The landward part of Pulau Tioman has been gazetted as a forest reserve, which may extend to the catchment of this species. Research is needed into its population dynamics, distribution and ecology, alongside monitoring of population and habitat trends, and site protection.
Location Information
This species is only known from a single cave (Gua Tankok Air) formed below granitic boulders around 980 m asl on Gunung Kajang, Pulau Tioman, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia (Kottelat 1990, Ng et al. 1999).
Population Information
In 1999 and 2000, less than 20 individuals were sighted in the water pool in the cave (observed on 21 June 1999 and 1 September 2000; H.H. Tan pers. obs.). Although there is no more recent population information, there has likely been a decline in individuals due to ongoing drought, and the species may already be extinct.
Threats
Extreme drought threatens this species through the drying up of its one cave habitat.
