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 – ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐
The newly named genus ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ข belongs to the hemipteran family Cercopidae, which comprises the insects we call froghoppers or spittlebugs. ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ข bears some similarities to another Cercopidae genus, ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข, but can be distinguished by the fact that ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ข bugs have entirely translucent tegmina (forewings) and elongated compound eyes, among other differences.
Etymology: The genus is named after the Latin word ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐ด๐ฎ๐ข, meaning โphantom,โ โghost,โ or โapparitionโ โ a reference to the bugsโ ghostly forewings.
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐๐
Distribution/habitat: Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines (Type locality: Mt. Pangasugan, Leyte Island)
Endemic: Yes
Distinctive traits: ๐. ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ช 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 ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ข species, ๐. ๐ฎ๐ข๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช; however, ๐. ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ชโs 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. ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ช 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.
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐
Distribution/habitat: Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines (Type locality: Laguna)
Endemic: Yes
Distinctive traits: ๐. ๐ฎ๐ข๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช 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. ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ช’s; however, the dimple on ๐. ๐ฎ๐ข๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ชโs 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. ๐ฎ๐ข๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช was named after Cripolonโs 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 (๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฆ๐ต๐ณ๐ช) and two new species under it (๐. ๐ค๐ข๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฆ and ๐. ๐บ๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ฆ) โ encourages further study and exploration of the Philippinesโ biodiverse islands.โMF
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.