Salagubang

This is the third installment of new photos that I have added to this website, this time consisting of two species of genus Metapocyrtus and one species of genus Pseudapocyrtus. All were collected in Real, Quezon (here and here).

While the M. quadriplagiatus ROELOFS 1874 were more abundant, these species were found within the same locality but much fewer, especially this little plain brown ones which I found just on some trees.

The gallery page has new photos added from specimens that I have collected in Real, Quezon. A male and two females of Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus ROELOFS 1874 makes up this latest addition. I decided to illustrate two female variations: one, with the typical elytral design that is also found in the male. Another with two small spots between the basal and apical markings. I have also shown a lateral view of one of the females to illustrate the conical projection just below the head.

This characteristic seems to be typical of the subgenus Artapocyrtus of which there are about 14 species found in different islands from Luzon to Mindanao. The other species that I have, the beautiful Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) derasocobaltinus HELLER 1912, found in Samar and Leyte islands, has the same ventral projection.

The Southeast Asian Cerambycid subfamily Parandrinae is undergoing a general revision and is currently being studied by a South American entomologist, Antonio Santos-Silva. From a previous post, wherein I first emailed images, I eventually sent seven specimens from my collection through Dan Heffern, and the feedback? VERY GOOD NEWS!

All are new to Science and belongs to two species (figured here) of which five specimens is the latest addition that will bring Philippine Parandrinae to seven new species. As these came from me, the author will name it in my honor. AHEM.

I’m just too excited.

Last week, I posted about the Batocera rubus that I found during a trek for Cawayan Falls in Real, Quezon. Other than the cerambycid beetle, I also found three species of Pachyrrhynchini (two Metapocyrtus sp. and one Pseudapocyrtus sp. — not shown)

Just at the entrance to the trail beside the main road, I already found this Metapocyrtus quadriplagiatus ROELOFS 1874 among the vegetation. This species is quite common in the area and both male and female can be collected feeding. M. quadriplagiatus can be identified with the four elytral markings: two at the basal and two at the apical part. The females are definitely larger and in some instances, two small spots between the larger spots can be seen. Like the beautiful M. (Artapocyrtus) derasocobaltinus HELLER 1912 from Samar, and probably for subgenus Artapocyrtus, there is a conical projection just below the head.

The second Metapocyrtus species that I was able to find is this one with greenish spots, a marking that is rather common and found within many places in the country. I’m not sure what it’s name is but it’s similar in size to the former species. This is not as common but can be found feeding on the same hostplant.

The area where these species were collected was just beside the road near the river. I’m not sure what plant is this one but it’s not tall and the curculionids are easily collected amongst the leaves or crawling at the stems. When approached, it easily hides under the leaf but does not fall to the ground easily unlike other Pachyrrhynchini.

Unlike those of the genus Pachyrrhynchus, Metapocyrtus are rather adaptable to cultivated areas.

A male and female Batocera rubus mniszechi

I was in Real, Quezon lately for some photo documentary work and was able to venture into Cawayan Falls. While trekking in the morning into some forested area, I was just amazed that on a stump of wood, evidence of a cleared area for cultivation, a pair of Batocera rubus mniszechi THOMSON 1864 was getting ready for a copulation. I hurriedly got my camera and took some images.

This longhorn beetle is rather common in Luzon and it is identifiable by its pair of red markings located on it’s pronotum, generally darker color, as well as the spots on it’s elytra. It’s a medium sized Batocera (Batocerini, Lamiinae) species, about 50mm in length excluding the antennae. Subspecies mniszechi is on of two found in the country. The other is ssp. palawanica KAUP 1866 found in, well, Palawan Island.

What differentiates this from Batocera magica THOMSON 1859 is just the presence of the red pronotal spots. As for range, both species are not sympatric. B. rubus is found only in Luzon and Palawan while B. magica is found in Mindanao, Bohol, Camotes and Leyte (and maybe Samar and Cebu too).