, 30/1 (RYII). Oneat KentRidge, behind the ScienceLibrary bloch Puff-faced Water Snake l0/3(cMn. (Homalopsisbuccata) r.5', dded along Upper Peirce Reservoir Roa4 ln Tv'/o in sE€arnnext to pumphouse,Nee Soon SwamP (FJlvtFAIl GIv, SRI). foresr,225nighr (Kw, A\T, ccY). 40" mad victim without red martings, Choa chu Kang A 30 cm subadulrin a strearnat LowerPeirce forcst on nea Tengahwet ma*er, 1914(RYI'. Road 1/6(YSH e/ dr.). fieshly-deadalong Cramwell RoaG 9/5 (SRI et at One ). A ca"3' specimenin an overflowdrain at LowerPeirce a roadar PulauUbin on 13/6 (SRI). 6', dying on foreston 275 (SRI). found by RYH along Old Upper Two specimens RYH founda 30.5cm deadsubadult along Neo Tiew Thomsol Road on lt: one, squashed,73.7 cm; the Roadon 2116. cm, dead,but in goodcondition. other,88,9 44 cm,dead along Choa Chu Kang Roa( 26112(RYIO. 56 an, squashedon the Mandaidual carriageway near t.heMandai Road tumoff, 2al7 RYID. (Cerberus 35 cm, squashedon Upper Thomson Road, had red Dog-faced Water Snake rynchaps) (SRI dorsalpanem, 58 SembavsangRiver at Senoko,one, 2616 eral.). RYID. (SRI). 105 cm, squashedalong Choa Chu Kang Road lacked PasirRis mangxove,one on 1/6 (CBF). rhered do6al markings,7B A roadvictim on SungaiSeletar Dam, 30/8 RY10. pool Ris 83 csr with red donal pattem,rlead along Old Hollaad One,about 30 cm,was observed in a at Pasir Road 26110(RYII). mangroveon 4/11 (SRJ). 87 cm, without red markings, dead along Neo Tiew Roarl"27112 (RYII). Crab-eating Water Snake A 60 cm individual found in a car at Parkway Pa!'ade (Fordonia leucobalia) (EastCrast) on ll12 was capturedand releasedar E3st Onewas found dead in a discardednet in a prawnpond CoastFdk The ownerof the car believedtiat the snake at SungeiBdoh Na[re Parkby AYW etaI.,1518. couldhave accidenally got on the vehicle at Mandaithe samemoming (SRI). Gerard's Water Snake (G erardt a prev ostiana ) Twin-barredTree Snake An exampleof thisuncommonly-seen species was found (Chrysopeleapelias) in theLim ChuKang Mangroves on l4l1 (NSSet al.). One,squashed along Rifle RangeRoad near Charte.ted Industies,2116 (RYI{). Striped Keelback (Xenochrop his vittanu) 49-5cm, dead along Old Uppr ThomsonRoad near the Two,22' and19", squashed along Neo Tiew Road near gateto UpperPeirce Reservoit Park, 7/6 (RYID. Turuttrack om-off, 2111(RYI,, 42cm, barcly alive, and curled in a circleon OldUpper 22.5",squashed along Choa Chu Kang Road between ThomsonRoad, 19/7 (RYID. tnck 10and the bridge, 1/5 (RYID. 'lwo, 43.2 and 45.7 cm, deadalong Choa Chu Kang Oriental Whip Sn ke (Ahaetullaprasiru) Road,2116 (RYID. Onq ar least4', movedacross a trackand up a bamna 50.8cm, dead along Neo Tiew Road, 2116 GYIO. plantin ltlu Sembawangon 30/1(RYID. 6l cm, freshlydead along Choa Chu Kang Road, 8/11 One,curled on a shrub,Nee Soon Swanp-fores1, 15/5 (RY[D. night(KW). Three,60, 48, 40 cm,dead along Neo Tiew Road, 8/11 One,dead along Holland Roa4 2515 (RBD. (RYrr). 4', aliveat Lower Peirce forcst, 158 (NBC,YSID 52cm, dead along Neo Tiew Iane, 2611 2 @YIf . 76.2 cm, deadon Old UpperThomson Road by fte junctionwith Upper Thomson Road, 1416 (RYI|. Blue-neckedKeelback grass About160-200 cm, aliveon vergeof Old Upper (Mac r op ist ho do n r hoda me I as) ThomsonRoad, 8/l I (RYII). A 20" individual, squashedalong UIu Sembawangtack areaon 4B (RYn, had a deadfrog in ia partially-split Th€Naff€ Society(Singryore) FlYing Drago stonrach. Black-bearded (Draco melanoPogon) Rordforest' DHM' 3/5' Amnhibious Sea Snake (Laticauda colubrina) i 6?run.luvenile ftom Sime (since PeirceRes€rvoir Roa4 25t A snalt examplewas fornd on $e reef flat re- One,in a tee at Upper comerof Senosaon 2ll5 (sRI). claimed)al fte south-east 10110(SRr)' (DCIO. dne,at Bukit Timah Na reReserve, One,ar Lower PaOr' Bukit Timah Narrre Reserve' 18/1 I (sRJ). Banded Coral Snake (Maacora intestimlis) 15", squastre

