SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO 
BARIO 
THE KELABIT HIGHLANDS OF SARAWAK 
Articles published from the expedition

Article IX
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art1sepoct99.pdf
A Preliminary Survey and Assessment of Ant (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) Fauna of Bario, Kelabit Highlands Sarawak
Gunik Gunsalam
Sabah Parks Research and Education Division

ABSTRACT
An eight-day collection from Bario Highlands resulted in about 71 morphospecies of ants. The collection was done manually using fine forceps in a one day journey from the surrounding area of the expedition base camp. The specimens collected were put into coded vials filled with 80% ethanol and mounted on card points for dry specimen and preserved in 80% ethanol for wet specimen. The 71 morphospecies of ants collected were representatives of 6 subfamilies. They were Dolichoderinae (5), Aenictinae (1), Formicinae (29), Myrmicinae (19), Ponerinae (16) and Pseudomyrmicinae (1). The genus Polyrhachis has the highest number of species (19), followed by Tetramorium with 6 species. From the specimen collected, Bario Highlands appears to have a mixture of ants from the lowland and highland species. A brief comparison was made with ant fauna of other parts of Borneo such as Gunung Danum, Bukit-Bukit Tawau and Sayap-Kinabalu.

Article X  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art2sepoct99.pdf
CICADAS OF BARIO, SARAWAK
M.I. Zaidi & M.Y Ruslan
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

ABSTRACT
A total of 12 cicada species from nine genera of two families (Cicadidae and Tibicinidae) is recorded. Of these, all are new species records for Bario, five (Ternopsia near andersoni Distant) sp.n. (to be described as new species), Nabalua mascula (Distant), Tanna bakeri Moulton, Pomponia lactea (Distant) and Scieroptera mark as new records for Sarawak and two (T. sp. n. and S. sp. n.) as new records for Borneo. With these, the previous cicada records increase to present totals of 65 species in 24 genera for Sarawak and 84 species in 24 genera for Borneo. The most abundant species found was Dundubia vaginata (Fabricius), followed by Tosena fasciata (Fabricius). Comparisons of records indicate that Bario harbours a good representation of Sarawak or even Bornean cicada species from the genera Abroma (100%) respectively, Tanna (50%), Platylomia (50%), Ternopsia (33%), Nabalua (33%) and Tosena (50%), T. fasciata, N. mascula and P. lactea (Distant) are relatively rare in Borneo, besides T. sp. n. and S. sp. n. Females N. mascula and T. sp. n. have yet to be discovered. 

Article XI  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art3sepoct99.pdf
AN ACCOUNT OF CADDISFLIES (TRICHOPTERA) FROM BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS, SARAWAK
F. Abang & Sulaiman Hanapi
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
A study on the taxa composition of caddisflies collected from Bario Highlands revealed 9 families of Trichoptera; namely Glossosomatidae, Philopotamidae, Hydroptilidae, Polycentropodidae, Psychomyidae, Hydropsychidae, Leptoceridae, Goeridae and Lepidostomatidae. Among these taxa, Philopotamidae was found to be most abundant. Hydropitilidae, Polycentropodidae, Goeridae and Lepidostomatidae were not well represented.

Article XII  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art4sepoct99.pdf
FRESHWATER FISHES FROM BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS SARAWAK
Lee Nyanti, Ling Teck Yee And Khairul Adha
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
The fish communities of the Bario, Kelabit Highlands Sarawak were sampled at eight selected stations from Sg. Dappur and its tributaries. Twenty-four species belonging to 7 families and 19 genera were recorded from the area. The fish fauna was dominated by Cyprinidae and Balitoridae comprising approximately 57.9% and 38.2% respectively. During the survey the areas within the proximity of the sampling sites were relatively undisturbed except for small-scale clearing for subsistence farming. Pressures on the riverine environment and communities due to fishing activities by the native Kelabits were also minimal.

Article XIII  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art5sepoct99.pdf
THE BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY OF RIVERS IN BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS, SARAWAK
Shabdin Mohd. Long & F. Abang
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
A survey on the benthic invertebrates was carried out randomly at 8 stations in various rivers of Bario, Kelabit Highlands, Sarawak. The primary aim of the study was to record the density and number of taxa found in the area. Eleven orders of meiobenthos were recorded with density ranging from 19.8 to 121.2 individuals per 10cm 2 . Five orders of macrobenthos, mainly insects, were also recorded. The macrobenthos density ranges from 2.8 to 73.2 individuals per 10cm 2, The benthic diversity found in the area was typical of the meiobenthos and macrobenthos found in rivers in other parts of Malaysia.

