Mega sampling II May-Jun 09

Mega sampling II

This is the date for my field works:

1. First league:-

• 28 Apr - 5 May -- Terengganu
• 6 - 11 May -- Kelantan
• 12 May -- Lab works
• 13 - 19 May -- Kedah
• 20 - 21 May -- Perlis
• 22 - 23 May -- Penang
• 24 May - 1 Jun -- Perak
• 2 - 4 Jun -- Lab works

2. Second league:-

• 5 - 12 Jun -- Pahang
• 13 - 19 Jun -- Johor
• 20 Jun -- Melaka
• 21 - 28 Jun -- N. Sembilan
• 29 Jun - 2 Jul -- Selangor

All the best..!!

I really hope I can do this.. Last year, I've had Amzar, Fahmi, Nadia and Gee to help me and Syed covering about 22 sites all over Peninsular Malaysia. This year, it will be different - without Amzar who is currently a Research Assistant at USM Kubang Krian, Nadia who is currently working and Gee who is now teaching at Langkawi. Fahmi will be joining me when we head south (second league).

This year, there are about 55 sites all over Peninsular Malaysia need to cover. To date, I only got 2 helpers - Wana and Iqa, both were my former students who is recently completed their under graduate study. Syed agree to help me but he will only be available if there is no Department of Faculty activities that he is compulsory to attend.. I really need at least 2 boys to help me and Syed (once he can join me..) during sampling.. I hope I can get them before heading to Kelantan.. I need commitment helpers for the rest of the trip.. If not, I'm in trouble, man..

I really, really hope to be able to make this happen.. Wish me, everyone!!

Mega Sampling II Countdown: 20 days to go..

at last.. baru rasa senang sikit.. dua tiga minggu lepas serabut sket dengan files hilang tu (blog lagi satu..), nak buat poster untuk conference dan macam2 lagi lah.. takdan nak menulis emel atau update blog pun.. minggu ni, alhamdulillah.. rasanya semua dah back to 'normal' (apa yang tak normal tu.., sendiri agak la eh!!)

minggu lepas pi conference kat Univ. of Cambridge (yang grand itu..) selama seminggu.. mmg best.. conference tu untuk post graduate in conservation biology.. kira kalau korang into conservation, mmg sesuai sangat dengar conference tuu.. sangat menarik.. insyaAllah, kalau ada rezeki, tahun depan nak pi lagi.. hehe.. banyak benda pasal conservation dapat belajar dari talks yang mostly very good tuu.. ada yang faham, ada yang tak berapa faham dan ada yang tak faham pa per pun.. hehe.. biasa ler..

soon, my 2nd round sampling will be ON.. progress slow sket at the moment.. tak banyak progress sbb terstop dek kerana 'kesilapan yang tidak dijangkakan' (pernggan 1st, ayat ke-2) tu.. haha.. saya ter'clear' files yang agak banyak.. hingga saya hilang mood selama seminggu lebih; tak buat apa2, jadi cam orang dok berapa cerdik gitu.. hehe.. but now ok dah.. banyak yang hilang tu dah recover dah.. well.. buat smula ler.. since aritu dah tau cara nak buat, so bila buat lain kira cam 'kacang' la jugak.. cuma yang susahnya ialah nak kupas 'kulit' kacang tuu.. (baca: key-in data!) hehe.. nasib baik ada hardcopy.. kalau tak, mau meraung dengar sampai M'sia..

insyaAllah, end of this month, akan balik seperti yang dijanjikan untuk bersampling kali-2 dan terakhir untuk projek PhD nii.. harap sangat2 team aritu boleh ikut.. kalau tak, kena cari team baru..setakat ni, dah dapat kebenaran sampling dari Kedah, Penang, tp N. 9 tak bagi guna skocker plak.. pastu, Johor suruh minta dari ibu pejabat plak.. haru sungguh.. Kelantan ok gak rasanya.. saya masih tunggu banyak lagi - Perlis, Perak, Terengganu, Pahang dan Selangor..

untuk kali ni Selangor kena pi jugak.. harap2 boleh guna FRIM; since Izzati ada kat FRIM and she is currently working on freshwater fish, might as well collaborate with her.. Johor, rasanya takde masalah KALAU dapat join xpdc G. Berlumut tuu.. boleh kautim masa tu untuk sampling kat tempat lain.. Taman Negara Johor (G. Ledang) masih tak bagi jawapan lagi tapi rasanya boleh kot.. insyaAllah...

