First Philippine record of the parasitoid,Comperiella sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): a potential biocontrol agent against Aspidiotus rigidus (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, where there is currently an outbreak of the coconut scale insect Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne particularly in the southern parts of the island of Luzon and in some areas in Mindanao. Among Comperiella species, only C. unifasciata Ishii has been reported as a parasitoid of A. rigidus. We report not only new sightings of this parasitoid genus in the Philippines from surveys conducted in parts of the provinces of Laguna and Batangas, but also the discovery of a possibly new species that, like C. unifasciata, has been found to parasitize A. rigidus at a high rate. These findings have presented a potential of biological control against the coconut scale insect problem that has threatened the coconut industry in the country.     

Nepenthes robcantleyi sp. nov. (Nepenthaceae) from Mindanao,Philippines

Nepenthes robcantleyi Cheek sp. nov. from Mindanao, Philippines is described and illustrated in the Regiae group of Danser, as the second taxon of that group known from the Philippines. The conservation status of the species is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR) as the only known population, found in 1997, has allready been logged and the species may then has gone extinct in the wild.     

Johnius (johnieops) philippinus, a new sciaenid from the philippines, with a synopsis of species included in the subgenusjohnieops

A new sciaenid,Johnius (Johnieops) philippinus, is described from the Davao Gulf, Mindanao Island Philippines. It differs from all known species of the subgenus in the combination of 29–32 dorsal fin soft rays, 5–6 scales above and 10–13 scales below the lateral line, 10–12 lower gill rakers, a broadly rounded anterior snout margin (from dorsal aspect), large eyes (28–35% HL), a narrow interorbital space (23–28% HL) and well-developed pleural ribs on 11th vertebra. A synopsis of species included in the subgenusJohnieops is provided.     

Eastern limit of distribution of the slow loris,Nycticebus coucang

The easternmost known record of the slow loris,Nycticebus coucang, is Tawitawi, Philippines. A report of this species in Mindanao, 500 km northeast of Tawitawi, is based on a mislabeled specimen.     

Description of Medwayella independencia (Siphonaptera,Stivaliidae), a new species of flea from Mindanao Island,the Philippines and their phoretic mites,and miscellaneous flea records from the Malay Archipelago

Medwayella independencia, a new species of flea, is described from the tupaiid host Urogale everetti (Thomas) from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Several other species of fleas are also recorded from the Philippines including a single male of Lentistivalius philippinensis Hastriter and Bush, 2013 (previously known only from two males), the bat fleas Thaumapsylla breviceps orientalis Smit and Thaumapsylla longiforceps Traub, a single unidentified female species of Macrostylophora Ewing collected from the murid Bullimus bagobos Mearns, and a pair of Medwayella robinsoni ssp. from Sundasciurus hoogstraali (Sanborn) from Busuanga Island, Philippines. Representatives of Medwayella Traub, 1972 and Macrostylophora have not previously been recorded from the Philippines. A key to the male sex of Medwayella is provided. Phoretic mites of the genus Psylloglyphus (family Winterschmidtiidae) were present under the abdominal sclerites of several male and female specimens of M. independencia. This is the second report of a phoretic mite on a species of Medwayella Traub. The co-evolutionary implications between phoretic mites and fleas are discussed.     

Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne (Hemiptera: Diaspididae): a devastating pest of coconut in the Philippines

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Phylogeography, geographic structure, genetic variation, and potential species boundaries in Philippine slender toads

We investigated phylogeography of Philippine slender toads (genus Ansonia) and used a temporal framework for diversification, statistical tests of alternate topologies, and Bayesian approaches to test previous hypotheses concerning dispersal to, and colonization routes within, the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Two species of Ansonia previously have been documented, with ranges separated by an east–west split corresponding to the approximate boundaries of Mindanao’s paleoisland precursors. We present new mtDNA sequence data (1946 bp from genes encoding ND1, 16S rRNA and tRNA^Leu) for 105 Ansonia specimens sampled from 20 localities on Mindanao Island. Our data suggest that Philippine Ansonia is composed of at least eight, well-supported population lineages, structured into a minimum of four highly divergent mtDNA clades. One clade corresponds to Ansonia mcgregori, a range-restricted species apparently limited to the distal portion of the Zamboanga Peninsula of western Mindanao. Two morphologically indistinguishable, but genetically divergent, lineages possibly are undescribed cryptic species from western Mindanao. We recognize the five remaining lineages as Ansonia muelleri pending data from morphology or bioacoustics that might diagnose separate species among these lineages. Regardless of their species status, the five allopatric lineages of A. muelleri should be viewed as important genetic units for future genetic conservation planning.     