Kins Cobra (OPhioPhagushannah) Changeabte Lizard (Calotes versicolor) CBF-(personatcommunication with RogerSandilands) e mab in tright treeOingcolours, was seen displaying identiiedas a King Cobra,a ca-four-mere long snake is reaana uuit ttmt ona ree in Sembawarr,gPalk'LZt which waslying aoossthe joggingtrack which runs 3 (MGID. parallelwith'Lomie RoaG oeatr the lvlacRitchieReser- on voirParkon 162. Theobserv€r, who nealy stepped Spotted House G *ko (GekkDmanarchus) was da* it as he was joggingnoted that the snake Onefrom un

Malayan Water Monitor (Varanrs salvanr) A 6 individualobserved swimming in $e HDB quarry at PulauUbin on 20/1(SRI dt 4f.)' i*o n* fte Roller SkaringRinL, Sentos4on 11/6 Cnvfl.JSIq. i)ne arSungei Simpang mangroves, ?i/i (SBS)' Ooeseen aisung"iKatlul rV10 (SBS,IIHC' MGC)'

EarlessAgamid (APhaniotis fuca) Oneseen about 4 meFesup a treelrunk in tlte northern eelgeof Nee SoonSwamp-forest d SeletarReservoir Pa* by KVL in latemoming on 2ll1, Photographfrom Uanhe Wanbao (19'12'1992'pg' 9)' ThePanSolin 5(14)

Estuarine Croco dile (C r oc o dy lus p oro sus) A squashedroad victim found by RYH on ?5 near the YSHquoEs fisherrnen as having ftequently observed entranceto Upper PefuceReservoit Park at Old Upper crocodiles(mo$ lftely theabove species) ar theKranji ThomsonRoad paint, soutlr side of Reservoirn€r theBBC radio sration. 19 cm road vicdm with red along TheLianhe wanbao, d^rd 18.12.1992 I & 2) re- Mardai dual caniageway, 8/11 @YH). @g. pond Sime portswilh photographs,tlul a "man-earing"crocodile of SRt rccords a possible individual in a at at leasttwo met€s,was sighted in theseashoe of Ma- Roadforest on 228. rina East This reptilehad been seen along the soutb- easrcrncoasdine of Singaporesnc.e 7112. It wascap Spiny Terrapin (Heosemysspiwsa) t|nedaliw at aboul5:30 pm on 18/12,and then trans- One at Rifle Range Road, monally injured by Srass- portedtd theSingapore Crocodilaium (Lianhe Wanbao' cutter,24/6 @HM). t9.12.1992.pC.9). One, with a shell lengtb of about 30 cm was seennear the MacRitcbieReservoir on 23fl (SRJ). Malayan Soft-shell Turtle (Amyrla carttlaginea) Black-eyed Litter Frog Oneof abouti 5" carapacelength, was found in a muddy (Izptobrac hium nigrops ) streamal thenoIttr shore of theSeletar Reservoir on I 1/5 hesent in forcst at the easEm edge of l,ower Peirce (DNL,GBT). Res€rvoir,where one was seen,and severalwerc heatd RYH photographeda squashed and dri€d specimenat on73; andafew hegxdot23? Ntd4l4 (SRI et4l.). thejunction of Old UpperThomson Road atrd Upper ThomsonRoad dual caniage way on 5/9, It hadcara- Four-ridged Toad (Bufo quadriporcaus) pacedimensions of 8.5 X 8 cm, andthe carapaceand A large, dark-brown colouredindividual @obably fe' legswere densely covered in small,faint yeuowspots. male) was seenalong the jogging track at Sime Road forest during tbe day on 1?i0 (SRI er aJ.). Red-earedTerrapin (Tr achemys scripta eI egans ) Yellow-belliedPuddle Frog Onein a shallowpond aI MarinaEast, 62 GJ

BlackMarsh Terrapin Puff.faced Water Snake (St eb enro cki eIIa cr as si c o llis) (Homalopsisbuccata) Onein a sfeam at Lower Peirceforest on 414(SRJ et al.): A ca"60 cm examplewas found entangledin a giII net fie Nanre SocietY(SingaPorc)

afterhaving swallowed a trappedfsh at LubokKuing' Grcen Turtle (Chelonia mYdas) North€astTasik B€ra, Pahang, on UlO (KW' DVI- Prcectedturoe beaches on PulauRedang (Irengganu) JCtD. hcludePasir Clagar Hutang,Pasir lvlak KepiEPasir Bujangand Pasir Mak Simpan.The sea turtles sighted Banded Coral Snake (Maticora intestinalis) offPasirChagar HuBng (2316), and otr thesoutheasem A 60 cmindividual at Belau,Taman Negara (Pahang) m dpofRedang (2416) have apparcntly been Green Tufiles 6i9 (SRJ)- {KVL).

Common Flying Dragon (D raco volans) Red-eared TerraPin Oneca. 10cm examplewith a yellowthroat pouch w6 (Irachemy s scripta elegans ) seenon fruit ree in an orchatdm eastslope of nortb One adult was sighredin a freshwaterstream at westridge, Pulau Redang Cfrcngganu)' on 2416(KW). Mukatrea

Black-bearded Flying Dragon Malayan Bor Terrapin (Cwra anboinensis) (Draco melanopogon) KNY found$e carapacialand plastralbones of this SRJet al. idendfiedtwo specimensseen on 15/5fron Errapinon a sandbankalong the Sungai I-ompat' Krau theGunung Paati foothill forest(Johor) as tlis sp€cies. GameReserve (PahadJ'g), LA6.

