KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), Universiti Malaysia Sabah, has announced the discovery of a new marine tardigrade species, Batillipes malaysianus, along the shores of Labuan.
Lead researcher Assoc Prof Dr Cheng-Ann Chen said the species was identified during field surveys conducted on Nov 29, 2023, and Sept 16, 2024.
He said the breakthrough marks Malaysia’s first update on marine tardigrades in over 50 years and highlights the country’s role as a global biodiversity hotspot.
The discovery and naming of Batillipes malaysianus were dedicated to Malaysia’s National Day, with Chen noting the animals were extremely rare but distinct enough to be confirmed as new to science.
The findings were published in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom in June this year.
During two sampling trips, the team found very low numbers of marine tardigrades, but among six individuals of the genus Batillipes, one was described as a new species, while Batillipes rotundiculus was also recorded in Malaysia for the first time.
Chen, supported by postgraduate student Ng Wei-Ling, collaborators from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and the University of the Ryukyus in Japan, recommended further coastal surveys using modern molecular tools such as environmental DNA to uncover Malaysia’s hidden marine diversity.
