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Moss species composition inhabiting different microhabitats and substrates in three urbanized environments in Bukidnon province was determined through opportunistic sampling. Results revealed 40 species of mosses belonging to 34 genera and 21 families. Erythrodontium julaceum (Schwägr.) Paris, Solmsiella biseriata (Austin) Steere, Hyophila involuta (Hook.) A. Jaeger, Meiothecium tenellum Broth. & Paris, Sematophyllum pinnatum M. Fleisch., Fissidens sp., and Thuidium plumulosum (Dozy & Molk.) Dozy & Molk. were the most abundant species. Furthermore, 26 moss species colonized 52 host trees from 26 families and 48 genera. A total of 322 moss samples were collected on trees, of which 57 (30.8%) and 123 (66.5%) inhabited pole and sawlog diameter at breast height (DBH) class, respectively. Among the host tree species, Swietenia macrophylla King, Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sm., and Acacia mangium Willd. had the highest number of moss species colonizing. In addition, 174 (94.05%) moss samples colonized rough bark textures, while 11 (5.96%) grew on smooth textures. A wide diversity of planted trees in urban landscapes can  contribute toward bryophyte diversity and species conservation. Further study on the life form of mosses is recommended to determine the moss communities in urbanized settings and man-made environments in Bukidnon province.

KEYWORDS: diversity, man-made environments, species richness, substrate specificity, urban forestry

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A total of 16 intertidal zones on three Philippine islands, namely Panay, Camiguin, and Mindanao, were surveyed for ribbon-worm fauna in March–April 2023. Based on the external morphology, with additional support from partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of the collected specimens, the survey revealed four species in Heteronemertea, namely two members of the Dushia nigra (Stimpson, 1855) species complex and two unidentified members of family Lineidae. One member of the D. nigra species complex was found in all the 16 collection sites while the other only in one site. Additionally, four species in Monostilifera, namely Prosadenoporus spectaculus (Yamaoka, 1940), Prosadenoporus sp. PH23-01, Prosadenoporus sp. PH23-02, and Monostilifera sp. PH23, were identified. This study presents the first record of the D. nigra species complex (confirmly documented only in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam) and P. spectaculus (previously documented only in Japan and China) in the Philippines.

KEYWORDS: biodiversity, biogeography, cox1, marine invertebrates, taxonomy

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Species in isolated small islands are susceptible to extinction, especially when major environmental changes occur. The non-marine mollusks of the Batanes Group of Islands (BGI) have not been extensively surveyed and monitored compared to vertebrates. We sought to determine the current non-marine mollusk diversity and assess the conservation status of the species found. A total of 92 man-hours of opportunistic sampling in nine sampling stations yielded 41 morphospecies (29 identified to species, 12 identified to genus), which comprised 14 operculated and 27 non-operculated snails. Of the 41 morphospecies, 25 were macro snails and 16 were micro snails (shell size ≤5mm). Species diversity tended to be high in limestone cliff sites and forests with karst outcrops, proving the importance of these habitats in maintaining overall biodiversity. The 29 species were assessed for conservation status using the Philippine National Red List evaluation guidelines for terrestrial invertebrates; nine fell within the category of Other Threatened Species (OTS) while 20 were categorized as Least Concern (LC). The OTS classified species were macro snails that are collected for shell trade and/or consumed as food. Monitoring is recommended to ensure the maintenance of these populations in the future. Furthermore, the findings in this study undertones that limestone cliffs and karst outcrops should be protected from land conversion and quarrying as these habitats harbor a rich diversity of micro snails.

KEYWORDS: malacofauna, terrestrial, freshwater, karsts, archipelago

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Three red-fin Decapterus specimens were collected in the Ilocos coast, Philippines. These specimens shared morphological features with D. akaadsi Abe, 1958 by having the following characters: body depth 25.1–26.0 % SL (ratio between body depth and standard length), head length 29.1–30.4 % SL (ratio between head length and standard length), distance between snout
and anus 53.8–55.2 % SL (ratio between the distance and standard length), squamation of the curved part of the lateral line 48–51 cycloid scales and 3–4 scutes, squamation of the straight part of the lateral line 0 cycloid scales and 26–29 scutes, tip of pectoral fin reaching beyond the origin of the second dorsal fin, opercular membrane entire, and tip of upper jaw not hooked. Additionally, the COI sequences of these specimens clustered with the known COI sequences of D. akaadsi in the Neighbor-Joining tree (bootstrap value 99%). With morphological and molecular evidences, this study confirms the first records of D. akaadsi in the Philippines. Also, this study illustrates the importance of rigorous morphological analysis and DNA barcoding for the identification of morphologically similar Decapterus species. The discovery provides useful information about roundscad Decapterus commonly known as “galunggong”, one of the most commercially important fishes in the Philippines.