Green Crested Lizard Spiny Terrapin (HeosemYssPimsa) wasfound near (B ronc hoce Ia cristate I la) One,of about135 cm c€npacelength, SungaiKrau, Krau GameReserve, A greenagamid, possibly this species, w{s broughtin by the bank of tire 2016(iG.iD. a malehornbill, 8e renicornis conatus to thenesting fe- Pahang, male,al KrauGame Reserve (Pahang), 19/6 (KN9. Four-ridged "toad (Btto quadiporcatllt ) sreamnear Kampung Jasa Chameleon Anglehead A femalewas found along a Sepakat,Pontiaa, Johor on 8/5(PNG)' ( G o no ce p ha Iw chatne I eo ntinus) Two werefound on Ee€salong the Tekek-Juara trait (20 Yellow-bellied Puddle Frog minuteswalliing time after the waterfall)on Pulau Tioman,Pahang, on 14/9(CIID). (Occtdozygalanis) Oneseen in a forestat Jemaluang,Norti-eastem Johor (SRI). Tokay Gecko (Gekkn on 19/7 Secka) a shallowpuddle beside fie salt-lick Two foundin a woodenchalet at PasirPanjane (ZiO' One seennear Iompat,Krau Game Reserve, beardon northwestridge behindPasir Chagar al,ongthe trail o Sungai one (lClY). Hutang (2316). Both localities on Pulau Redang' Pahang,19/6 TrengganuCKW). Matayan Giant Frog (Rana blYthii) was found fresNy Large Forest G ecko (Gekka smithi) Ooe of snout-ventlength 15 cm, of Sungait ompat,Krau Game Heardat KrauGame Reserve (Pahang), 13/6 (I3rD' spearedon the banli Atsoheard around Kenering Lake (Upper P€rak), 7-l l/9 Reserve,Pahang, 1216 Gq{Y). (sBS). Prcsental the waterfaltat SungaiGanding carnpsite' cunungBubu (Perak), 25-28/12 (SBS). One frog was aparentlyunafraid and ven$red near tbe observer and S'ater Monitor (Varanus sah'ator) Malayan hiscompanions while $ey werchaYing dinner. A ca.2-metse individual was sighted on a beachat Tel* KalongBesar, 2616 (IHT, KVL, NSS);track wercob Masked Swamp Frog (Rana pararlwcrodon) servedon softsand on thebeach a! PasirPanjang ftorn pear nearPekan (Pekan-Mersing 22-2616(KW). Both localities on Pulau Redang One,ftom the swamps (PNG). (Trengganu). Road),Pahang. on i0/3 Threeseen along the nonh bankof the SungaiBenut' Johoron 6/8(NSS e, dl.). Malayan Jewel Frog (RanQsigMta) At lea$ threelarge (one about two metres)individuals Oneseen along the fail to SungaiLompat, Krau Game wereseen by KVL & TJB in a brackish-waterpond at Res€rve(Palung), 18/6 (I(}.IY). 978'They ' KampungSalang, Pulau Tioman, Pahang' on wereobserved scavenging on refusediscarded by resi' Common Tree Frog dentsand tourists. (P o lyp ed.at e s I euc o tnys t ax ) A 2 m individualseen basking at Iala Betkoh Tanun Commonin the Krau GameReserve, Pahang, i3l6 Negara(Pahang) on 6/9(SM. oc.In. Seenin lakesystem of KualaSelangor Nafire Park05- 17l10,NSS)

10 ThePangoVn 5(14)

Little Warty Catfsh (Paralcysisvet'rucosa) Trengganu,Putau Redarg. KVL, PNGet al-' in Severalobserved at NeeSoon SwamPforest on 92 June (PGL). Localitie$ 1. str€amat TelokKalong Besar (ZilO Forest Wafking Catfish (Clarias teiismanni) Huung 2. driedforest sEeam offPasir Chagar Snall inclividuals,litely this species,observed in Q3i6' Irwer Pefuceforest on lhe night of 7E and (2616) streamsa! 3. tidalsr€am ai PasirPanjang 2813(sRI et dl.). 4. ditchin cenreof islandsouth of TelokDalatn (Z/O Kechil Armoured Sucker Catfish Species:Localities (Liposarcuspardalis) Forcsl-Toad(Bufo pamus) i I Severalwere found dying in a pondar Ulu Sembawang GiantFrog (/tana blythv): 1,2 on 2415(LKC, LKS, SRI). Frog(Rana cancivora) :3 s SEeamFrog (fiaru kuwii) i l Malayan Leaf Fish (Nandas nebulosus) A 2 crnexample was found in a sreamin LowerPeirce 'fteeEtug (Polvedotes nacrolis): L Reservoirby SNY er 4l, on V6. A 3" individualwas seq!at thesame locality by SRI et a/. on4/4.

