New Insect Species Discovered in the Park!

Semachrysa jade sp n.

A new species of insect has been recently discovered in Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor (Selangor State Park).  How exciting!

An extract of the finding:

An unusual new species of green lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Semachrysa jade sp. n.) is described from Selangor (in the Selangor State Park) as a joint discovery by citizen scientist and professional taxonomists. The incidental nature of this discovery is underscored by the fact that the species was initially photographed and then released, with images subsequently posted to an online image database. It was not until the images in the database were randomly examined by the professional taxonomists that it was determined that the species was in fact new. A subsequent specimen was collected at the same locality

Green lacewings are the second largest family of lacewings, with more than 1200 species in approximately 80 valid genera distributed in all major biogeographical regions worldwide (Brooks and Barnard 1990).

The insect was originally photographed and released and was a female Semachrysa jade sp. n. female habitus. The forewing length was15.0 mm.  It was photographed by Guek Hock Ping.

The insect was found 0.8 km SSW of entrance of Selangor State Park, Selangor, Malaysia (GPS: 3.3057, 101.693), in closed forest type.

The unusual new species is easily differentiated from all other species of Semachrysa by the distinctive wing venation mark between the antennal bases and only two spots across the frons, as well as the female abdominal sternite 7 being posteromedially acuminate with a tuft of strong setae. Only the female is known at this stage. Semachrysa jade sp. n. is similar in appearance to Semachrysa wallacei, based on head and wing markings. Like Semachrysa jade sp. n., Semachrysa wallacei is also only known from the female.

Information and photo extracted from the following site, read more here:

ZooKeys

Your Action is Needed to Complete the Park’s Gazettement

THE PARK NEEDS YOUR HELP!  The establishment of the Selangor State Park (Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor), over 107,000 ha in size, was declared in August 2005.   Since then, in January 2007, 92,000ha of forest was gazetted as the Selangor State Park, by the Selangor State Government, under the National Foresty Act Selangor Enactment leaving a remaining 15,505 ha of forest still to be gazetted. 

The last State Park Steering Committee meeting was held on 12 Feb. 2009, chaired by YB Tuan Haji Yaakob bin Sapari.  In the meeting it was stated that under Phase 2 of gazettement, 15,505 ha had been submitted to JUPEM for gazettement including 121 hectares of the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge. 

In addition, it was stated that following the decision of the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Selangor (MMK),  private lots within the original boundaries of the Park would be removed. The Forestry Department of Selangor proposed a new boundary, adding 954 hectares to the Park, to avoid the inclusion of these private lots.  The honourable Chairman and members of the park steering committee agreed with the new boundary and requested the Forestry department to prepare a working paper for the MMK for approval.

However, we are uncertain of the status of the above, since there has been no park steering committee meeting,  no announcement by the state government on the status of the Park, and no reply to our official queries to the state government.

THE PARK NEEDS YOUR HELP!   Write to the Chief Minister and ask him the following:

Y.A.B. Tan Sri Dato` Abd Khalid Bin Ibrahim

When will the Selangor State Government complete Phase 2 of the Selangor State Park’s gazettement (15,505 ha of forest including the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge)?  

What is the status of gazetting the additional 954 ha which was proposed to be part of the Park?

When will the Selangor State Government release a map of the boundaries of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor with GPS coordinates, showing areas that have already been gazetted, and the areas that still need to be gazetted.

I look forward to the Selangor State Government’s official reply.

and please include your name, address or other relevant contact information.

The Park and all the creatures that dwell within it say THANK YOU.

Y.A.B. Tan Sri Dato` Abd Khalid Bin Ibrahim contact information:

1.  facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abdul-Khalid-Ibrahim/38012338900#!/pages/Abdul-Khalid-Ibrahim/38012338900

2.  Email:

  khalid@selangor.gov.my     

3.  Post:

Dato' Menteri Besar Selangor

Pejabat Menteri Besar Selangor

Tingkat 21

Bangunan Sultan Salehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah

40503  Shah Alam

4.  Fax: 03-5519-0032

After you have written, please email to TrEES ( treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.com ) and let us know when and by which method you wrote to the Chief Minister of Selangor.  Thanks again.  Only YOU can keep the Park a reality.