Evolutionary relationships of flying foxes (genus Pteropus) in the Philippines inferred from DNA sequences of cytochrome b gene

Six flying fox species, genus Pteropus (four from the Philippines) were investigated using complete cytochrome b gene sequences (1140 bp) to infer their evolutionary relationships. The DNA sequences generated via polymerase chain reaction were analyzed using the neighbor-joining, parsimony, and maximum likelihood methods. We estimated that the first evolutionary event among these Pteropus species occurred approximately 13.90 ± 1.49 MYA. Within this short period of evolutionary time we further hypothesized that the ancestors of the flying foxes found in the Philippines experienced a subsequent diversification forming two clusters in the topology. The first cluster is composed of P. pumilus (Philippine endemic), P. speciosus (restricted in western Mindanao) with P. scapulatus, while the second one comprised P. vampyrus and P. dasymallus species based on the analysis from first and second codon positions. Consistently, all phylogenetic analyses divulged close association of P. dasymallus with P. vampyrus contradicting the previous report categorizing P. dasymallus under subniger species group with P. pumilus, P. speciosus, and P. hypomelanus. The Philippine endemic species (P. pumilus) is closely linked with P. speciosus. The representative samples of P. vampyrus showed a large genetic distance of 1.87%. The large genetic distance between P. dasymallus and P. hypomelanus, P. pumilus and P. speciosus denotes a distinct species group.     

A new species of the blind goby Caecogobius (Gobioidei,Gobiidae, Gobionellinae) from a cave system on Mindanao Island,the Philippines

Ichthyological Research - A new species of the eyeless goby genus Caecogobius is described from a cave system on Mindanao Island, the Philippines. Caecogobius personatus sp. nov. is the second...     

A molecular phylogeny of the genus Apis suggests that the Giant Honey Bee of the Philippines,A. breviligula Maa,and the Plains Honey Bee of southern India,A. indica Fabricius,are valid species

Two new taxa have been added to the existing molecular phylogenies of the genus Apis. The new phylogeny supports the accepted phylogenetic relationships of {dwarf honey bees [giant honey bees (cavity‐nesting honey bees)]}. Based on Bayesian and maximum parsimony trees, our analysis supports recognition of Apis indica, the Plains Honey Bee of south India, as a separate species from A. cerana. Our analysis also supports recognition of the Giant Philippines Honey Bee, A. breviligula, as a separate species from A. dorsata.     

Cover

ON THE COVER: In situ habit of Gibsmithia malayensis sp. nov., specimen SGAD1404012, Camiguin, Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Photo by S. G. A. Draisma. [Vol. 53, No. 6, pp. 1171–1192 ]     

Psydrax multiflora sp. nov. (Rubiaceae) from Palawan,Philippines

Psydrax multiflora, a new species of Vanguerieae collected in the Palawan, Luzon Island, Philippines is herein described and illustrated. Morphological observation showed that P. multilfora approaches three Malesian Psydrax species, namely P. amplifolia, P. nitida and P. puberula. However, P. multiflora can be delineated from these three by its caudate leaf apex, 20–30‐flowered umbellate inflorescences and broadly triangular corolla lobes.     

To the knowledge of the leaf-beetle tribe Nodinini (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae) from the Philippines and Borneo

Three new species of the genus Tricliona are described from the Philippines and Borneo Island: T. bakeri sp. n., T. sandakana sp. n., and T. philippina sp. n. Stethotes aedilis Weise are transferred to the genus Cleoporus, and Stethotes ferruginea Weise, to Tricliona. Typophorus quadrimaculatus Baly is transferred to Cleoporus, and C. cruciatus Lefèvre is synonymized with it. The genus Coniomma Weise is redescribed. For each species, drawings of the genitalia are provided. The species of Cleoporus from the Philippines and all the species of the Tricliona ferruginea group are keyed.     