Selangor, Sabak Bernam, blackwater streams "Golden Tilapia" (Oreochromis spp. hybrid) along Sungai Besar-TanjungMalim Road (North SRI andFAH foundthis cultuted fish lo b€ plentiftl in SelangorP€at Swampforest), 188 eNG, JND et theHDB quarry on hrlau Ubin,2011. al.): Swamp "fozd (Pseudobufosubasper), Mz' - layan Dwarf Toad (/ nsonianalayana) identjfred Bujok, Forest Snakehead (Channa lucius) Malaya by Dr. Kiew Bong Heang of Universiti Twoadulfs seen at Irwer Peirceforest on 275 (SRl) Copper-che€kedFrcg (Ranachalcoruta), Mzl^yul GiantFrog blyt hii

Nee Soon Swamp-for€st'sEeans and pools; night ffi of 2215(KW, AVW , CCY et al.) Rasbora(Rasbora elegans) compiledbY TwGspot Rasbora(Rasbora einlhovenii) KelvinK, P. Lirn & PeterK. L. Ng Eintboven's HadequinR sbon (nasbora heteromorpha) Putih,Common Barb (Puntiusbinotatus) Six-bandedBarb (Punliuspentazona) SINGAPORE Hasselt'sLeaf Catfish(Silurichthls afi. hasseltii) ForcstKeli (Clarias teijsmanni) Red-tailed Rasbora (Rasboraborapetewis) ForestHafbeak (Henirhamp hodon YSH & TML reponhaving seeria school of thisinto pogonognathus) in tie pondar Nee Soon Swampforest on ClimbingPerch (Ar abastestudineus) ducedspecies - t9lt. Buirk, Forest Snakehead(Channa lucius) adult wili young (Channa Bumblebee Catfi sh (Leiocassis cf.. siarnensis) Aruan,Common Snakehed striata) PGL foundseven juvenile examples in a sreamat the NeeSoon SwanD-forest on 92.

1t TheNanre SocietY(Singapore)

Phobgraphftom The Strai6 Times (4'5'1992)

speciesappears !o be a specialised eru! DCH). Thisdelicale Indo-Pacifi c Sailfish (I stio p horus p Iatyp t ) andiG cunentknown world distribu- rcponwlm swanroa*eUer, TheSraits Times (4 .5-1992'pg' l) cariesa tion iitetrioO to north-wesemJohor' Therapid de- 'blue marlin" which areais gravely '*m of a 2.4 meue,80 kg' JiilJiowtano testrwalerswamps in the "i"t*-tt."oitrt with netsby two men in the Singapore g"ting*," .utt'lvalof thisspecies in thewild' The mom- Itort Straits,-i"*"'ulo",aiout llve kn. otf $e BedokJefry on the ho*"uer,is beingsuccessfully bred il cap- fin slu.k-B"o; t *.1 of 3/5. fie b'roadand ta dorsal Uy notftt of aquarisrin Gemanyand Briain' posidve Cni-ty .i ir. itrt in the phoographenables a more " iJ"nrin"uri* of tbi species.The fshermen had inen- tionsto cookthe sailfhh for dinner'

PENINSI,JLARMALAYSH

Putih, Common Batb (Puntiusbinatatus) A schootof atleast six subadula (aboul5 cm) wete seen Black Betta (Betta?ercePhone) i"l ainft with guppies(Poecitia reticulata) ^t Telok Bahangvillage, Penang, on 2ll10 (KVL'NSS)'

Malavan Clown Barb (Puntiusdunckefi) Sevei seenin a fore$ streamat Jematuang(Johor) on 19t (SRIu, ar-).

Malayan Grey'banded Loach (Nemacheilus selan!oicus) (Puntius dunck'etD i*o ii u foreststseam aI Jemaluang(Johor) on l9t Malayan Clown Batb (SRIet al.). SBSreDorts the fouowingfuhes which he hasob- (B etta l/ Black Betta PersePhone) iervedat ttreKenering Lakg Upper Perak' 7-l small(under 3 cm)frgldng '! At least10 examples of this 9: Kelah (Tor douronensis),Tapah (Wallago fi"tt, ti*t *Ut u aitdnctiddescent grsen iris wasjounf (Osphronemusgoramy) ' Toman about4 teerii),Katti in tlnnan, r.uf'rtu.a puddlesin a swamgforcst (KW' (ChannamicroPeltes) ir- niJ or av"t ttitam, wesem Johoron 6/8

t2 ThePanSoUn 5(14)

