International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) Volume: 3 | Issue: 3 | Mar-Apr 2019 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 - 6470

Beetles in Selected Barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar,

Jehosaphat C. Jazmin 1, Abel Alejandro U. Flores, Jr. 2 University Research and Development Services, College of Science Biology Department, Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines

How to cite this paper : Jehosaphat C. ABSTRACT Jazmin | Abel Alejandro U. Flores, Jr. This initial research effort was conducted to identify the species in five " in Selected Barangays of selected barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar, and describe the Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines" environmental factors that affect the presence of beetles in the study area. It Published in International Journal of used the descriptive method of research, with the purposive sampling technique Trend in Scientific Research and as the sampling procedure utilized. Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456- Due to limitations of the researcher, a total of only seventeen (17) beetle species, 6470, Volume-3 | belonging to eleven (11) families, were found present in different sampling sites. Issue-3 , April 2019, The most abundant of the beetle species individual was Harmonia axyridis, pp.487-490, URL: constituting 76.14% of the total number of beetles in the study area, while the http://www.ijtsrd.co least abundant were Alaus sp ., and Diphucephala sp., each with only one (1) m/papers/ijtsrd229 IJTSRD2 2937 individual present, accounting for a relative abundance of only 0.46%. 37.pdf The air and soil temperature range between 27 oC to 29 oC. Grasses, trees, shrubs, Copyright © 2019 by author(s) and and herbs were the common vegetation present in the study sites where beetles International Journal of Trend in were found. This implies that environmental factors were conducive for the Scientific Research and Development beetles to thrive in the area. The presence of different beetle species indicates Journal. This is an Open Access article the study area has a diverse beetle fauna, albeit it is only a small fraction of the distributed under total beetle species listed in the country. It is imperative that conservation the terms of the efforts should be strengthened by the LGU in order to conserve not only the Creative Commons beetle population in the study area, but other organisms, both flora and fauna, as Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) well. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0)

KEYWORDS : beetles, Coleoptera, Catarman, Northern Samar

‘ INTRODUCTION In Haldane’s day, estimates of the number of beetle species The Philippine tiger beetle fauna presently includes 139 were in the tens of thousands. Currently, the estimates range species, 120 (86.3 %) of which appear to be endemic to the to about 350,000 species, accounting for about 20 percent of archipelago, which makes the Philippines the seventh richest all hexapod species. Their small size, an average length country of the world in absolute numbers of species, the fifth ranging from 4–5 millimeters, has ensured that their in percent number of endemic tiger beetle species (Cassola, activities mostly go unnoticed, but sheer numbers of species, 2011). A rapid survey of tiger beetles conducted by Anzano make them important members of all terrestrial and and Cabras (2016) in two protected landscapes of Davao freshwater ecosystems, being important food items for Region reported a total of five (62.5%) endemic species, of numerous species of reptiles, birds, small mammals, and fish. which 60% are Philippine endemics, while 2 (40%) are Beetles are also important agricultural and forestry pests, endemic to Mindanao. Two species, Heptodonta lumawigi with numerous species being injurious to crops, trees, and and Cylindera (Eugrapha ) excisa , were first provincial stored products. Their most important beneficial roles, as records in Compostela Valley, raising its tiger beetle fauna pollinators and as recyclers of nutrients, are activities which from twelve to fourteen. Ecologic data were also presented ensure the health of ecosystems (Ashworth, 2001). for the species as well as the threats that they experience in both protected landscapes, providing baseline data of tiger Beetles have "sheathed" wings ( elytra ), for the past 285 beetles for both protected landscapes. Conservation million years, while their hind wings, made of membrane measures should be conducted to preserve the tiger beetles. and does the actual “flying”, are a later development (245 Strengthened implementation of protection in both million years ago), at least for the 90% of beetle species in protected landscapes against mining, illegal logging, slash the suborder Polyphaga. Their hind wings are much bigger and burn farming and human settlements should also be than their elytra, sometimes sticking out from under these done (Anzano and Cabras, 2016). covers when flying beetles land (Grimaldi and Engel, 2005).