Revision of the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis

Dr. Helen K. Larson has recently reviewed the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis (Gobioidei: Gobiidae: Gobionellinae) from Indo-West Pacific and Southeast Asian localities with descriptions of three new species. Some materials were redescribed. Key to Gobionelline genera is given and keys to both genera were also provided. Three species of Eugnathogobius were found in Malaysia - E. siamensis, E. polylepis and E. kabilia but only E. siamensis is confirmed found in freshwater ecosystem of Peninsular Malaysia. Two other species - E. variegatus and E. illotus were absent in Malaysia but the former reported from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Papua New Guinia and the later was reported from Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Interesting! There are four valid species of Pseudogobiopsis and at least two species were reported from Malaysia - P. oligactis and P. paludosus. Both species present in Peninsular Malaysia.

This publication is timely and able to ease difficulties in identification of both genera. The full paper can be read at: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/57/57rbz127-181.pdf

Revision of the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis

Dr. Helen K. Larson has recently reviewed the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis (Gobioidei: Gobiidae: Gobionellinae) from Indo-West Pacific and Southeast Asian localities with descriptions of three new species. Some materials were redescribed. Key to Gobionelline genera is given and keys to both genera were also provided. Three species of Eugnathogobius were found in Malaysia - E. siamensis, E. polylepis and E. kabilia but only E. siamensis is confirmed found in freshwater ecosystem of Peninsular Malaysia. Two other species - E. variegatus and E. illotus were absent in Malaysia but the former reported from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Papua New Guinia and the later was reported from Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Interesting! There are four valid species of Pseudogobiopsis and at least two species were reported from Malaysia - P. oligactis and P. paludosus. Both species present in Peninsular Malaysia.

This publication is timely and able to ease difficulties in identification of both genera. The full paper can be read at: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/57/57rbz127-181.pdf

Revision of the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis

Dr. Helen K. Larson has recently reviewed the gobiid fish genera Eugnathogobius and Pseudogobiopsis (Gobioidei: Gobiidae: Gobionellinae) from Indo-West Pacific and Southeast Asian localities with descriptions of three new species. Some materials were redescribed. Key to Gobionelline genera is given and keys to both genera were also provided. Three species of Eugnathogobius were found in Malaysia - E. siamensis, E. polylepis and E. kabilia but only E. siamensis is confirmed found in freshwater ecosystem of Peninsular Malaysia. Two other species - E. variegatus and E. illotus were absent in Malaysia but the former reported from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Papua New Guinia and the later was reported from Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Interesting! There are four valid species of Pseudogobiopsis and at least two species were reported from Malaysia - P. oligactis and P. paludosus. Both species present in Peninsular Malaysia.

This publication is timely and able to ease difficulties in identification of both genera. The full paper can be read at: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/57/57rbz127-181.pdf

Gatty Marine Laboratory

Unlike many universities in Malaysia, University of St Andrews scattered across St Andrews town. There are various university buildings and even faculties located inside the St Andrews town. Gatty Marine Laboratory, East Sands, is situated at the School of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology. Here, various groups conducting research dealt with the biodiversity, behaviour, ecology, physiology, population biology and functional genomics of marine organisms.

Here are the group based at Gatty:
Comparative Immunology Group
Fish Behaviour and Biodiversity
Fish Endocrinology Research Group
Fish Muscle Research Group
Marine Ecology Research Group
Sea Mammal Research Unit
Sediment Ecology Research Group
(Note. Some webpage is not updated)

Freshwater fish of Ulu Kenas, Perak

Homaloptera nebulosa Alfred 1969

[Type: Sok River at Kompong Sok, Kelantan, Malaysia]

Remark. I am not sure where Sok River is? Anyone can tell me where is Kampung Sok? I love to visit the stream, to see what is 'left' there after almost 40 years! And it would be great to collect the fish, from the type locality for museum collection. This fish was reported from various part of southeast Asia, in flowing stream over rocky bottom.

