Studies on new beetle species in PH published decades after discovery

Photo from National Museum of the Philippines’ Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Researchers have conducted studies on a new species of beetle found in the Philippines more than three decades after its initial discovery.

The research study of Analyn Cabras, Milton Norman Medina, Dr. Maurizio Bollino and Perry Buenavente, researchers from the Zoology Division of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) named “Two new species of the genus Metapocyrtus Heller 1912 subgenus Trachycyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Pachyrhynchini) from the Philippines” was published in a journal on Monday.

One of the species described is the Metapocyrtus baltazarae which was discovered in Baggao, Cagayan in 1989 by late NMP entomologist Venancio Samarita. It was named after National Scientist Dr. Clare Baltazar, for her contributions to Philippine entomology.

The other species is Metapocyrtus siargaonon, named after Siargao Island.

Photo from National Museum of the Philippines’ Facebook

According to the NMP, this research delay highlighted a taxonomic impediment in the country.

“The discovery highlights just how pressing the taxonomic impediment is, given that the species has only been described 34 years after its initial collection. Collecting voucher specimens for taxonomic and scientific workers enables us to shed light on the other creatures we share the planet with, which are alarmingly being pushed to the brink of destruction,” it said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The NMP also added that some animal species risk being left undiscovered due to habitat destruction.

“The majority of these species are threatened by habitat destruction, and most have not yet been discovered, leaving the possibility that these can never become known to us,” it added.

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