Phantagma garciai, Phantagma maarati
Phantagma garciai and P. maarati. (Photos: Laurent Fauvre – P. garciai; Maxime Le Cesne – P. maarati)

In March 2024, descriptions of two new insect species from the Philippines, as well as the proposal of a new genus, were published in Annales Zoologici.

New Genus – ๐™‹๐™๐™–๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™œ๐™ข๐™–

The newly named genus ๐˜—๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข belongs to the hemipteran family Cercopidae, which comprises the insects we call froghoppers or spittlebugs. ๐˜—๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข bears some similarities to another Cercopidae genus, ๐˜‘๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข, but can be distinguished by the fact that ๐˜—๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข bugs have entirely translucent tegmina (forewings) and elongated compound eyes, among other differences.

Etymology: The genus is named after the Latin word ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ฎ๐˜ข, meaning โ€œphantom,โ€ โ€œghost,โ€ or โ€œapparitionโ€ โ€” a reference to the bugsโ€™ ghostly forewings.

๐™‹๐™๐™–๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™œ๐™ข๐™– ๐™œ๐™–๐™ง๐™˜๐™ž๐™–๐™ž

Distribution/habitat: Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines (Type locality: Mt. Pangasugan, Leyte Island)

Endemic: Yes

Distinctive traits: ๐˜—. ๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ช is about 5.0 to 5.5 mm long and 2mm wide. Its head, body, and legs are yellowish white to orange, and its translucent tegmina sport shades of orange to light brown and slightly prominent veins. Its body is covered with yellowish or orange hairlike structures called setae. Generally, it is similar to the other newly named ๐˜—๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข species, ๐˜—. ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช; however, ๐˜—. ๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ชโ€™s scutellum (triangular back part) has a large, deep dimple, and the anterior cubital (CuA) veins on its back wings have a division or fork (bifurcation).

Conservation status: Unspecified

Described by: Elorde Crispolon Jr. and Adeline Soulier-Perkins

Etymology: ๐˜—. ๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ช was named after Dr. Francisco Gil Garcia, the President of the University of Southern Mindanao, in recognition of his support of research and faculty development at the university.

๐™‹๐™๐™–๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™œ๐™ข๐™– ๐™ข๐™–๐™–๐™ง๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ž

Distribution/habitat: Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines (Type locality: Laguna)

Endemic: Yes

Distinctive traits: ๐˜—. ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช is about 4.0 to 6.5 mm long and 2 to 3 mm wide. Its head, body, and femurs are yellowish white to red, its scutellum has shades of orange, and its mouthparts and other leg segments are yellowish white. Yellowish setae cover its body, while its translucent tegmina are yellowish white to orange. Generally, its appearance is similar to ๐˜—. ๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ช’s; however, the dimple on ๐˜—. ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ชโ€™s scutellum is not as deep, and there is no observable bifurcation on its back wingsโ€™ CuA.

Conservation status: Unspecified

Described by: Elorde Crispolon Jr. and Maxime Le Cesne

Etymology: ๐˜—. ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช was named after Cripolonโ€™s former mentor, Prof. Carlito A. Maarat, whom the former credits with inspiring him to become an entomologist.

Significance

Prior to the discovery of these new species, the Philippines had 19 known genera of Cercopidae, with 70 species and nine subspecies; 87% of these are endemic. This newly published research โ€” which describes another new genus (๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฑ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ช) and two new species under it (๐˜. ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ฆ and ๐˜. ๐˜บ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ฆ) โ€” encourages further study and exploration of the Philippinesโ€™ biodiverse islands.โ€”MF


Reference:

Elorde Crispolon Jr.,ย Maxime Le Cesne,ย andย Adeline Soulier-Perkinsย “Description of Two New Philippine Genera Close toย Jacobsoniellaย Melichar (Hemiptera: Cercopidae),”ย Annales Zoologiciย 74(1), 17-42, (30 March 2024).ย https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2024.74.1.002

Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco

Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.