KOTA KINABALU: A team of marine scientists from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has made waves in the scientific world with the discovery of a new species of marine tardigrade (pic), named Batillipes malaysianus, in honour of the nation.
Tardigrades, often nicknamed “water bears”, are microscopic, eight-legged invertebrates famed for their resilience.
Lead researcher Assoc Prof Dr Chen Cheng Ann said the discovery stemmed from field surveys carried out from Nov 29, 2023, to Sept 16, 2024 – on Malaysia Day itself.
This marks Malaysia’s first marine tardigrade update in more than 50 years, he said, adding that the breakthrough underscores the country’s status as a global biodiversity hotspot.
“We dedicate the discovery and the naming of Batillipes malaysianus in celebration of the country’s 68th Independence Day,” Chen said yesterday.
He said the find, published in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom in June, was confirmed to be new to science.
Across two sampling trips, the team uncovered very low densities of marine tardigrades.
“Among six Batillipes individuals examined, one turned out to be a species completely new to science and was later formally described as Batillipes malaysianus,” he said.
The study also marked another first for the nation: the presence of Batillipes rotundiculus in local waters.
The research was led by Chen and postgraduate student Ng Wei Ling (Borneo Marine Research Institute, UMS), in collaboration with a researcher from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Prof Dr Tadashi Kajita of the University of the Ryukyus, Japan.