Freshwater fish of Ulu Kenas, Perak

Homaloptera nebulosa Alfred 1969

[Type: Sok River at Kompong Sok, Kelantan, Malaysia]

Remark. I am not sure where Sok River is? Anyone can tell me where is Kampung Sok? I love to visit the stream, to see what is 'left' there after almost 40 years! And it would be great to collect the fish, from the type locality for museum collection. This fish was reported from various part of southeast Asia, in flowing stream over rocky bottom.

Freshwater fish of Ulu Kenas, Perak

Homaloptera nebulosa Alfred 1969

[Type: Sok River at Kompong Sok, Kelantan, Malaysia]

Remark. I am not sure where Sok River is? Anyone can tell me where is Kampung Sok? I love to visit the stream, to see what is 'left' there after almost 40 years! And it would be great to collect the fish, from the type locality for museum collection. This fish was reported from various part of southeast Asia, in flowing stream over rocky bottom.

Betta cf. pi

A fighting fish, Betta pi was originally described from the materials collected from Sungai Kolok (= Golok), on the Thailand side (see Tan and Ng, 2005: 85). It It was predicted to occur in Peninsular Malaysia, inhabiting swamps along the Sungai Kolok, on Kelantan, Malaysia sides. The actual location and the specimen of this species from Peninsular Malaysia is not immediately available. A fish currently recognised as Betta cf. pi was collected during the survey at swamp habitat of Terengganu, resembled closely to the description of Betta pi.

Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]


Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]

(the 'pi' symbol on its mouth)

Betta cf. pi

A fighting fish, Betta pi was originally described from the materials collected from Sungai Kolok (= Golok), on the Thailand side (see Tan and Ng, 2005: 85). It It was predicted to occur in Peninsular Malaysia, inhabiting swamps along the Sungai Kolok, on Kelantan, Malaysia sides. The actual location and the specimen of this species from Peninsular Malaysia is not immediately available. A fish currently recognised as Betta cf. pi was collected during the survey at swamp habitat of Terengganu, resembled closely to the description of Betta pi.

Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]


Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]

(the 'pi' symbol on its mouth)

Betta cf. pi

A fighting fish, Betta pi was originally described from the materials collected from Sungai Kolok (= Golok), on the Thailand side (see Tan and Ng, 2005: 85). It It was predicted to occur in Peninsular Malaysia, inhabiting swamps along the Sungai Kolok, on Kelantan, Malaysia sides. The actual location and the specimen of this species from Peninsular Malaysia is not immediately available. A fish currently recognised as Betta cf. pi was collected during the survey at swamp habitat of Terengganu, resembled closely to the description of Betta pi.

Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]


Betta cf. pi [Terengganu, Malaysia]

(the 'pi' symbol on its mouth)

Footnote: chapter 3

Oh! Yes.. Materials for chapter 3 are now ready for 'goreng' (read: write). That is really something. A couple of months ago, the data of modified and natural pools fishes seems to me just as 'plain' as a blank piece of paper. I really don't know what else can I do with the data - what information should I add? Then, what analysis can I do? With a little 'push' form my boss, now I manage to generate tons of information.. And, I can test them with a few different ways. Interesting. I hope to put everything up nicely and write it, for my chapter 3! Oh! Yesss...

Aidil with his snookle, at Sekayu

[2006]

Short reports

At last, the preliminary report to State Forestry Department is ready. Lega.. It will be email to them soon. Altogether, 7 reports were prepared with an annotated checklist of fish collected at each site during the MEGA SAMPLING 0808.

The next activity will be completing the report on modified and natural fish assemblages by end of February and at the same time, READ.. Haha..

Hmmm.. What else...???

How nice, eh??

[Belukar Bukit, Terengganu, 2006]

Mood sampling vs mood reading and analysing data..

