Title #01: Rapid Assessment

of Coleopteran Fauna and

DNA Barcoding of Selected
Endemic Metapocyrtus
Species in WMSU
Experimental Forest,
Zamboanga City
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WMSU A RESEARCH TITTLE PROPOSAL

Researchers
Hadjula | Kalayakan | Tatel 1
Introduction

• Zamboanga region is one of the least explored areas in Mindanao

entomologically, especially for its coleoptran fauna (Cabras et al.,
2020)
• Coleoptera is the largest order
• Further, DNA barcoding of animals using mitochondrial
cytochrome c oxidase subunit one
• DNA barcoding together with morphological characters should be
used in delineating species especially in problematic groups for
taxonomic and conservation purposes (Cabras, 2016).

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Objectives
General Objective: To conduct rapid assessment of coleopteran fauna and DNA
Barcoding of Selected Endemic Metapocyrtus Species in WMSU Experimental
Forest, Zamboanga City
Specific Objectives:
• Provide a list of beetle species within the WMSU Experimental Forest;
• Identify species richness and other ecological indices and conservation status
of the area;
• Describe possible new species to science;
• Correlate species richness and diversity to environmental parameters like
humidity, elevation and aerial temperature.
• Conduct DNA barcoding Endemic Metapocyrtus Species in WMSU
Experimental Forest, Zamboanga City as a supplement to morphological data
in delineating species
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Significance of the Study

• This is significant in biodiversity initiatives of the institution

which can later contribute to the community through its
advocacy on conservation activities
• Possible outputs of this research may provide important
data for the conservation of local, endemic and possibly
endangered species so far unknown to the scientific
community.

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Scope and Delimitation

• The study will be conducted within the locale of WMSU

Experimental Forest, Zamboanga City for a period of at least
three months.

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Review of Related Literature

• The Philippines is one of the megadiverse countries in the world

(Heaney & Regalado, 1998)
• Among the highly understudied taxon in the Philippines are
insects which comprised more than 75% of the world’s fauna
(Mouhoubi et al., 2019)
• Mindanao, which is the second largest island in the country, is
among the least explored islands in the Philippines for insect
fauna particularly beetles (Acal et al, 2021)
• DNA barcoding is an essential tool in delineating species,
identifying new species, and establishing phylogenetic
relationships (Herbert et al., 2003). 6
 Title #02: Comparative
Species Composition and
Relative Abundance of
Mollusca in Marine Habitat of
Sinunuk Island, Zamboanga
City
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WMSU A RESEARCH TITTLE PROPOSAL

Researchers
Hadjula | Kalayakan | Tatel 7
Introduction

• The recent infestation of the coconut scale insect (CSI) has

reached epidemic proportions and is a major threat to the industry
(Almarinez et al., 2014).
• The genus Comperiella, with type species C. bifasciata, consists
of species of dark colored, tiny wasps that are parasitic on a
variety of diaspidids.
• This Comperiella sp. has been described as a new species, and
named C. calauanica by Barrion et al. C. calauanica has also
been confirmed in field and laboratory observations

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Objectives

General Objective:
• To assess the diversity of different marine habitats of Mollusca
in the study site.

Specific Objective:
• To provide data of comparison of species composition and
relative abundance of assessed Mollusca in the marine habitat
of Sinunuk Island, Zamboanga City.

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Significance of the Study

• This research is relevant in the industry because organic

coconut commodities are one of the Philippines' economic
backbones
• This study's possible outcomes could have provided useful
information and contributed to the eventual management of the
invasive coconut scale species, Comperiella.

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Scope and Delimitation

• The study will be conducted within the locale of Pasonanca

Natural Park, Zamboanga City for a period of at least three
months.

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Review of Related Literature

• Infestation of an armored scale insect (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

on coconut trees was first observed in 2009 in the province of
Batangas on Luzon Island, and had reached devastating outbreak
levels in the following years from 2010 to 2014.
• This Comperiella sp. has been described as a new species, and
named C. calauanica by Barrion et al. (2016).
• The Philippines is a primarily agricultural nation in Southeast Asia,
despite rapid industrialization in many areas of the archipelago
indicating 29.15% of total employment in the Philippines
agriculture by World Bank Employment in Agriculture (2019).
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