SAMS news room

Marine Algae from the Straits of Malacca

Despite being an area reknowned for piracy, Frithjof Kuepper, a scientist in SAMS' Microbiology and Molecular Department, joined scientists from the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya on a survey cruise in 2007 on board the 'Kaleebso'. The cruise visited various Malaysian islands in the Straits of Malacca, specifically, Jarak Island close to the centre of the straits, and the Sembilan Archipelago closer to the Malayan Peninsula. The aim was to finish compiling a checklist of the marine algae of these relatively pristine waters as the area had not been surveyed for 50 years when a team of British scientists had visited the islands.

The results are now published in the Malaysian Journal of Science 27(3) 47-60, 2008.