Pening jugak kepala dengan semua journal yang kena baca dan buku2 pasal macam2 subjek.. Tengah syok membaca, teringat pulak analisis data yang bermacam bagai tuu.. Aduih laa.. Klik sana, klik sini.. Adjust sana, adjust sini.. Tengah syok buat, teringat plak pasal plan nak balik M'sia sampling.. Aarrgggghhhhhhhhhhh.... Tak boleh tahan loooohhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Mana satu nak buat nii....

Bos minta update.. Apa nak bagi ek? Nak tulis amende tah.. Idea tarak!! Kena baca.. Baca.. Baca.. Tapi, apa nak tulis.. Data tak godek lagi.. Kena jugak godek sana sini.. Ada ler yang dah digodek-godek (yang kat atas tuu..) beberapa hari lepas.. Juga, beberapa minggu lepas.. Tapi, rasa macam tak cukup ramuan.. Kalau terpaksa, kena ler goreng mana2 yang ada tuu.. Hehehe... Mau tak mau.. Boleh tak boleh.. Kena bagi boleh..

Oh! Satu lagi.. Nak kena buat poster untuk 10th Student Conference on Conservation Science di University of Cambridge March nanti.. This will be the first conference I'll attend as a PhD student. Can't wait.. Really..

Oh! Lazatnya makan..

One video clip that I really hate (to watch again!) Hehe..

Sangat sedap.. Gulai ayam kampung, petai, sambal belacan dan lapoorrrr... Kombinasi yang sangat menarik.. Hehe..

Another sampling coming up..

Fuh.. Selepas menempuh 'first review meeting' aritu, rasa lega sket kepala otak.. Ringan sket.. Walaupun tak dinafikan mmg tough (at least pada aku ler..) kalau dapat prepare dengan baik, plus doa dan iringan doa rakan2, dan tawakkal, boleh ler dikatakan berjaya mengharungi detik2 itu dengan confident.. Sekurang-kurangnyer tak ler rebah kena tembak..

Dah selesai yang itu, maka selesai ler satu peringkat dari beberapa peringkat dalam perjalanan menuntut ilmu di peringkat terakhir pengajian - PhD.. Kecik2 dulu aku selalu dengar orang kata PhD ni 'paih habih darjah'.. Betul la kot noo.. Harap2 lagi 2 tahun, abih la darjah aku mengaji..

So, la ni aku sibuk la plak merencana nak balik M'sia. Sama macam tahun lepas, kali ni nak balik sampling all over Semenanjung lagi.. Plan kali ni lebih tough berbanding tahun lepas.. Lebih banyak sites nak kena cover. Harap-harap semuanya berjalan lancar..

Dari kiri: Gee, Amzar, tokey (bawah), Syed (atas), Feh dan Nadia

Ingat nak bawa team aritu gak ler.. Tu pun kalau depa free.. Feh, dah start MSc kat UKM by research. So, by Mei dia mungkin abih exam dah kot and mungkin boleh ikut kalau supv dia bagi.. Amzar, masih mencari dan mencari pekerjaan yang dihajati.. Katanya, minta cikgu.. Semoga dapat lah.. Kalau free, boleh jer ikut sampling.. Gee pun sama.. Nadia dah kerja tapi kalau free by Mei tu, molek bebeno ler.. Bukan taknak tanya budak2 lain, kalau diaorang ni tak payah dah nak explain apa nak buat.. Kalau diaorang takleh pi, kena ler cari pengganti.. Dan kalau nak kena train pun, tak ler susah mana sangat.. Sekali turun, sure boleh buat nyer.. Ada a few others yg mungkin boleh bantu, kalau depa free ler.. Tengok lah macam mana nanti..
Kali ni lebih lama kat field; mungkin tido pun kat field.. Kira camping ler.. Fuh! Planning perlu baik.. Kalau semua sites yang dihajati tu dapat permission untuk sampling, rasanya 55 hari pun masih belum boleh cover, tapi itu jer masa yang ada.. Boleh tak boleh, kena buat setakat yang boleh dalam masa yang ada tuu.. Berusaha, berdoa dan tawakkal..