KEYWORDS: COI, DNA barcoding, galunggong, red-fin Decapterus group, roundscads

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The giant golden orb-weaving spider, Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793), is notable for its color polymorphism. Here, we report the pattern polymorphism of this species. A Nephila species with unusual abdominal patterning from the Philippines is confirmed herein as N. pilipes based on its somatic structures and genitalia. The abdominal pattern consists of rows of subquadrate yellow spots on the dorsum, which is distinct from the typical longitudinal yellow stripes in N. pilipes. We provided the distribution of the spotted variant based on citizen science data on the internet, suggesting that this particular variation may be regionally endemic in the Philippines.

KEYWORDS: aposematism, arachnids, citizen science, intraspecific variation, Nephilinae

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The introduction of non-native fish species in the freshwater ecosystems of the Philippines presents a clear threat to native ichthyofauna, making verified reports of such introductions all the more critical. Through the examination of a collected specimen and anecdotes from fisherfolk and social media, we present here the first records of the occurrence of the tinfoil barb, Barbonymus schwanefeldii (Bleeker, 1854), in Laguna de Bay, Luzon Island, Philippines. This represents the addition of another non-native fish species in this lake, which is increasingly becoming dominated by non-native and invasive fishes that have been intentionally or accidentally introduced. Monitoring landed fish catch is crucial in mapping out the occurrence of this species in other portions of Laguna de Bay and its surrounding rivers.

KEYWORDS: barbs, Cypriniformes, freshwater fishes, new record, non-native species

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Fungal endophytes are essential components of the plant microbiome, often reported to promote plant growth and protection against phytopathogens through the production of bioactive secondary metabolites and other biocontrol mechanisms. In this paper, we listed the species of fungal endophytes associated with the plant family Zingiberaceae that grow in Southeast Asia, including the plant parts where these Zingiberaceae fungal endophytes (ZFE) were isolated and any reported biological activities. From our analysis, among the most studied plant hosts are Zingiber officinale Roscoe (44 ZFE), Amomum siamense (Roxb.) K. Schum. (28 ZFE), Curcuma longa L. (16 ZFE), Elettaria sp. (15 ZFE), Hedychium coronarium J.Koenig (13 ZFE), Etlingera littoralis (J.Koenig) Giseke (5 ZFE), Alpinia malaccensis (Burm.f.) Roscoe (4 ZFE), and Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. (3 ZFE). The most isolated fungal endophytes were species belonging to the genera Fusarium, Trichoderma, Colletotrichum, and Pyricularia. Reported bioactivities are mainly about inhibitory activities against fungi and bacteria. The close association between fungal endophytes and Zingiberaceae likely stems from the plants’ secondary metabolites, their ecological niches in tropical habitats, and co-evolutionary relationships that provide mutual benefits—protection for the plant and a resource-rich environment for the fungi.

KEYWORDS: bioactivities, drug discovery, ginger, Paleotropics, plant mycobiome, species list

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The Philippines is known to host the greatest marine biodiversity per unit area; however, assessment of its sponge biodiversity remains very limited and outdated. We present here the most comprehensive and updated account of Philippine sponge biodiversity, by (1) compiling all known Philippine sponge records from published literature, online databases, museum collections, and grey literature, and (2) checking the taxonomic status of those records against World Porifera Database. Based on our results, a total of 429 sponge species belonging to 175 genera, 90 families, 28 orders, and 4 classes were recorded in the Philippines. Of these, about 190 species have dubious distribution records that need further investigation. Our study also provides updated accounts on the number of species per taxonomic group, a brief analysis of the distribution
of the species records, and assessment of available species morphological descriptions, specimen images, and molecular data. As it stands, the Philippines is the second most species-rich country, next to Indonesia, with regards to sponges in the Southeast Asian region. However, the current Philippine sponge diversity count is most likely an underestimate given
the lack of a national systematic sampling. In addition, there are significant knowledge gaps on the Philippine sponges with regards to morphological character descriptions, specimen images, and molecular information. Therefore, a national systematic sampling must be conducted to confirm the dubious records and improve the knowledge gaps on Philippine sponge biodiversity, distribution, population status, and taxonomic identification.

KEYWORDS: Philippine, coral reef biodiversity, Porifera, sponge checklist, sponge taxonomy and systematics

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Jaafar, Z. & E.O. Murdy. eds. 2017. Fishes out of water: Biology and ecology of mudskippers. CRC Press, Boca Raton. xx + 390 pages. ISBN-13 978-1-4987-1787-8. Hardback, 18 x 26 cm.

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