In July 2024, the description of a new species of tropical kiwi from the Philippines was published in Phytotaxa.
๐๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ช๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐ง๐๐ฉ๐
๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป/๐ต๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐: Mt. Pantaron Range, Bukidnon, and Mt. Balatukan Natural Park, Misamis Oriental
๐๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐: ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข shares certain characteristics with two other endemic ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ถ๐ช๐ข species. Like ๐. ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข and ๐. ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด, the branchlets and leaves of ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข are covered with felt-like tomentum (filamentous hairs) and dense flower clusters. However, ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข differs by having rusty-colored tomentum, cordate (heart-shaped) leaf bases, crenate (rounded-toothed instead of spiky) leaf margins, and fascicled-cymose flowers (crowded together, with a flower at the apex of the flower axis), which grow both in the leaves’ axils (the upper angle between a leaf and a stem) and on branches (ramiflorous).
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐: Endangered; researchers have only observed 10 individuals of the species in lower montane forest areas that suffer from destrictive forest clearing and relentless resource-gathering.
๐๐๐๐บ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐: The species name ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข pertains to the colors of the tomentum and scales that cover ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข, which make it different from other Philippine ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ถ๐ช๐ข species.
Significance
๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข is the 58th known ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ถ๐ช๐ข species in the Philippines. It has only been found in the Mt. Pantaron Range and Mt. Balatukan Natural Park, both in Mindanao. While discovering new species is perhaps the publicโs top-of-mind idea when it comes to what a taxonomist does, the description of organisms previously unknown to science can also serve as a reminder โ or warning โ about the dire conditions of their habitats.
According to the authors, the Mt. Pantaron Range is currently not protected by any law, despite harboring many unique species and being under constant threat of massive forest cover loss due to development, mining, and unsustainable resource harvesting. Moreover, without appropriate protection laws, the indigenous Manobo, Higaonon, and Bukidnon peoples could someday lose this mountain range, a home they consider sacred.
Mt. Balatukan, on the other hand, is a protected area; however, there is evidence that poachers and illegal loggers still operate there shamelessly. The researchers also note that armed conflict in the area has โmade parts of it inaccessible, hampering implementation of conservation programs.โ
Lastly, due to โthe lack of revisionary studies and a clear understanding of species boundaries and morphological variation,โ there is a knowledge gap concerning the ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ถ๐ช๐ข genus in the Philippines.
Thus, the authors hope that as new species like ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ข are found, more people will become involved and invested not only in enhancing our grasp of this fascinating genus, but also in the conservation of culturally significant and geographically isolated biodiversity hubs.โMF
Reference:
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.