Dw) ttdalayanFor€$ llalfbeak Johor, Kota Tinggi; 224 (PNG, KvL' TJB' Hemirlgmphotun Localities: pogorcgnathus + ? i. Sg. S"t ng, ,tong Kota TinggrTanjung Sedili Road. DwEf l{afbeak Z. Si. Selna-ok"along Kota Tinggi-TanjungSedili Road Dermogenyscf. + 3. Si. temetang' atongKou Tinggi-JemaluangRoad Pusillus Slenrter-billedFrc'shwaler Todak Xenenodoncanciloides + Species | 2 3 Smfih'sPriaPus Fish PherccostdhussmitW + GlassLalang Short-nosedFreshwater PiPefi sh ParachelacL lryPoPhthalra + Doryichthysnartensii + Shon-fimed Lalang Iong-nosedFreshwater PiPefr sh Orygasterarotalura + Doryichthysdeokhamides + Flatchetklang lvlalayanLeaf Fish Chelalaubuca + Nandusnebalosus + Two-spotRasbora StreamGobY Rasboraelegans + + + Campbell's Pseudogobiopsiscampbellianus + + + HadequinRasbora BumblebeeGobY RasboraheterofirorPha + + Swarnp Brachygobiusrunthomzlas + + SlenderRasbora GouramY Rasbora gracilis + r Croaking Trichopsisvitnta + + Gianl ScissorsuilRasbora Twospot GouramY Rasborccauditrmculata + TrichogastertrichoPterus + ScissorstailRasbora ForestBeua Rasboratrilineala + + pugn@a BankaRasbora Betta Rasborabankanensis + + + Piliehead pulcher + HeadbandRasbora Luciocephalus SwampEel Rasboracephalotaenia + Mornpterusalbus + Einthoven'sRasbora Rasboraeinthownii Glowligh Rasbom + RasboraPauciPerforato Muar, Sungai Muar; 25-2617O/IKT' KYL' Six-bandedBaIb Jobor, TJB, DVL, DAP) PuntiasPentazona Barb€lessChemperas Cyclocheilichtlrysarygon + + Localities: 1. SungaiMuar at KampungBukit Kepong(25t) SwampBony-liPPed Barb 2. SunEaihbis underthe Muar-Iabis Road (2617) OsteochilussPilutus + Tui unda the Muar-kbis Road(26t7) Yellow-finnedRong 3. Sunpi Osteoehilusnicroceqhalus + + + * - snecieshas been observed Sebarau - presenceof speciesbased on local frshermen's HampalamauolePidota + ! CloudedTonent Loach TEDOIIS Honaloplera ef. nebulosa + + Species | 2 Fire-eyedLoach Barbuccadiabolica r Grey Beli

!q The Na0lre society (Sin8@orc) SEeamGobY Kelabau Csmpbe['s camPbellianus Os eoc hilusme lawP Ie ur a ! Ps euibgobiopsis Brown Gudgeon Shoft-finnedIdang Eleotis aeanthopdrus Oxygasteranonalura Perch GlassLalang Ctimbing Anobastestudineus Pa r ac h ela cL hlp oP hthnlra Tengalan TwGspot Gourarny g tr icIoP I er us Puntioplitesbtiu Tri cho aster lvtalayanTiger Barb CroakingGouranY vittala P ntiuspartipentazon4 Ttichapsb Snakehead Silver Rasbora Bhck Rasboradusonewis Channomelasorru Eel SlenderRasbola Swamp Rasbora gracilis MottoDterusalbus I&rlequin Rasbora Rasboraheteromor7hg Pink-tailedR3sbca Rasborucf' rnqinkzni Fire-eyedLoach Barbuccadiabolica CloudedTonent Loach II omalo ptera cf . nebulosa Ogilvie's Tonent l-oach Honabplera ogilvizi MalayanGrey-banded Loach N emacheilus selango ric w MalayanPig-faced Loach Acantho p soide s moI obr io n (Barbucu ditboliu) Horse-facedLoach Fireeved loach Acantop sis cf . dialuzona Fork-uiled Loach Lep i doc e p halicht llYs fur cat us BandedFd I-oach Pangio kuhlii Grey Eel lrach Pangiocf. oblonga Small-headedBumblebee Cxfi sh Leioc as sis cf . stenomLs MangroveBaung * Mystusgulio Slendtr-headedBaun gNgeh'ngeh in a rset market; 25n .on

t4 ThePangolin 5(14)

BORNEO: This recordwas published eartier in llr Pangolin, 4(3): 2, with the dat€erroneously quoted as 30/8.

Goh Si Guim

2, A possiblePangolin excavationat Bukit Timah

Placa Singapore,Bukit Timah Naale Reserveat tlte junction of Mah QuarryRoad and Upper Quar4' Roacl Datc: first discoveredin Se,ptember,1992.

The excavafion,which appearedftesh, was found on the slopeo theleft sideof themain road. The slope was about Photographreproduced from The Snai* Times 1.5 m high, and the excavation,abou 12 m abovethe (17.4.1992),rc|rinred from Berita l{arian. ground- The surfaceabove tlle excavadonsuppoded somemedium-sized trees. Nearthe top of tbe site, lwo LanceolateOcean Sunfi sh hollowed,roundish cavems, two exposedtermite nests plant roots be seen. The cavems (M and severed could asturus lanceo ldtus) sugge$that thesewere where fte rcrmitenests had been (17 The StraitsTimes .4.1992,pg.22) czrriesa reportof removed"The severedmots, largestof which wasabout a "queer fish" (hereinidentified as this speciesfrom tlle one cm thick, suggestliat thesehad beenbrokened by (date given) a picture)being caughtvery recendy not by strong,sharp claws. Looseclay ar the sitesuggest thar an fishermanin the SamarahanRiver, about 60 Lrn. from animalhad been digging. A secondexcavation sile was Kuching. The fish weighed300 kg. andmeasued about detectedto tie right of &e fi$t abouttwo weeksLaIe{. two metsesin length, and most interestingly, it was 'tesh report. found inlan4 in water" according!o tbe It wassuggested by a parkwarden thai areversing vehicle N{embersof ihe oceansunfish family Molidaeappear o mayhave caused the damage, but a coloued trail marker live primarily in open seas. Recordsof theselarge, but situateddircctly in front ofthe sitebad remained intact. It enigmatic fhhes in scientific fteraftrc have been un- was also unlikely !o be a landslidebecause there were common. numerousroots consoliclatingthe soil. However, no distinct claw marts were detected My deductionwas basedon the aboveobserved characteristics of the site, andalso on tle fact thatthere have been reliable reporE of SHORTNOTES the Malaya8Pangolin (Manis jo,tanica) ifi the reserve.

