KOTA KINABALU: A new species of insect-killing fungus has been discovered in Sabah’s Tawau Hills Park discovered by researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The finding was published in the international taxonomy journal Phytotaxa on Wednesday (June 24).
The fungus, Metarhizium tawauensis sp. nov., was collected in January 2023 at the Botanical Garden of Tawau Hills Park, according to a statement issued by UMS.
The researchers found the new species on an adult hemipteran (or the "true bug" order) insect buried in soil near an orchid, according to a statement.
The species was confirmed through morphological examination, scanning electron microscopy and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, it read.
The new species is identified by its dark brown to blackish stromata (fungal base), immersed perithecia (tiny spore-producing flasks), multiseptate ascospores and smooth-walled globose conidia, the researchers wrote.
The study was led by Muhammad Shahbaz, a PhD researcher at the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), under the supervision of Associate Prof Dr Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan, with contributions from Sabah Parks and University College Sabah Foundation.
Prof Jaya Seelan said the discovery shows that Sabah's forests hold far more species than science has documented.
"The genus Metarhizium now has 92 accepted species worldwide. Finding a new one here in Sabah tells us that much of Borneo's biological diversity is still waiting to be named," he said.
Fungi in the genus Metarhizium are known for infecting and killing insects.
Several species are already used in agriculture as natural alternatives to chemical pesticides.
The discovery of M. tawauensis opens the door to further research on its potential applications in pest management.
Meanwhile, ITBC director Associate Prof Dr Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim said the finding is a reminder of how much Sabah's rainforests still have to offer.
"Every new species described is a piece of our natural heritage.
"ITBC has spent 30 years documenting what lives in these forests, and discoveries like this show the work is far from over," she said.
Established in 1996, ITBC marks its 30th anniversary this year. The institute has contributed to numerous species discoveries across Sabah and maintains research partnerships in Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas.
The research was funded by the UMSGreat postgraduate grant (GUG0659-2/2023) and the Sabah Forestry Department under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
The holotype specimen has been deposited at the BORNEENSIS Herbarium in UMS.
