Tuesday, July 22, 2025
No Result
View All Result
Indonesia Sentinel
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Economic
  • Culture
  • Tech & Science
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Economic
  • Culture
  • Tech & Science
No Result
View All Result
Indonesia Sentinel
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Tech & Science

Indonesian Scientists Discover New Blind Lizard Species at Buton Island Sulawesi

by Raidi
2025-05-14
in Tech & Science
A A
Blind Lizard

Blind Lizard of Buton Island Sulawesi (Doc BRIN)

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp
ADVERTISEMENT

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Researchers from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) have identified and described a new species of blind lizard endemic to Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi.

According to Awal Riyanto, a senior researcher at BRIN’s Center for Biosystematics and Evolution Research, the blind lizard (Dibamus) is a fossorial reptile, meaning it lives underground with a body resembling a worm.

It has a unique morphological feature. The species has degenerated eyes, and while females are entirely legless, males possess small, flap-like vestigial limbs.

RelatedPosts

FBI Warning! Avoid Public Charging Stations to Prevent “Juice Jacking” Attacks

TikTok and WHO Indonesia Launch Mental Health Program

The genus Dibamus is distributed widely from Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea, but many species remain poorly understood due to their elusive, subterranean nature and the rarity of specimens.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Critical journalists ask questions, search for facts, and broadcast the truth, no matter where it leads,” said Riyanto, quoting American journalist Jill Abramson. “That same curiosity drives scientists to collect data, analyze it, and pursue the truth, even if it means being wrong, but never dishonest.”

Previously, populations of blind lizards found across Indonesia including in Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi, and the Lesser Sunda Islands were classified under the species Dibamus novaeguineae. However, recent morphological and biogeographical studies have revealed that the population on Buton Island possesses distinct characteristics that set it apart.

The BRIN research team examined museum specimens from various Indonesian regions and conducted morphometric and meristic comparisons. The Buton population displayed unique features not observed in other Dibamus species nearby.

The newly described species is distinguished by several key traits:

  • Body size: Maximum snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 145.7 mm
  • Head scales: Absence of medial and lateral rostral sutures; the frontal scale is larger than the frontonasal
  • Color pattern: Two to three light-colored bands across the body
  • Habitat: Endemic to monsoon rainforests on Buton Island, at elevations below 400 meters

The species, was named Dibamus oetamai, in honor of the late Jakob Oetama, a pioneering figure in Indonesian journalism and co-founder of Kompas Gramedia. While the local name proposed for the species is Kadal Buta Buton (Buton Blind Lizard).

Read Also:

Scientists Discover New Land Snail Species on Remote Bacan Island in Indonesia

The discovery of Dibamus oetamai adds to Indonesia’s rich biodiversity and highlights the ecological importance of small, isolated islands like Buton, which often harbor species that evolve in isolation.

“This finding underscores the vast, still-undocumented reptile diversity in Indonesia especially in the Wallacea region, which is a major biodiversity hotspot,” Riyanto noted.

Due to its highly localized distribution and potential vulnerability to habitat loss, Dibamus oetamai may face threats from deforestation and environmental change. Conservation of forest areas, particularly the Lambusango Forest Protected Area in Buton, is critical to the species’ survival.

 

(Raidi/Agung)

Tags: BRINButon IslandIndonesia newsReptileSulawesi
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Meta

Meta Cracks Down on Content Reuploaders, Deletes 10 Million Facebook Accounts

2025-07-21

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- Meta is intensifying its efforts to crack down on users who reupload content created by others,...

Fanged Frog

Scientists Discover Two New Species of Fanged Frog in Indonesia’s Meratus Mountains Borneo

2025-07-17

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- A team of international and Indonesian researchers has identified two new species of fanged frog in the...

Medical Cannabis

Indonesia Still Conducting Cannabis Research for Potential Medical Use

2025-07-16

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- Indonesia is still conducting research to evaluate whether cannabis can be scientifically proven to have medical...

Starlink Indonesia

Starlink Halts New User Registrations in Indonesia Amid Capacity Limits

2025-07-16

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has stopped accepting new users in Indonesia due to capacity constraints,...

YouTube Monetization

YouTube to Enforce Stricter Monetization Rules on “Inauthentic Content” Starting July 15

2025-07-15

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- YouTube is updating its YouTube Partner Program (YPP) monetization policy to crack down on what it...

Israel Intelligence mobile applications

Popular Mobile Applications Found out to be Linked to Israel Military Intelligence, Spark Global Concerns

2025-07-11

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- A number of widely used mobile applications installed on millions of Android and iPhone devices worldwide...

Medical Journal Use AI

Study Finds AI Use in Over 2 Million Medical Journal Articles in 2024, Raising Concerns Over Scientific Writing Integrity

2025-07-11

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- A large-scale study has revealed that 13.5 percent, or roughly 2 million medical journal articles published...

Children Gaming

Indonesia Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Children in Growing Gaming Industry

2025-07-08

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), Meutya Hafid, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding...

Earth Rotation

Earth Rotation Expected to Speed Up in Juli-August 2025, Shortening the Days

2025-07-06

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- Earth rotation is expected to spin slightly faster during July and August 2025, making days a...

Police Robots

Indonesian Police Unveil Advanced Robots at Bhayangkara Anniversary

2025-07-06

Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel -- Indonesia’s National Police (Polri) put technology center stage during the 79th Bhayangkara Day celebration at the...

Load More
Next Post
Alfamart Acquires Lawson

Spend Rp200 Billion, Indonesia’s Alfamart Acquires Majority Stake in Lawson

Popular

  • Mentawai Tribe

    Mentawai Tribe Tooth Sharpening Tradition as a Symbol of Beauty, Culture, and Sacrifice

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Suku Mante, Mysterious Tribe Living in the Vast Forests of Aceh

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Indonesia’s Life Expectancy Rises to 74.15 Years in 2024, Statistics Agency Reports 

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • History of Jakarta Fair

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Indonesia Boasts an Outstanding Number of Islands, How Many?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Recommended

president prabowo

President Prabowo Breaks Down in Tears While Committing to Increase Teacher Salary

8 months ago
Most Trusted Public Institutions

Survey Said: Indonesian National Military and President the Most Trusted Public Institutions

2 months ago
ADVERTISEMENT

Indonesiasentinel.com is an independent online news portal committed to providing accurate, in-depth, and up-to-date news about Indonesia. Since 2021, we have been a trusted source for millions of readers seeking relevant and reliable news.

Part of:

Information Page

  • About
  • Editorial
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • About
  • Editorial
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Contact

  • contact@indonesiasentinel.com
© 2021 Indonesia Sentinel

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Economic
  • Culture
  • Tech & Science

© 2024 Indonesia Sentinel