Lithocarpus tapanuliensis (Fagaceae), a new stone oak from northern Sumatra and its role as an important resource for critically endangered orangutans
A new species of stone oak, Lithocarpus tapanuliensis Harapan, W.H.Tan, Nurainas & Strijk from South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia is described. We provide colour photographs, a distribution map and a new IUCN conservation status assessment for inclusion on the global Red List. The unique cupule morphology, particularly the shape, placement and distinctness of the cupule protuberances, are distinctive from other Lithocarpus species in the region. Ecological interactions (e.g. consumption and nesting) with Tapanuli orangutans were recorded in the field.
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Keywords
Batang Toru; Hoteng; Lithocarpus tapanuliensis; Occurrence; Sumatran Fagaceae; Tapanuli orangutan; food habits; Occurrence; Specimen
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Geographic Coverage
During our fieldwork in Pilar Forest, a primary forest near the Bulu Mario District, we recorded two individuals of Lithocarpus tapanuliensis. The lower-montane forest is characterised by the abundance of meranti gunung (Shorea platyclados Slooten ex Endert). Sipirok Regency precipitation typically varies during different sections of the year. Maximum monthly precipitation is 296.5 mm and the minimum monthly precipitation is 67 mm, with an average temperature around 28 °C.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [-0.132, 97.91], North East [2.789, 101.305] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
All of occurrences identified to species levels.
| Species | Lithocarpus tapanuliensis (Hoteng) |
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Temporal Coverage
| Start Date | 2023-02-23 |
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Project Data
A new species of stone oak, Lithocarpus tapanuliensis Harapan, W.H.Tan, Nurainas & Strijk from South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia is described. We provide colour photographs, a distribution map and a new IUCN conservation status assessment for inclusion on the global Red List. The unique cupule morphology, particularly the shape, placement and distinctness of the cupule protuberances, are distinctive from other Lithocarpus species in the region. Ecological interactions (e.g. consumption and nesting) with Tapanuli orangutans were recorded in the field.
| Title | Lithocarpus tapanuliensis (Fagaceae), a new stone oak from northern Sumatra and its role as an important resource for critically endangered orangutans |
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| Funding | The finding was part of the Nurainas’s biodiversity project conducted in North Sumatra supported by Sumatra Rainforest Institute and the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute (SEABRI; grant #Y4ZK111B01). |
| Study Area Description | During our fieldwork in Pilar Forest, a primary forest near the Bulu Mario District, we recorded two individuals of Lithocarpus tapanuliensis. The lower-montane forest is characterised by the abundance of meranti gunung (Shorea platyclados Slooten ex Endert). Additional Fagaceae species were recorded, namely Lithocarpus javensis Blume, Quercus oidocarpa Korth. and Castanopsis tungurrut (Blume) A.DC. Interactions with Tapanuli orangutans were observed with a nest and remnants of consumed fruits were recorded near the tree (Fig. 3). Sipirok Regency precipitation typical- ly varies during different sections of the year. Maximum monthly precipitation is 296.5 mm and the minimum monthly precipitation is 67 mm, with an average temperature around 28 °C (Badan Pusat Statistik 2023). |
| Design Description | South Tapanuli is one of the three forest blocks that make up the Batang Toru Ecosystem and is the last refuge for the recently described, Critically Endangered and extremely rare Tapanuli orangutans (Kuswanda et al. 2020). The land cover within the Batang Toru Ecosystem consists of a mosaic of mixed plantations and primary and secondary forests (Meylia and Mustari 2022). During a field survey conducted in South Tapanuli in February 2023, specimens of an unknown Lithocarpus were discovered. Further morphological comparisons with other relatives in Malesia clearly distinguish it as a new species due to its distinctive cupule morphology (Cockburn 1972; Soepadmo 2000; Phengklai 2008). Hence, we describe and name it as Lithocarpus tapanuliensis, providing a description, accompanied by photographs and a morphological comparison with closely-related species, as well as an exploration of its interactions with Tapanuli orangutans. |
The personnel involved in the project:
Sampling Methods
The collecting method for the dried specimens was referred to published procedures of preparing herbarium materials (Bridson and Forman,1992). The plant materials were collected and pressed in the field then mounted on an A2 paper after the specimens were dried. Before installation into the herbarium cabinets, the specimens were put into plastic bags. Every sheet of specimens was labeled with the standard information for herbarium collections, including taxonomic identification, locality information, geo-references, collector information, and ecological data. For insect control, we freeze the specimens periodically in -20 degrees Celsius freezer for 72 hours. All of the specimens were stored in the herbarium cabinets. The storage rooms were equipped with temperature and humidity control. All of the specimens were in alphabetical orders based on the families, grouped in several groups of plants, such as dicots, monocots, ferns, and mosses.
| Study Extent | North Sumatra, Indonesia |
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| Quality Control | We divided our working groups into two groups: a) taxonomic determination or identification group and b) data geo-referencing group. For taxonomic determination, the identification was verified by experts on the designated taxa, and also was using book references for the taxa (Ashton, 1982; Van Der Meijden, 1984; Kalkman, 1993; Shaw, 1981). The experts are writers and researchers for the area of studies and have published using the materials at the Herbarium ANDA (Utami, 2006; Hughes, 2009, 2015, Hernawati, 2006). The datum references for each coordinate were collected from the specimen labels using the WGS84 standard. If the coordinate of the locations was not recorded on the labels, we used Google Map to obtain the coordinate based on the locality information of the villages recorded on the labels. |
Method step description:
- The information on the specimen labels is our main data source. For data collection, we conducted in three steps: data capture, data cleaning, and data publication. In the data capture process, we collected all the information on the specimen’s label, and we input the information into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets using Darwin-Core format. In this process, we grouped the specimen information into three groups, consisting of data occurrence, taxon information, and event. We save the file in csv (comma-separated values) format. We included specimen photos and scanning data into the database incorporated in associateMedia field. All the images were stored in flickr-pro media, which then will link with the filed in the dataset. We conducted data cleaning to ensure consistency and standardized data input for the dataset. We used OpenRefine for batch error handling, Canadensys tools for coordinate conversion, and Splink for coordinate verification. To verify the taxonomic nomenclature, we used resolver, iPlant collaborative, ECAT, and POWO.
Additional Metadata
| Alternative Identifiers | https://ipt.pensoft.net/resource?r=lithocarpus1 |
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