08 March 2017

Significant biodiversity remains undiscovered in Borneo's moss forests


Untold numbers of organisms still await discovery among the poorly explored moss forests of Borneo's mountaintops. Near the summit of Gunung Murud (the highest mountain in Sarawak), an undescribed species of tiny bush frog (Philautus sp.) perches inside the pitcher of Nepenthes hurrelliana, a carnivorous plant. Although many frogs utilize the fluid-filled pitchers of various Nepenthes for either shelter or breeding, the details of this behavior remain poorly studied. Are the frogs dependent on the pitchers? Do the plants gain any benefit from this relationship or is this merely an example of the frogs exploiting a convenient niche?

No comments:

Post a Comment