Fishes and Parasite Occurrence

Abstract

The rivers in Sarawak are known to host a diverse freshwater fish fauna, with past studies showing a high degree of occurrence of species endemic to the region. However, despite Sarawak’s extensive river systems, much of its ichthyofaunal diversity remains under-explored and may face silent extinction in the face of rapid developmentand alterations to land and waterways. Hence, documenting fish diversity across Sarawak’s major rivers is crucial for understanding species distributions, identifying populations at risk, and developing informed management strategies for Sarawak’s fisheries. The Sabal Forest Reserve is located in Simunjan, Sarawak, and is part of the Batang Sadong river basin. The reserve encompasses headwaters that drain into smaller tributaries (Sungai Barai and Sungai Melikin) flowing toward the Batang Kerang floodplains, and potentially into Sungai Setabu along the northern most border, which drains into Sungai Simunjan. A previous study on freshwater fish diversity in the brown- and black-water habitats of the Batang Kerang Floodplain recorded a total of 36 species belonging to 13 families with Cyprinidae and Helostomatidae being the most dominant family recorded in both habitats respectively.