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae:Polytretophora macrospora sp. nov.

Polytretophora macrospora is introduced based on specimens from two species ofPandanus in Seychelles. The new species is compared with currently accepted species. A key and a comparative synopsis toPolytetophora species are provided. Numerous specimens ofP. calcarata, collected on members of the Pandanaceae from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Palau, Philippines, Seychelles and Solomon Islands are also reported, along withP. dendroidea onPandanus sp. from Malaysia.     

Hamiguitan Range: A sanctuary for native flora

Hamiguitan Range is one of the wildlife sanctuaries in the Philippines having unique biodiversity resources that are at risk due to forest degradation and conversion of forested land to agriculture, shifting cultivation, and over-collection. Thus, it is the main concern of this research to identify and assess the endemic and endangered flora of Hamiguitan Range. Field reconnaissance and transect walk showed five vegetation types namely: agro-ecosystem, dipterocarp, montane, typical mossy and mossy-pygmy forests. Inventory of plant species revealed 163 endemic species, 35 threatened species, and 33 rare species. Assessment of plants also showed seven species as new record in Mindanao and one species as new record in the Philippines. Noteworthy is the discovery of Nepenthes micramphora, a new species of pitcher plant found in the high altitudes of Hamiguitan Range. This species is also considered site endemic, rare, and threatened. The result of the study also showed that the five vegetation types of Mt. Hamiguitan harbor a number of endangered, endemic, and rare species of plants. Thus, the result of this study would serve as basis for the formulation of policies for the protection and conservation of these species and their habitats before these plants become extinct.     

Taxonomic review ofapristurus platyrhynchus and related species from the pacific ocean (chondrichthyes, carcharhiniformes, scyliorhinidae)

Apristurus platyrhynchus and four related species were reviewed taxonomically.A. sibogae from Indonesia andA. micropterygeus from the South China Sea were valid species.A. verweyi from the Philippines andA. acanutus from the South China Sea were junior synonyms ofA. platyrhynchus. A. platyrhynchus was re-described, and its new biological information was provided.     

Karyotypic differences of black rats,Rattus rattus,collected in various localities of East and Southeast Asia and Oceania

Karyotypes of several subspecies of black rats, Rattus rattus, collected in different localities of Asia and Oceania were examined with special emphasis on the relationship between the chromosome polymorphism and differentiation of the subspecies. Subspecies of black rats (R. rattus) collected were as follows; tanezumi from Japan; flavipectus and sladeni from Hong Kong; diardii, jalorensis from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; argentiventer from Kuala Lumpur, and Java and Celebes, Indonesia; mindanensis from Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines; and rattus from Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. Subspecies in Formosa, Korea and Thailand were not determined. All black rats collected in the above Asian districts had 42 diploid chromosomes, while those in Oceania had 38. The rats collected in Japan (tanezumi), Korea, Formosa, Thailand and Malaysia (diardii) had A/A No. 1 pair or polymorphic No. 1 (A/A, A/S and S/S) pairs, while those collected in Java and Celebes (argentiventer), Luzon and Mindanao (mindanensis) showed a higher frequency of S/S No. 1 pair. From the higher occurrence of No. 1 A/A pair of black rats in the Asian continent where the black rats originated, it is suggested that the original type of No. 1 chromosome pair of the black rats is A/A, and a pericentric inversion occurred in the acrocentric No. 1 chromosome and thus rats with subtelocentric No. 1 pair formed.—Black rats with 38 chromosomes were observed in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. These karyotypes seem to have developed by Robertsonian fusion of 4 acrocentric pairs (No. 4 and 7, and No. 11 and 12) in black rats of the Asian type. A relationship between body size and chromosome constitution was observed in subspecies of the black rats.Contribution No. 831 from the National Institute of Genetics, Japan. Supported by a grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Education of Japan (Scientific Expedition in 1968, No. 8801 in 1969, and No. 9001 in 1970).     

