New genus of tiny crustacean discovered in Sipadan cave
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In a submerged cave off Pulau Sipadan, a new species and genus of tiny crustacean has been discovered. The copepod, named Sipadanomolgus dissimilis, was collected using a light trap inside the marine cave known as Turtle Tomb. Associate Professor Dr Azman Abdul Rahim, who led the research from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, stated that the specimen displays a unique set of anatomical traits that do not match any existing genera within the family, thus warranting the creation of the new genus, Sipadanomolgus.
The study was part of the Ocean Census programme, a global initiative aiming to catalogue marine life, in collaboration with researchers from Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University and Kasetsart University. Their findings were published in the European Journal of Taxonomy on Tuesday. This discovery complements previous finds in Turtle Tomb, emphasizing the scientific significance of investigating specialized marine habitats.
Moreover, it enhances our understanding of Sipadan's biodiversity, extending beyond its renowned coral reefs and larger marine animals to include cave-dwelling organisms, which were previously overlooked.
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