LUNA, Apayao β Members of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) rediscovered a beetle species that had not been sighted for over a century during a beetle expedition in a forested area of Barangay Tanglagan, Calanasan, Apayao, on June 13, 2023.
Known as Pseudapocyrtus Schadenbergi Heller, the beetle was initially documented in 1912 by Dr. Alexander Schadenberg, a German botanist, and zoologist who explored parts of the Philippines. The “Heller” in the beetle honors German taxonomist K.M. Heller, who described the species in a journal article that same year.Β
Until this rediscovery, no further sightings of this beetle had been reported. It took 111 years and a dedicated beetle expedition in Apayao to document it again.
The expedition’s primary goal was to gather empirical species data to support the protection of the Apayao Lowland Forest Key Biodiversity Area and advocate for its declaration as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) biosphere reserve.
According to the paper, two specimens of P. schadenbergi were collected and are now housed at the National Museum of Natural History under the National Museum of the Philippines (PNM) and the California Academy of Sciences Entomology Collection (CASENT). These specimens are the first documented records of the beetle in its natural habitat, providing essential locality data for the species. Currently, only five P. schadenbergi specimens are globally deposited across three natural history museums.
Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr., and Congresswoman Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang express their gratitude and appreciation to the PEF members who made this rediscovery possible: Ma. Susana Legaspi, Tristan Luap Senarillos, Andrei Von Mariano Tirona, Kristian James Suetos, Guiller Opiso, Dr. Jayson Ibanez, Dr. Ann Cabras of Davao Oriental State University, and Matthew van Dam of the Institute of Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences.
This rediscovery sheds light on the biodiversity richness of Apayao and likewise points out the importance of conservation efforts in preserving our natural heritage for future generations. By Jc Marquez
