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06/08/2026

New publication alert!
The order Beloniformes comprises pelagic fishes inhabiting marine, brackish, and freshwater environments and is renowned for its remarkable morphological diversity. Its members include needlefishes with elongated crocodile-like jaws, halfbeaks with a modified a**l fin for internal fertilization, and flyingfishes with wing-like pectoral fins that enable gliding above the water's surface.

Beyond their distinctive external morphology, beloniforms also possess a unique internal anatomy. One of their most characteristic features is the hyoid apparatus, in which all branchiostegal rays are arranged exclusively on the lateral side of the hyoid bar, with none occurring medially. In this study, the arrangement of the muscles supporting the hyoid apparatus was examined to test the homology of the branchiostegal rays. The results show that all branchiostegal rays in Beloniformes belong to Group I, whereas Group II never develops. This absence of Group II branchiostegal rays represents a newly discovered putative synapomorphy—a shared evolutionary feature that is thought to have originated in the common ancestor of all beloniform fishes and to be inherited by their descendants. In addition, several new putative synapomorphies of the hyoid arch were identified, providing new anatomical features that help distinguish different groups within the order Beloniformes and improve our understanding of their evolutionary relationships.

Congratulations to our Collection Director, Daniel Lumbantobing and co-author Lynne Parenti!
Read more: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmor.70156

26/07/2026

Last species highlight from our latest Ayung River project:
Myotis muricola
In English, this bat is called wall-roosting mouse-eared bat because it has a face that resembles a mouse. With its echolocation ability, the banana-top bat is an effective nocturnal insect hunter. It is often found flying under lights or on river surfaces to hunt insects such as mosquitoes, moths, and dragonflies. This bat can also use its tail as a pouch to catch small insects during flight for later consumption.
Kelelawar ini disebut lasiwen biasa atau lasiwen pucuk-pisang, karena seringkali ditemukan beristirahat di dalam gulungan daun pisang. kelelawar ini memiliki wajah yang menyerupai tikus. Dengan kemampuan ekolokasinya, lasiwen pucuk-pisang menjadi pemburu serangga yang efektif di malam hari. Seringkali ditemukan terbang di bawah lampu atau permukaan sungai untuk berburu serangga seperti nyamuk, ngengat, dan lalat-capung. Kelelawar ini juga dapat memanfaatkan ekornya sebagai kantong untuk menangkap serangga-serangga kecil selama terbang untuk kemudian dimakan.

25/07/2026

Dolomedes mizhoanus
Also known as fishing spiders, they often hunt above water. These spiders are often found in aquatic areas such as rivers. They typically nest around river rocks in search of prey. These spiders move nimbly on the water's surface. When cornered, they can dive to escape.
Disebut juga laba-laba pemancing, perilakunya yang sering berburu di atas perairan. Laba-laba ini seringkali ditemukan di wilayah perairan seperti sungai. Biasanya berdiam di sekitar bebatuan sungai untuk mencari mangsa. Laba-laba ini bergerak dengan lincah di atas permukaan air. Ketika terpojok, laba-laba ini dapat menyelam untuk melarikan diri ke tempat yang aman.

24/07/2026

Next species; your fav childhood friend??
Known as water striders, although they resemble spiders, water striders are insects from the order Hemiptera. Ptilomeras have longer legs and larger bodies than other water strider genera. Ptilomeras are often found in groups in river habitats, due to their habit of moving against the current. Ptilomeras prey on small insects that fall to the water's surface by inserting their needle-like mouthparts to suck out their prey's fluids.
Dikenal dengan nama anggang-anggang. Walau terlihat seperti laba-laba, anggang-anggang merupakan serangga dari ordo Hemiptera. Ptilomera memiliki tungkai yang lebih panjang dan ukuran tubuhnya yang lebih besar dari genus anggang-anggang lainnya. Ptilomera seringkali ditemukan secara berkelompok pada habitat sungai, karena kebiasaannya yang senang bergerak melawan arus. Ptilomera memangsa serangga kecil yang jatuh ke permukaan air dengan cara menusukkan mulut jarumnya untuk menghisap cairan mangsanya.

22/07/2026

Next species we found in the Ayung River!
Channa limbata, also known as the Snakehead or Bogo, is widely distributed from Southeast Asia to Indonesia. This fish is highly sought after by hobbyists due to its contrasting coloration, including the orange stripes on its fins. Like most snakehead fish, C. limbata periodically swims to the surface to breathe air. This adaptation allows the fish to survive in oxygen-poor environments. Although this fish has a wide oxygen tolerance, C. limbata cannot survive in severely degraded environments.
Channa limbata, yang dikenal sebagai Gabus atau Bogo memiliki persebaran luas dari Asia Tenggara hingga Indonesia. Ikan ini sangat diminati penghobi karena warnanya yang kontras dengan garis oranye di siripnya. Sama seperti ikan gabus pada umumnya, C. limbata secara berkala berenang ke permukaan untuk menghirup udara. Adaptasi ini memungkinkan ikan ini hidup di lingkungan yang miskin oksigen. Meskipun ikan ini memiliki toleransi oksigen yang luas, C. limbata tidak dapat hidup di lingkungan yang terdegradasi parah.

