Insect collections in Malaysia: A Case Study

The first build-up of systematics collections in Malaysia can perhaps be traced to early biological explorations during the colonial days. Later, collections continued to grow with the establishment of research institutions, State and Federal Government Departments of Agriculture and Forestry, Universities and other research institutions. There possibly exist about 600,000 insect specimens preserved in various institutions throughout Malaysia. Table 1 shows a list of major institutions and research centers that house the existing insect collections in Malaysia to the authors' knowledge.

• Sarawak

The oldest entomological collection in Borneo is that of the Sarawak Museum. The Sarawak Museum is the earliest Museum in Borneo, established at Kuching in 1886 (Earl of Cranbrook & Leh, 1983). Like Wallace's collections, many of the early collections have been deposited at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London. Other insect collections of Sarawak can be found in various State Departments such as the Forestry Department and the Department of Agriculture. The UNIMAS Reference Collections is a very recent addition to the existing collections in Sarawak. Established in 1994, it now has about 7,000 insect specimens that have been properly curated and mostly identified to at least the family level. Cataloging work is still in progress.

• Sabah

The Sabah Forest Research Center (FRC) in Sandakan housed the largest insect collections in Sabah with about 100,000 insect specimens. Most of these are satisfactorily curated and identified to at least the family level (Chey Vun Khen, Sabah Forest Entomologist, pers. comm.). Being a Forest Research Institute, among the early important collections here include a huge collection of termites by R.S. Thapa. This has resulted in a monograph on the termites of Sabah that now serves as a major reference source for the study of oriental termites. A total of 103 species and subspecies from 33 genera and 4 families are documented (Thapa, 1981). Unfortunately, holotype collections of these termites have been deposited in the Entomological Collections of the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India while only paratypes and morphotypes were deposited in the Insect Collections of the FRC, Sandakan. Other insect collections of Sabah include that of the Sabah Parks' collections currently housed at Insect Reference Center, Kinabalu Park. The now defunct UKM Sabah Campus also played an important role in documenting the insect diversity in Sabah with 13,500 insect specimens deposited at its then Faculty of Science and Natural Resources Insect Reference Collections (1984-199 1). A total number of 368 species of butterflies were deposited in the collection arid this comprises one third of the 850 species of butterflies known to occur in Sabah (Fatimah, 1989). The collections were also referred to and examined by many foreign scientists who have contributed significantly to the scientific identifications of certain insect groups and thereby expanding our knowledge base of insect biodiversity. These collections presently reside in the Systematic Center of UKM, Bangi. Like in other countries, Malaysia also has a number of amateur collectors. The Chan Chew Lun Collections of stick insects (Phasmida) is perhaps the best collection of stick insects of Borneo, particularly that of Sabah.

• Peninsular Malaysia

Entomological collections in Peninsular Malaysia also started during the colonial days and today has developed and grew into important reference centres of international reputation. They are found scattered in the vicinity of the nation's capital in a number of well-established research institutions and universities. The UKMB Systematic Center was officially established in 1993 to hold insect specimens collected from various localities throughout Malaysia since the 1970's when the university was first formed. The Center is active in systematic research of insects, in particular the taxonomic study of the leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). Besides having a huge general collection of insect specimens, mostly that of Peninsular Malaysia, the Center is also known for its collection of more than 500 species of leaf beetles; the largest collection of leaf beetles of Malaysia. Other notable collections are the insect specimens housed at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Insect Reference Collection, the Department of Agriculture Malaysia Reference Collections, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia.