Overview
D167 Buaya is a large durian variety registered in 1987 from Selangor. Its name comes from the Malay word "buaya," meaning crocodile -- though the precise reason for this reptilian naming is not documented. In the Malaysian durian world, animal-derived names are not unusual: D152 Katak (frog), D170 Kepala Babi (pig's head), and others draw on local fauna for identification. Whether D167 was named for the appearance of its husk, the shape of its arils, or simply by the whim of its discoverer remains a matter of speculation.
The variety is characterized by its large fruit, wide-elliptic shape, thick green-brown skin, and generous arils of orange-yellow flesh with a creamy-sweet flavor. These traits were recorded by Malaysia's Department of Agriculture (DOA) upon registration, and they remain the most authoritative description available. D167 is not commercially cultivated at any significant scale and has received no DOA planting recommendation, placing it firmly among the many registered-but-obscure varieties in the Malaysian durian catalog.
An interesting point of confusion surrounds D167 and a durian known informally as "Telur Buaya" (crocodile egg), which circulates in states such as Perak, Kelantan, and Langkawi. Some durian bloggers have speculated that the two may be connected, but as of the available evidence, the relationship between D167 Buaya and the unregistered Telur Buaya durian has not been conclusively established.
Origin & History
D167 was registered on the Malaysian national durian variety list in 1987, originating from Selangor. The reporter is recorded only as "Yap" -- a surname without a full name, making this one of the more anonymous entries in the DOA registry. No further biographical details about Yap are available in public sources: no district of origin, no orchard name, and no account of how the variety was discovered or cultivated. The registration type is listed as "INDIVIDU," indicating a private individual rather than a government agency or research institution.
The year 1987 was a particularly active period for durian registration in Selangor. Several other varieties were registered in the same year and state, including D160 Buluh Bawah (Tekka), D161 Merah, and D162 Tawa -- the latter three all submitted by a single individual, Lim Hai Chua from Banting. Whether Yap was from the same district or a different part of Selangor is unknown.
The DOA's official Malay-language description reads: "Buah bersaiz besar; berbentuk eliptik lebar; kulit tebal dan berwarna hijau perang. Isi berwarna kuning jingga; ulas bersaiz besar dan rasa lemak manis." In English: the fruit is large in size, wide-elliptic in shape, with thick green-brown skin. The flesh is orange-yellow, the arils are large, and the taste is creamy-sweet.
No additional historical documentation has surfaced regarding D167's mother tree, its location within Selangor, or any subsequent propagation efforts.
Characteristics
Size and shape. D167 is classified as large ("bersaiz besar") with a wide-elliptic form ("eliptik lebar"). This shape is broader than the elongated-elliptic profile seen in varieties like D160 or D161, suggesting a rounder, more laterally expansive fruit. No specific weight range has been officially recorded.
Husk and skin. The skin is thick ("kulit tebal") and colored green-brown ("hijau perang"). The thick husk would make D167 more durable during handling and transport but potentially harder to open by hand. No specific description of the thorns is provided in the DOA record.
Flesh. The flesh is orange-yellow ("kuning jingga"), placing it in the warm-toned category alongside varieties like D160 Buluh Bawah and D24. The arils are described as large ("ulas bersaiz besar"), which typically indicates a favorable flesh-to-seed ratio. The official taste descriptor is "lemak manis" -- creamy-sweet -- a profile that emphasizes richness and sweetness without noted bitterness.
Texture and aroma. No official information is available regarding texture or aroma. The "lemak" (creamy/fatty) descriptor implies a smooth, rich mouthfeel, but without independent tasting data this cannot be confirmed.
It should be noted that the DOA description is brief, and no detailed independent reviews or tasting accounts of D167 Buaya have been identified in available sources. What is known is limited to the registration record.
Availability
D167 Buaya is rare. It does not appear in commercial durian listings, is not featured by major durian sellers, and has no DOA planting recommendation for any district. The variety exists in the national registry but has not entered mainstream cultivation or commerce.
The durian informally known as "Telur Buaya" (crocodile egg) does appear to be available in certain regions -- Perak, Langkawi, and Kelantan have been mentioned in blog posts -- with prices reportedly ranging from RM 12 to RM 18 per kilogram. Seedlings have also been advertised. However, whether these Telur Buaya fruits are genetically identical to the registered D167 Buaya clone remains unverified. The DOA has not issued any certification linking the two names.
For anyone seeking D167 specifically, Selangor would be the logical starting point, as it is the registered state of origin. But finding a bearing tree or fruit from this variety would likely require local connections and considerable effort. D167 Buaya remains, for practical purposes, a registered curiosity rather than an accessible durian variety.