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Within the framework of the ‘Rapid Biodiversity Survey of Mainit Hot Spring Protected Landscape’ conducted by the Research and Development Centre of Assumption College of Nabunturan, an annotated list of Odonata was compiled, representing 41 species in 25 genera and 12 families from seven sites surveyed from December 2011 to February 2012. These records represent the baseline data for Mainit Hot Spring Protected Landscape and even for Compostela Valley Province. One species is potentially new to science; more than half of the records are forest dwelling endemics.

Keywords:Baseline data, endemic species, conservation

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The gross morphology of one of the world’s worst invasive plant species, Chromolaena odorata, now widespread in three provinces of the Zamboanga Peninsula, was examined and compared to the characteristics of Asian/West African (AWA), Southern African (SA), and Central and South America biotypes. C. odorata from the three provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula is very similar with the AWA and the Central and South American biotypes. Implications of this finding are discussed in the light of the species’ invasion and biocontrol in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Philippines.

Keywords: Chromolaena odorata, biotype, Asian-West African biotype, Southern African biotype, Central and South American biotype, gross morphology, invasive plants

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Cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) are single-celled, phagotropic micropredators in soil. Often, these organisms are grown in the laboratory with Escherichia coli as the food bacterium. In this study, we evaluated the feeding preferences of eight species of dictyostelids previously isolated from Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. Our results showed that the isolated dictyostelids preferred gram-negative bacteria over gram-positive bacteria and yeasts. E. coli remained the food of choice by the most of the isolated cellular slime molds. Our study is the first attempt to evaluate the feeding preferences of locally isolated dictyostelids.

Keywords: bacteriovores, soil micropredators, food bacteria/yeasts, feeding preferences

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Results of an inventory of the fauna of aquatic and semiaquatic true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera) of small streams in a lake catchment of northern Palawan are presented. Twenty-one species were recorded. Taxonomic and ecological notes, distribution and collection sites are given for each identified taxon. Rhagovelia hoberlandti Hungerford & Matsuda 1961 is newly ranked as a subspecies of R. kawakamii (Matsumura 1913): Rhagovelia kawakamii hoberlandti Hungerford & Matsuda 1961, stat.n. Cercotmetus asiaticus Amyot & Serville 1843 is recorded for the first time from the Philippines. Endemic and few undescribed taxa are discussed. Additional environmental data of the sampled waters are discussed with comparative surveys in the country.

Keywords: Philippines, AQUA Palawana, freshwater biodiversity, taxonomy, water bugs, Hemiptera

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