11/07/2026

New publication alert!
Satu spesies baru laba-laba dari genus Argiope telah dideskripsikan oleh anggota Species Obscura dan peneliti Pusat Riset Biosistematika dan Evolusi BRIN . Betina dari spesies ini memiliki corak abdomen yang cantik sehingga diberi nama Argiope songketica, terinspirasi oleh kain tenun tradisional songket. Laba-laba ini ditemukan di Taman Nasional Danau Sentarum, dan merupakan buah dari program Ekspedisi Biodiversitas Terestrial (e-BiTe) yang diorganisir oleh .
Selamat kepada tim peneliti atas kontribusi penting ini!

A new spider species of the genus Argiope has been described by Species Obscura member and from BRIN Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution. Females of this species possess a beautiful abdominal pattern and was therefore named Argiope songketica, inspired by the traditional songket woven fabric. The spider was discovered in Danau Sentarum National Park and is the result of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Expedition (e-BiTe) program organized by .
Congratulations to the research team on this important contribution!

Dhiya’ulhaq, N.U. & Rahmadi, C. (2026) A new species of orb-weaver genus Argiope Audouin, 1826 from West Kalimantan, Indonesia, with notes on a new synonymy of Gea spinipes C. L. Koch, 1843 (Araneae: Araneidae). Zootaxa, 5845 (2), 304–318. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.5

05/06/2026

Dalam buku "The Malay Archipelago", Alfred Wallace membagi pembahasan mengenai Semenanjung Malaya menjadi 3 bagian: biodiversitasnya, manusianya, dan interaksinya. Proyek penelitian Sungai Ayung kolaborasi kami bersama Laboratorium Psikologi Politik UI - didanai oleh LPDP Skema Pendanaan PUTI Q1 dan didukung oleh IHF-ASAP adalah wujud dari mimpi kami meneruskan visi Wallace dalam memahami ekosistem, yakni dgn tdk memisahkan manusia di dalamnya. Penelitian yg berlangsung selama satu kuartal ini memadukan koleksi data satwa artropoda, invertebrata, ikan air tawar, mamalia terbang, reptil dan amfibi, konsentrasi makroplastik, dan pandangan masyarakat serta pemangku kebijakan terhadap kesehatan sungai dan tekanan antropogenik, menjadi proyek riset kami yang paling intensif sekaligus ekstensif, memberikan kami pengalaman luar biasa yg mungkin pernah dirasakan Wallace saat menjelajahi Indonesia. Lihat hasil awal kami di Museum Virtual di link di bio kami. Pemahaman menyeluruh akan memberikan insight pelestarian ekosistem berbasis komunitas lokal yang lebih baik dan berdampak.
In his book “The Malay Archipelago,” Alfred Wallace divided the description of Malay Peninsula into 3 parts: biodiversity, people, and their interactions. Our collaborative River Ayung research project with the University of Indonesia’s Political Psychology Laboratory, funded by the LPDP PUTI Q1 Funding Scheme and supported by the IHF-ASAP, is the realization of our dream of continuing Wallace’s vision of understanding ecosystems, namely by not separating humans from them. This quarter-long research combined data collection on the biodiversity of arthropods, invertebrates, freshwater fish, flying mammals, reptiles and amphibians, macroplastic concentrations, and community and policymaker perspectives on rivers and anthropogenic pressures, making it our most intensive and extensive research project, providing us with an extraordinary experience Wallace might have ever had while exploring Indonesia. See our initial results in the Virtual Museum (link in bio). This comprehensive understanding will provide insights into better & more impactful local community-based ecosystem conservation.

20/04/2026

New publication alert!
Satu spesies baru laba-laba dari genus Rathalos resmi dideskripsikan dari Pulau Jawa oleh tim peneliti Species Obscura, termasuk dan , dan Prof. Purnama Hidayat dari Proteksi Tanaman IPB University. Spesies ini diberi nama Rathalos inagami, terinspirasi dari karakter monster “Inagami” dalam Monster Hunter yang sama-sama berasosiasi dengan hutan bambu.
Sebelumnya, genus Rathalos hanya diketahui dari negeri tirai bambu, yaitu R. treecko dan R. xiushanensis. Genus laba-laba ini terbilang unik, karena diketahui hanya tercatat dijumpai di habitat bambu. Penemuan R. inagami ini sekaligus menjadi catatan pertama keberadaan genus tersebut di Asia Tenggara. Temuan ini mengingatkan kita bahwa masih banyak biodiversitas yang belum terungkap, bahkan di lingkungan yang selama ini kita anggap sudah familiar.
Selamat kepada tim peneliti atas kontribusi penting ini!

A new spider species from the genus Rathalos has been officially described from Java Island by the Species Obscura research team, including and , and Prof. Purnama Hidayat from Plant Protection of IPB University. The species is named Rathalos inagami, inspired by the monster character “Inagami” from Monster Hunter, which is also associated with bamboo forests.
Previously, the genus Rathalos was only known from China—home to R. treecko and R. xiushanensis. This genus is quite unique, as it has only been recorded from bamboo habitats. The discovery of R. inagami marks the first record of this genus in Southeast Asia.
This finding reminds us that there is still a vast amount of biodiversity yet to be uncovered, even in environments we consider familiar.
Congratulations to the research team on this important contribution!

01/03/2026

Kami mencari asisten riset proyek asesmen biodiversitas di lima titik Sungai Ayung, Bali pada periode 16-30 Maret 2026. Terdapat kuota 2 mahasiswa dengan peminatan herpetofauna, dan 2 mahasiswa peminatan artropoda. Baca lebih lanjut di link di bio sekarang!

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CPXQ+9V Situgede, Bogor City, West Java
Bogor
16115

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https://www.speciesobscura.org/

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