1. A sighting of possibleYellow-throated Martens

Place: Sabah,Kinabalu Pa* beadquafi€rs,near the ad- ministrationbuilding. Ddts:28 August 1991. Tirrc:about 9 wn. Weather:clear. Duration of observalion2fTeeting. VanBrce,P.J.H.& Mohd"K. binMomin Khan, 1992. On S. K Ganesanand I spoffedfivo animalswhich saongly afishingcat,FsJir(F,ionoilurus)iveina Benneu"1833 resemblemartens, crossing the main road ftom a higher, from continentalMalay sia- Z. Saugetierkunde,ST(1992): build-up areato a lower, foresed area.near tie guided 179-r80. walk bail. Theanimals may have been raiding arefuse tip nearrhe chalets. They spralg acrossthe road with rleir The abovenole recordsan occuenceof the Fishing Cat tailsheld off&e gountl Theyappear to bebetween 80 to (Felis viverrina) in PeninsularMalaysia The species 90 cm otal length. I only notedthe grosscolour paltern: rangesfrom Nepal,drough westemIndia andMyanmar upperparts and tait dark tnown, and tie underside,from to northemThailand and Indo{hina- andis also known the thoat, was whire, possibly buff. Other minute from northand west Java- A specimenof the fishing cat markings,if present,were not noted. The most likely wascollec@d in Bahau,NegeriSembilan, in i967. It was cardidatewould be the Y€Uow-thoatedNlafien (Martes keptin theMalacca Zoo for aboutten years. When it died, floigula) whichmvels with tail beld off the grcun4 but it wasmounted and kept in the Wildlife Training Cenre this specieshas a yellow or b!ffinstead of a white tlroat, at Bukit Rengi! Lancang,Pahang. However, tbe autlors Anotheraltemative could be the Hose's Civ et (He mi galus haveexpressed doubts about lhe origin of the cat. The /rsei) which hasa white thoat, andwhich is alsofound possibility of it havirg beenartificially introducedwas in KinabaluPark not ruled out.

t) TheNature SocietY (Srngapore)

thanthe second;third and fifth 4. LITTLE WORM.EEL digis; fint finger longer of dorsum,black Nagaichthysflipes Kottelat & Lim, in Ko$elal' 1991 tds webbedto distal nrbede. Colour with red dorsolateralsaipes, yellow spotson lips, Limbs large humeralgland Pisces:lvlasacembeloidei: Chaudhuriidae and lower flants. Male ftogs with anrlpaired subgular vocal ses, but withoutnuptial pad or closely-relatedMalayan Diagnosis (adaptedfrom original description):Slender' dorsalspinules. The simiJarand is distinguishedby having eel-iike, scalelessfish with tiny skin-coveredeyes, which Jewel Frog (Rana signata) exensive webbingon is relatealto the spiny eels (Mastacembelidae).Each yellow dorsolateralstripes, more pads, a different call' pectoral frn consistsof a single ray, and the caudal fin ihe toes,males having nuptial and having four frlamentousrays. The caudalfln is fusedto 392 mm; female' zl4'4 the dorsal and anal fins; ventralfins absent.The rostral Known maxirnum size: Male, appentlage,present in spinyeeis' is absenl Bodycolour is mm, in snout-ventleng*t. generallylight brown. Distribution: Apparen0yendemic !o SiberutIsland of westcoast of Sumatra' Known maximum size: 30.8 mm in standardlength' the MentawaiIsland group off the Indonesia. Distribution: Known to occur in the Kapuasbasin of frog' The males We$ Kalimantan (Indonesia)'ftom SungeiPinyuh' at 8 Ecologr: Apparentlya rathertenestrial earthbanks above shallow km, Anjungan-PontianakRoad- Probablyalso occun in havebCen known to call tom havebeen recorded PeninsularMalaysia- poolsfringing peatswarnp. Females io tridefoi ttueemonths in a houow tree Funk, about40 VampirebaB(Megaderftn Ecology: Largely unknown. The Bomean specimens metresftom waler,whichFalse *ere obained ftom amongsubmerged grasses in a road- Jpasna)roo$ in the day. side ditch with a slight curent andblack waler. Etymology: Narnedafter the islandof Siberut' Etymology: NoSaichtiys means"dragoofsh", refening is depositedin the to the stylized Chinesedragons with a tail sbapedlike the The entire type sedesofRana slbez (Na$ral History). tail of tds fish. ff,pe.t means"tlrcadfoot", a referenceto British Museum the filamentoussingle-rayed pectoral fin. Key references: & A. J. Whifien, 1989' Key reference: Dring, J. C. lvt , McCarSy, C. J. the Mentawai Islantls' Kofielat. M.. 1991,NoEs on the taxonomyand disribu- The ienestrial herpebfauoaof 6: 119-132'2frgs', 5 tion of somewestem Indonesian fteshwater fishes' with In