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD22937 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 3 | Mar-Apr 2019 Page: 487 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY It used the descriptive method of research, purposively Specifically, the study aimed to: sampling and collecting beetle species using an net. 1. identify the different species of beetles in selected Each species was identified, quantified, classified, and placed barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar; in a container for preservation purposes. 2. determine the abundant species and the relative abundance of beetle species present in the study area; RESULTS AND DISCUSSION and, From five sampling sites, represented by different barangays 3. describe the environmental factors that affect the of Catarman, Northern Samar which were visited every weekend at daytime and nighttime, a total of seventeen (17) Presence of beetles in the study area in terms of: beetle species were collected, pre-identified by the 3.1. Air temperature; researcher, and authenticated by an expert. These species 3.2. Soil temperature; belong to eleven (11) families, namely: , 3.3. Habitat; and, Brentidae, Cetoniidae, Cerambycidae, Coccinellidae, 3.4. Vegetation (Grassland, forest, woodland, coconut Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Elateridae, Lucanidae, trees, or rice field) Melolonthidae, and Scarabaeidae. The beetle species were, namely: Harmonia axyridis, Delphastus sp., Chrysochroa METHODOLOGY fulminans, Chrysochus sp., Aspidimorpha miliaris, Chalcosoma This study was conducted in the Municipality of Catarman, atlas, Aulacophora sp., Oryctes rhinoceros, Otiorhychus sp., Northern Samar, a first-class municipality and the capital Scyphophorus acupuntatus, Leucopholis irrorata, town of Northern Samar, Philippines, subdivided into 55 Diphucephala sp., Anoplophora sp., Heterorrhina sp., Nigidius barangays (Catarman Municipal Profile, 2016). amplicollis, Alaus sp., and Pachyrhynchus sp.

Alaus sp. Anoplophora sp

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD22937 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 3 | Mar-Apr 2019 Page: 488 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD22937 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 3 | Mar-Apr 2019 Page: 489 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings, it can be concluded that a diversity of LITERATURE CITED beetle species was present in the study area, which implies 1. Ashworth, A. C., 2001. Perspectives on Quaternary that environmental were conducive for the beetles to thrive. Beetles and Climate Change. In: Gerhard, L. C., W. E. Although the number of species collected were only a Harrison, and B. M. fraction of the total number of beetle species listed in the 2. Hanson (Eds.). Geological Perspectives of Global Climate country, it is shown that there is a variety of species present. Change. American Association of Petroleum Geologists The researchers recommend that further studies on the Studies in Geology # 47, Tulsa, Oklahoma. influence of habitat types, vegetative cover, and other environmental parameters on the presence or absence of 3. Cabras, Analyn and Jurgen Weisner, Tiger Beetles beetles in other barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) of Mainit should be done to have a relatively complete baseline Hotspring and Mati Protected Landscape, Mindanao information about their existence in the locality. Further, with Notes on their Ecology and Threats, International conservation efforts should be strengthened by the LGU in Research Journal of biological Sciences, Vol. 5 (9), 16-21, order to conserve not only the beetle population in the study September, 2016. area but other organisms, both flora and fauna, as well. 4. Cassola, F. 2011. Studies of Tiger Beetles: A new

Calomera species from Mindanao, Philippines ACKNOWLEDGMENT (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae). Spixiana 34 (1): 129-131. The researchers would like to thank the following: 1. The College Administration 5. Department of the Interior and Local Government, 2. The Local Government Unit of Catarman, Northern Catarman, Northern Samar, 2017. Samar 6. Pacific Pests and Pathogens Factsheet, 2016, Australian 3. The University Research and Development Services Unit Center for International Agricultural Research.

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD22937 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 3 | Mar-Apr 2019 Page: 490