An integrative taxonomic analysis is used to identify and describe two new species of the agamid genus Bronchocela (Kuhl) from Peninsular Malaysia: an upland species B. shenlong sp. nov. from Bukit Larut, Perak in the Bintang Mountain Range and Parit Falls, Cameron Highlands, Pahang in the Titiwangsa Mountain Range and an insular species, B. rayaensis sp. nov., from Pulau Langkawi, Kedah off the northwest coast on the border with Thailand. Both species are diagnosed from each other and all other species of Bronchocela on the basis of body shape, scale morphology, and color pattern. The analysis also demonstrates the remarkable genetic similarity of B. cristatella (Kuhl) throughout 1120 km of its range from northern Peninsular Malaysia to western Borneo despite its highly variable coloration and pattern. The two new species are appended to a rapidly growing list of newly described lizard species (60 to date) from Peninsular Malaysia tallied within the last decade.

An integrative taxonomic analysis reveals a remarkable degree of cryptic speciation between sympatric, specialized, leaf-litter species in an upland clade of the scincid genus Tytthoscincus across the sky-island archipelago of Peninsular Malaysia. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood phylogenies based on the mitochondrial gene ND2 indicate that this clade is composed of a lineage of limb, digit and tympanum-reduced, semi-fossorial species and a lineage of leaf-litter generalist bearing longer, more robust limbs and digits, and well-developed tympanae. Behavioural differences inferred from differing ecomorphologies form the basis of hypotheses proposed to account for resource partitioning at Fraser's Hill, Pahang between the sympatric leaf-litter generalist T. bukitensis and the new semi-fossorial species T. kakikecil sp. nov. However, this hypothesis does not account for the extreme case of cryptic speciation and syntopy between T. bukitensis and a new leaf-litter generalist T. martae sp. nov. at Genting Highlands, Pahang. The phylogenetic analyses also indicate there is an additional new, upland, semi-fossorial species, T. jaripendek sp. nov., from Cameron Highlands and a new lowland, leaf-litter generalist, Tytthoscincus sp., from Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu. The specific identities of the new upland populations are corroborated by morphological analyses using combinations of principal component analysis, discriminant analysis of principal components, analysis of variance, Tukey HSD (honest significant difference) tests and Welch two-way t-tests. The Hulu Terengganu specimen was too damaged to provide a reliable description. A biogeographic scenario inferred from a time-calibrated BEAST analysis suggests that speciation in the upland clade has been ongoing since the Upper Pliocene following repeated episodes of secondary contact associated with glacier-driven climatic oscillations generating upland forest expansion and retraction. These analyses highlight the increasing levels of herpetological diversity and endemism being discovered in the montane regions of Peninsular Malaysia and bring to light the understudied ecological complexity of Peninsular Malaysia's leaf-litter ecosystems and the growing need for its conservation.

A new, diminutive species of Rock Gecko Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. of the affinis group, is described from Gunung Raya on Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the affinis group by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 36.6 mm; keeled subtibials and ventrals; 21-24 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles in the lateral caudal furrows; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; no precloacal pores; 23-26 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; no white ocelli in the shoulder region; no yellow postscapular band; and faint yellow bars on the flanks. Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. is a forest-dwelling species living in close sympatry or paraptry with the insular endemic C. roticanai Grismer & Chan. The Langkawi Archipelago harbors a unique mix of Malaysian and Indochinese taxa and the frequency of new discoveries from this group of islands is increasing.

Mineral reservoirs or salt licks are commonly used by wildlife to regulate the concentration of salt and minerals in their bodies. Salt lick utilisation is known to be influenced by the chemical composition, but information on their physical properties, particularly vegetation surrounding the salt licks is scarce. In this study, physical factors and wildlife utilisation at two natural salt licks (SPU and SPS) located in Perak, Malaysia, were determined. Wildlife visitation data were retrieved from camera traps. SPU exhibits two reservoirs represented by rocky and clay substrate, with minimally dense vegetation dominated by hardwood species and climbers. SPS encompasses muddy topsoil, open canopy cover, with highly dense forest floor vegetation. The wildlife survey shows a higher frequency of visitation in SPS, especially by ungulates, potentially due to dense understorey foliage that provides foraging sites for these animals. SPU exhibits more diverse but less frequent wildlife species, particularly primates, carnivores, and avian groups. High emergence and closed canopy cover at this lick serve as perching sites for primates and birds, while less dense understory vegetation could aid in prey detection among carnivore. Regardless of their physical assemblages, salt licks are an essential local hotspot for wildlife, therefore, elucidating the need to prioritise conservation areas by maximising the complementarities of salt licks.

Background Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities, yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood. This study examined bird community changes from pre-logging to recovery over the course of habitat disturbance caused by the development of the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam Project in Peninsular Malaysia, between 2007 and 2018. Bird surveys were conducted using point count observations and mist netting in the dam area from the pre-logging phase until the operation phase. Results It was observed that while bird species significantly declined after large-scale habitat clearance between the pre-logging and construction phases, they showed positive signs of recovery from the inundation to operation phases. These findings indicate that the bird community is still recovering, and the permanent loss of habitat required by most of the original species has not occurred, as evidenced by recolonisation. Bird species composition differed across phases due to varying habitat conditions. The turnover rate and immigration rate (recolonisation and newly recorded species) were higher between the construction and operation phases. It was also observed that insectivorous birds were more heavily affected than others by changes to the landscape, which highlights the versatility, survivability and tolerance of certain species to extreme disturbance and habitat modification. Conclusion Although the operation phase showed an incremental change in bird species richness due to recolonisation and newly recorded species, this value remains far from that of the pre-logging phase. We predict that bird species recovery will continue to increase for some time before reaching a plateau among the newly created islands, reservoir and catchment area of the dam.