5. SIBERUTJEWELFROG Rana(Hylardna) siberl Dring,McCarthy & Whiten' 1989

Amphibi4Anu:a: Raridae

Diagnmis(adapterl ftom oiginal description):A slender frog withoutsupra.tympanic and dusolar€ral ridges; The fingerand toe tips expandedl'5 timesthe width of the

16 ThePangolin 5(14)

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Family Rhincodontidae

Illustration from: Allen & Swainston's The Mair4 Fish/s ol North-Westert Australin, published by the Westem Australia Mu6eum.

A WIIALE SHARKSIGHTING April-May,1990. After navellingfor aboutten metreacross swept past. Its headwas too far hours,our dive ship anchored offKatoakaRock, front to be seen but the dorsal surface was part of the lndonesianAnambas group of is- greyishwirh white spots.I gaspedand almost landsin the SouthChina Sea. The clearwaters choked:Shark! And a sevenmetre one! From beckonedto us aswe quickly gearedup for the what I could make out of the front, the crea- olve. nue's mouthwas a hugecavem and its body was reminiscentof the barrel of a very large Beforedescent, my dive buddy,James and I cannon. A large remora was attachedto its plannedwhat we would do in caseof a shark underside,catching a free ride. sighting and that was to go to the bottom and stay very still. Sharks, we were told, were My fear tumed quickly to intenseglee as a innatelycurious about wild thrashingobjects in photo in the National Geographicflashed throughmy mind. I grabbedmy slate, the water and will venture nearer to '"!VHALE Quickly, investigate...usuallywith their teeth. wrote: SHARK", and pushedit in James'face, gesturingwildly that I wantedto During our descent,huge blue trevalliesswam try to get a ride on its back. However,James past us, seeminglyoblivious to our pres€nce. remainedparalysed on his knees,hand on chest Elegant Moorish Idols flined into hiding. A and blinking hard in disbelief. I nrmed back, brilliant puryle and yellow EmperorAngelfish only to watchthe giant of the deepswim out of pausedto gazeworriedly in ourdirection before sight, much to my disappointment.Later, on making its majesticexit. As we neareda large board, I discoveredhe had not &e slightest rock, I sponeda badish, about half a metre inkling that the creaturewas a plankton-feeder wide, atrdwent nearer to havea look. Suddenly, andwas wonderingwhy I had had this sudden I felt a tug on my leg and sankto the bottomin penchantfor sharks,The other divers told us surprise. Turning around, I caught sight of thatthere had been reports ofa "resident''whale Iames' panic-srickenface. Only a few metres sharkat KatoakaRock, which wasprobably the from him, a largegey heterocercaltail abouta one we had spotted. Cheryl Tan

t7 BOOK REVIEW

Book title: Natural History of Singapore Author:D. S. Johnson Year: 1992(revised edition) Publisher:Tynron kess, England Size:13 X 19cm, ix + 142Pages Availableat all majorbookstores The orieinal version of this book, titled An Introduction to the Natural History of Sirygaporewas i"[riiftf i" fX+ Ut n.vitfu Cn V)Books, ard doesnot boastof a coverwith a colourfulcollage of ;ri- l;.- N;w;t n'Xnry of Siigap-orepresents a succinctovewiew of the wildlif.e in Singapore, and i j oneof tlre mostreada6le and i'andy irieoductory guides cuneltly a_vail3ble-to the generallayman or studentinterested in nature,despiie its lack-lusre pages. It is the local equivalentof Michael Tweedie'sexcellent Matayan Aiimal Life. The foui riain chapters_summari_ze known aspects of Sirsaoore wildlife and ries to divide eqrialattention to both flora and fauna. However,the chapter on iariO*itn"ts is distinctlytire longek This may be explained-bY the late Professor.Johnson's iliiG*i" Uirtground (he ivas a leiturer of limriology ind zooidgy in the then.Universityof Singapore).In iddition, thereare also special chapters: collection, preservation and. conservation; *a pestconrot andplaces 6f interesl Theseprovide some little hints andgPidelines for "ipi"firtili,hJ6;;;;il-;_1iaAet to toot rorit er irto thefascinatirg world of our indigenouswildlife, whichis exfiimely rictl yet poorly-studied,but sadly,fast disappearing. The book is an updatedversion of the original, with current ilformation and the latest scientific nomenclanuethr6wn in. Since 1964,knowledge of local wildlife hasbeen considerably e.xpanded, and someidormation, corrected.The natutal environmenthas also felt the enormousimpact of uiU*irition and indusrialisation. With it, certainspecies have appeared(whetlrer pushed into the ooen with habitatdestruction, or beenart'rficially indoduced), while othersmay havedwindled and air.pp"*.a .tioe.ther, ald yet someothers may haveadjusted beautifuliy to thesechanges. There is a fairiy good atiemptto iniorporate currentinfolmation into the text, which was v1ltlen over two decad6s-back.Hodever, to reiders who are usedto ttre original classic,it feels a_sif the text is no lonser Johnson's.Perhaps, it may havebeen better to leavethe originaltext well alone,and have uod-atedinformadon added on thL backof thebook. Forpractical and economic reasons however' tf,'ii r"iy not be feasible,and may render the booklet rather_unpleasant to.read. Another alternative mav be to have someonewrite a new, updatedtext" and sihply reprint the old velsion (now unavailable,except in public libraries)intact. The problem is, the olderversion may not sell.