Taxonomy of gastropods of the families Ranellidae (= Cymatiidae) and Bursidae. Part 2. Descriptions of 14 new modern Indo-West Pacific species and subspecies,with revisions of related taxa

Abstract

The subgenus Cymatium (Septa) is here restricted to species closely related to C. rubeculum (Linné, 1758). A lectotype is designated for C. rubeculum, neotypes are designated for C. hepaticum (Röding, 1798) and C. flaveolum (Röding, 1798), C. occidentale (Mörch, 1877) (= blacketi Iredale, 1936; = beui Garcia-Talavera, 1985) is recorded from the Indo-West Pacific, C. (Septa) marerubrum Garcia-Talavera, 1985 is ranked as a geographic subspecies of C. rubeculum, and three new taxa are named: C. (Septa) bibbeyi n. sp., Philippine Islands; C. (Septa) closeli n. sp., Indian Ocean; and C. (Septa) peasei n. sp., western Pacific. In the subgenus Cymatium (Ranularia), neotypes are designated for C. guttumium (Röding, 1798) and its synonyms, for C. moniliferum (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850), and for C. pyrulum (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850), a lectotype is designated for C. pseudopyrum (Martin, 1899) (a junior synonym of C. pyrulum), other species distinguished are C. encausticum (Reeve, 1844) and C. exile (Reeve, 1844), and new taxa named are C. andamanense n. sp., Andaman Islands, C. springsteeni n. sp., western Pacific and Red Sea, and C. sinense arthuri n. subsp., Red Sea. Other Ranellidae named are Sassia (Sassia) ponderi n. sp., Queensland, and Distorsio (Distorsio) euconstricta n. sp., Indian Ocean and southwest Pacific. A lectotype selected for Murex reticularis Linné, 1758 is a specimen of the species usually known as Distorsio reticulata (Röding, 1798).

In Bursa (Bursa), a lectotype is designated for B. grayana Dunker, 1862 (= B. bufoniopsis Maury, 1917; = B. pacamoni Matthews & Coelho, 1971), western Atlantic, and the similar new Oman to Philippines species B. davidboschi is named. Other Bursa taxa named are B. (Colubrellina) quirihorai n. sp., Philippines, and B. (Colubrellina) latitudo fosteri n. subsp., Philippines. In Bufonaria (Bufonaria), a lectotype designated for Murex rana Linné, 1758 confirms that as the name for the most common western Pacific species, a lectotype designated for Ranella crumena Lamarck, 1816 confirms that as the name for the most common Indian Ocean species, B. elegans (Beck in G. B. Sowerby II, 1836) is illustrated, and the new western Pacific species B. perelegans is named; the four similar species B. nobilis (Reeve, 1844), B. margaritula (Deshayes, 1832), B. gnorima (Melville, 1918), and B. thersites (Redfield, 1846) are distinguished, and the new Madagascar to Philippines species B. ignobilis is named. In Tutufa (Tutufella), the newly named species T. boholica occurs with T. rubeta (Linné, 1758) in deep water in the Philippine Islands.     

Genetic diversity of Kappaphycus species (Gigartinales,Rhodophyta) in the Philippines

The mariculture of eucheumatoids (species of Kappaphycus and Eucheuma) in the Philippines has had a long history, dating back to the 1970s. Over this period, a number of varieties have been brought into domestication; some are now widely distributed and farmed in various regions of the country, but a significant number appear to have a more restricted distribution and are farmed only in certain areas. The taxonomy of many of these seaweed cultivars and their phylogenetic relationships still remain to be resolved at the specific and subspecific levels. In this study, two mitochondrial DNA markers, COI-5P region and cox2-3 intergenic spacer, were used to assess the genetic diversity of the farmed varieties and a few specimens collected from the wild. Analysis using haplotype networks revealed several new haplotypes for K. alvarezii, K. malesianus and K. striatus, mainly from specimens collected from eastern and southwestern regions of the Philippines. The inferred phylogenetic relationships based on both mtDNA markers resolved the identity of all the materials used in the study at the species level. We present molecular evidence that K. malesianus, in addition to K. alvarezii, K. cottonii, K. inermis, K. procrusteanus and K. striatus (and, hence, all currently recognized species of Kappaphycus) occurs in the Philippines. Collectively, these observations suggest that the Philippine archipelago has richer genetic diversity of farmed and wild Kappaphycus than do the other geographic regions, consistent with the hypothesis that the Philippines is, or is part of, the centre of Kappaphycus biodiversity in the world. These findings also reveal an untapped diversity that can potentially be exploited for improving the commercial production of these carrageenophytes.