Salagubang

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Francesco Vitali, an Italian entomologist based in Italy who works on the family Ceramycidae and has been in touch with me from time to time. He is studying the cerambycid species of the genus Cacia of the tribe Mesosini. From his remarks, he identified three of my Cacia sp. found at the gallery. The species are, right to left, photo above:

• Cacia (Ipocregyes) imogenae HUDEPOHL 1989
• Cacia (Ipocregyes) butuana HELLER 1923
• Cacia (Ipocregyes) vermiculata mindanaonis BREUNING 1980

He has some doubts, however, regarding the exact placement of C. butuana HELLER 1923 since he indicated that Breuning, a towering figure in the study of Cerambycidae, placed this species (and C. inculta) in the subgenus Cacia and Corethrophora. Of the 12 species that I have in the gallery, all from Mindanao, these are the only ones that have been identified.

Chrysodema dalmanni ESCHSCHOLTZ 1837 is another Chrysodema species that I am having difficulties identifying when it comes to the other like specimens because of the color variations.

This species is found throughout the country except Palawan and perhaps, the Sulu Archipelago. Outside of the Philippines, it is present in Celebes in Indonesia, all the way to Taiwan and then to Japan where it is restricted to the Ryuku Island Group. Looking at the distribution map, the areas where this can be found is fascinating as it outlines an arc but skipping Sundaland.

Chrysodema jucunda LAPORTE & GORY 1835 is the third Chrysodema species that I have correctly identified. However, like the rest of the members of the genus, there are certain color as well as elytral pattern variations. Lander, in his Chrysodema paper listed seven (7) synonyms.

This species is widely distributed in the country and is also found in Borneo.

Chrysodema smaragdula OLIVIER 1790 is one of the oldest Chrysodema species that have been described. It is also one with many different descriptions by different authors with 16 synonyms. This is because in the areas this species can be found, there are many variations ranging from dark to bright green, coppery and even yellowish. It has a very wide distribution ranging from the Philippines, Borneo, Papua New Guinea and all the way to some islands of New Britain and Solomon Islands in the east. After C. radians GUIRIN 1831, this species has the 2nd largest distributional range.

In the country, it is found in Mindanao, Dinagat, Romblon, Mindoro, Samar, Panay, Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte.

Chrysodema eximia LAPORTE & GORY, 1835, is one of the beautiful Chrysodema species that can be found in the country. This species is distributed in the island of Luzon and reaches as far as Taiwan. The coloration is not always constant. Variations occur ranging from a dark green, to golden green with some specimens having reddish tinge.

Yoshihiko Kurosawa described a new subspecies in his 1989 paper and named it Chrysodema eximia kawamurai in honor of a collector, Shun-ichi Kawamura, who brought him specimens that were collected in Camiguin Is., Babuyan Group. His reason for the new description was that the specimens were entirely coppery to greenish coppery compared to the bright green to golden green of the nominotypical race known. However, Lander in his paper synonymized this as just a variation. Chrysodema intercostata SAUNDER 1874 is another synonym.