There are a few discrepanciesin the text which havesomehow escaped the attentionsof the content updaters: Paee35: The'sreenree lizard'should be Bronc hocela cristatelia instead of Calotesversicolor. et[111atiuety,a"change in the commonname to Changeablelizard could-easily accommodatein the textthis spe;ies,whici haspresently Iargely replaced ihe green ree lizardin suburbanareas' Johnson had usrdealates versicoloriot Broichoiela cistateila in theoriginal version. page The currentgenus for Trimeresuruswaglari shouldbe Tropidolaemrs.The worm-like 39: 'Coecili-ans') iu|Uiars (not are found in Singapoie.The Malayangiant frog (Rana.macrodon) ionsists of iwo species,i. b?yl}ii nd R. malesiatia.The reviewerthinlis that a normal-sizedchicken is too large a mealfor the giantftog. Maybea babychicken... .

Page40: Ratn leucomystaxshouldbe Polypedates leucomystax'

page41: Megophryshasseltii sho,ildbe lcptobrachiwn hasseltii. The Singaporeform is now known asIcptobrachfutn ni groPs.

Kelvin K.P.Lim

18 REFERENCES

Systernticordrandnomenclatureoftheanima]supntionedinthisnewstetterfouowingmeraltherefercnceE cited below:

Marrmal3 (Peninsulcr and Singapore'second edition Medway, Lord, 1983. The l$ild Mamttulsof Malayo Mabysit) reprinted with corrections.Oxford University Pr€ss,)odn+131 PP' to ttE Mamlub of Boneo' The SabahSociety with Payn!, J., Fnnas, C. M. & K. PhiIiPPs, 19ff'. Fi&''nGuide World Wildlitu Fund lv{afaysia,332 pp. gingapore, K L. Ng (Ed), Ers4/s yang, c. lv1,yong; K & K. K i. LitrL 199{i.Wild nanmats of Iru Gro'" L, M, & P. inTaology,Papsconrremorahngthe/OthAnnivqsaryoftheDePartmentofZootogy'NationalUniversityof Shgapore,p.1-23,

Reptiles & AmPhibians Lumpur' x+130pp' n"oy, p. y., rSZ5. TheAtrylabiaa Fauna $ Parinst',|rt'bfusia' TroPicalftess' Kuala U'S'A" 313pp' U."ri C. ff. C n. W. Barbour,1989. Tuntrs 0l tIE Wa&' SmithsonianInstitution hess' L. Ng (Eds.),Essays iz r.i_, i<. x. p. a r. r"r chou, 1990.T}e herpio{auna of singapore.In: Chou,L. lvt & P. K. university of zoology.papersannemorating the,l0'thAnniversary Jf tle Departnrentof zoology, National Singapore,p. 49-59. 157 pp. Tweedie,M. W- F.,1 98f.. The snakcs ol tufa&'ya,third editior Governsrent hinting House, Singapore,

Freshwater Fisheg an annotated checklist, Kottelat. M. 1989. Zoogeography of the fishes fmn Indochinese inland waters with Bulletin Zootogixh Mnxtttt, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 12(1):54 PP'

THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Ediror - Kelvh K. P. Lisr

Scian$ie Adoisots Mrs. C M. Yang M. L M. Chou Dr. Peta K. L. Ng Department of Zoolo{iy, National Unilersity of Singapore.

Editorial Assist4ttts N. Sivasothi R. Subharai S.H Yeo

(singapore) which Abo'd the Nerosletter -The Pangolin is a quartelly bulletin of the Nature Society namely mammalt disseminates curent information on G status, distribution and nahral httory of verteblates, ot SinSaPoIe, reptil€s, amphibians and fishes oirds are covered in a complementary bulletin si7,gapore Aoifauna) (Sumatra, Bomeo, and where available, p€ninsular and East Malaysia, Bmnei Darussalarn, Indonesia Java, Sulawesi and the I€sser Strnda Islands; Irian |aya excepted)and Thailand' (both marine) ftom Articles on the natural history of mammats, reptiles, amphibians and fuh€s freshwatef and by the editor' the geoFaphical and political areas covered by ihis newslettel will be considered for Publication as well as Accounts of travels which contain descriptions/anecdotesof the lelevant verteblate fauna observations of caPtive animals (both native and iorei8n) in the local zoo are most welcome'

Presert Maitirtg Addtess - Pan-I Complex' Subscription: The Pangolin, c/o The Nature Society (singaPorc), 601 Sims Drive #04{4 STNGApORE I 348. Tel1.7 41-2036. Fax: 7 41871 University of The Editor: Kelvin Lim - Zoological RefurenqeCollection, -DePartment of Zoology' National iift"fi ;;,kin1iiilii'i-**-""t1-htbAponEssn'ta:ni-n7\.Fax:77e-24&--