Article XIV  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art6sepoct99.pdf
A BRIEF NOTE ON FROGS OF BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS, SARAWAK
Ramlah Zainuddin
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
A total of 18 species with 144 individuals of anurans occurred in Bario and vicinity. This may be about half of the anurans species present in the area. The area was dominated by the family of Ranidae with 72% out of the total of the individuals captured. The remaining individuals were from the families of Pelobatidae, Bufonidae, Microhylidae and Rhacophoridae. Half of the species was found at the edge of primary forest of Lelang Baru Dam which was dominated by Rana picturata. In contrast, Rana kuhli was more abundant in secondary forest at Lubang Garam Pa' Umur and Kuari Trail.

Article XV  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art7sepoct99.pdf
AVIAN DIVERSITY OF THE KELABIT HIGHLANDS
Richard Gregory-Smith
Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation (IBEC), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
The avian diversity of the Kelabit Highlands and the surrounding slopes was investigated by 100km of visual survey and by mist-netting with 20 nets. Habitats investigated included padi-fields, kerangas and sub-montane forests. A total of 102 species representing 29 families were identified. A total of 103 birds of 27 species were mist-netted.

Article XVI  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art8sepoct99.pdf
THE SMALL MAMMALS OF BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS SARAWAK
Mustafa Abdul Rahman, Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah & Besar Ketol
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to find the composition of the small mammals in the forests of Bario. Two study sites were chosen; the salt well near Pa' Ukat and the area down stream of the new  reservoir near Kampong Arudalan. Rodents and bats were captured using live traps and mist  nets respectively. A total of 42 animals was captured comprising of 7 species of small mammals, five were bats and two were rodents. The commonest mammal was Cynopterus brachyotis.

Article XVII  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art9sepoct99.pdf
NOTES ON LARGE MAMMALS OF BARIO, SARAWAK
Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah¹ , Maklarin Lakim² & Mustafa Abdul Rahman^1
1 Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
² Sabah Parks

ABSTRACT
The large mammals present in the Bario area have been reported by Davis (1958). David Labang (pers. comm.) of the Forest Department Sarawak mentioned of the endangered Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) observed in 1986 in the upper Sungai Limbang, near Bukit Batu Lawi area. A brief observation of the large mammals was made in the area from the 13-19 April 1995. Other information on the large mammals was also gathered from the vegetation and aquatic survey teams who participated in this scientific expedition. Species identification was according to Payne et al (1985).

Article XVIII  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art10sepoct99.pdf
AGE CLASSIFICATION OF BEARDED PIGS (SUS BARBATUS) FROM BARIO, KELABIT HIGHLANDS
Andrew Alek Tuen, Mustafa Abdul Rahman & Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
Sixteen lower mandibles of bearded pig (Sus barbatus) were examined to determine their age. Eruption pattern and surface wear were used to classify specimens into infant, juvenile, subadult, adult and old adult. Teeth sizes were used to differentiate between temporary and permanent teeth. Based on these criteria, four of the specimens were classified as juvenile, one as subadult, seven as adults and four as old adults.

Article XIX  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art11sepoct99.pdf
ISOLATION OF GENOMIC DNA FROM FRUIT BATS OF KELABIT HIGHLANDS FOR DNA ARCHIVING AND DETERMINATION OF GENETIC VARIATION
Mohd Azib Salleh, Edmund Sim Ui Hang, Mustaffa Abdul Rahman & Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT
A total of 40 fruit bats belonging to five species, namely Cynopterus brachyotis (34), Aethalopsalecto (3), Pipistallus tenius (1), Balionycteris maculata (1) and Megaerop ecaudatus (1) were captured from two sites during the expedition to Bario in April 1995. Whole blood and liver tissue samples were taken from freshly killed bats and stored in liquid nitrogen in the field before transferring to a - 70 º C deep freezer in the laboratory. Genomic DNA was successfully isolated from whole blood samples derived from 13 bats using SDS-lysis followed by phenol-extraction methods. Pure DNA samples were dissolved in tris-EDTA buffer and stored at -20 º C for DNA archiving and determination of genetic variations within and between the different species.

Article XX  
http://www.arbec.com.my/pdf/art12sepoct99.pdf
ISOLATION OF CELLULOLYTIC FUNGI FROM THE BARIO HIGHLANDS, SARAWAK
Abdul Jalil Kader, Othman Omar & Loo Shu Feng
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

ABSTRACT
Soil fungi and bacteria were isolated from various locations visited throughout the expedition held at Bario Highlands. Nine fungal species were identified and among which four isolates demonstrated cellulolytic activities. Two of these isolates namely Trichoderma (isolate 17b) and Aspergillus (isolate 23a) were discovered to be highly cellulolytic compared to the rest.