KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — A new ant species from the Syscia genus has been discovered in Sabah.

The species, named Syscia yekzoeae, is named in honour of Dr Yek Sze Huei, a senior lecturer from the Institute of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), according to a report published in the New Straits Times today.

The discovery took place during fieldwork last year at Kawang Forest Reserve in Papar, Sabah.

"Colonies of the ants inhabit rotting wood and soil. The new species is an obligate predator of other ant species, and the queens are flightless with small, non-functioning wings. The function of these reduced wing buds is unknown,” a statement from UMS explained.

The findings were published in the journal Asian Myrmecology this month.

In the same issue, two other ant species were described: Syscia sabahna and Ooceraea magna, both from the Crocker Range with syscia sabahna being more widespread and found in Poring, Tambuyukon in Kinabalu Park, and Tawau Hills Park.

Like the species cited previously, they also inhabit rotting wood and soil.

Since its establishment in 1996, ITBC has been at the forefront of ant research, with these recent discoveries further showcasing the institute’s significant role in advancing the field.

Yek and her team are optimistic that continued fieldwork and research will lead to the discovery of many more previously unknown ant species in Sabah.

Seiki Yamane (Professor Emeritus at Kagoshima University, Japan) and Riou Mizuno (Researcher at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan) also contributed to the taxonomic analysis, manuscript writing, lab observations, and specimen photography.