Insects

Dipterocarp forests harbour the greatest diversity of insects, including termites and the rarely seen (but well heard) cicadas.

Butterflies are also a prominent group, of which the most famous is probably Rajah Brooke's birdwing, with its vivid wing motif.

Recent discoveries include a bamboo-dwelling, semi-aquatic bug, which exploits a unique ecological niche in the water-filled cavities of various bamboo species. The bug enters the cavities through small holes bored by insects or woodpeckers and mainly feed on other insects trapped on the water surface.

Three new crab species from the Parathelphusa group were described from three different sites in Borneo between September 1995 and June 1996. This group comprises 35 species, which are all found mainly in Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia.