STICK INSECT OF TAMAN NEGARA JOHOR, GUNUNG LEDANG ACCORDING TO THE ALTITUDES

Abstract

Stick insects (Phasmida) are important herbivores in tropical
ecosystem. To date, only few studies that had been conducted
on phasmids diversity in Malaysia. We conducted a study on the
diversity of phasmids in Gunung Ledang National Park, Johor,
Malaysia. Our objective is to determine whether there is a
variation in phasmids diversity at different elevation levels.
Besides that, this study was aimed to provide an inventory of
phasmids in Gunung Ledang for different altitudes. Samplings
were denoted by four locations based on altitude i.e. Location
L1 (altitude 1000 – 1200m), L2 (700 – 900m), L3 (200 – 350m)
and L4 (100 – 120m). Samplings were done by active samplings
for every location using torch light between 2000 to 2230 hours
during a dark moon phase. This was based on twelve sampling
occasions conducted from November 2012 until October 2013.
A total of 765 individuals of phasmids comprising 46 species in
22 genera under 5 families (Phasmatidae, 4 spesies in 3 genera;
Heteronemiidae, 35 spesies in 15 genera; Aschiphasmatidae, 4 

spesies in 1 genus; Bacillidae, 2 spesies in 2 genera; Phyllidae, 1
spesies, 1 genus) has been recorded for Johore National Park,
Mount Ledang. The Margalef’s Species Richness index (R’)
based on altitude shows the highest at L4 (R’= 4.857) and
lowest at L1 (R’ = 3.765). Analysis of Shannon Wiener
Diversity Index (H’) following the altitude was highest in
altitude L2 (H’ = 2.547) and L3 shows the lowest value (H’ =
1.6). The Evenness Index, E’ = 0.6072 was highest at L4 and
lowest at L3 (E’ = 0.1981). Species Accumulation Curve was
not reaching the asymptotes; hence, further samplings are
needed in order to obtain better results to represent species
richness of phasmids for these areas.