T,'' o"' .. t- j+ r /r :. + The Rompi-+-Endau Expedition: 1 989 fitalayan Na*re Joumal 1990- 4* 294-297 A preliminary checklist of Leaf Beetles (coleoptera: Chrysome[d;) from Ulu Kinchin, Pahang, Malaysia * MOHAMED S. MOHAMEDSAIDI, ISMAIL SALLEH1 AND MOHD NOR HASSAN1 Abstract: A survey on leafbeetles from Ulu Kinchin, Pahang, recorded about 105 species' Six of the 13 subfamilies in Peninsular Malaysia are represented' . INTRODUCTION A survey of leaf beetles (Family Chrysomelidae) was carried out in the vicinity of Base Camp, Sg. Kinchin, Pahang, in May and July 1989. Leaf beetles were collected by sweeping the bushes along the trails with strong butterfly nets. The area covered was primary forest. On both trips the weather was not fine. As leaf beetles are sun-loving insects and ale seldom caught by a light trap at night, our collections probably do not fully reflect thei; fuli abundance and diversity. About 600 specimens were collected' Identification was to subfamily level, and to species where possible or to recognizable taxonomic unit (RTU), which are numbered' -Currently about 343 species, from 13 subfamilies, of leaf beetles are knbwn in Peninsular Malaysia (Mohamedsaid, 1988 unpublished), and this number will continue to grow as this Soup becomes taxonomically better known. Six of the 13 subfamilies of leaf beetles in Peninsular Malaysia were represent8d at UIu Kinchin (Table 1). Some subfamilies were well- represinted, such as Alticinae, Galerucinae and Eumolpinae. Table 2 lists about 105 species (RTU), i.e. about one-third of all species (343) currently known fiom Peninsular Malaysia. A large number of species was represented by one or two specimens. It is likely that a number of these leaf beetles are new records for the Peninsula or are new specie s. The most common species belong to the subfamily Galerucinae. For example, 77 specimerrs of Theopea elegantula, a metallic blue species, were caughi. Monoleptu is the largest genus with 23 species represented in this area. This is more than twice the number (10 species) currently recorded from the Peninsula. The most common species in the Alticinae is Hespera lSrbutu, Zooloiii, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia' 29+