Tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of Northern Mindanao region (Philippines): checklist, distributional maps, and habitats.

The knowledge about tiger beetle fauna of the Northern Mindanao region (Philippines) is summarized based on literature data and new records. Thirty species classified in ten genera (Tricondyla, Neocollyris, Protocollyris, Therates, Prothyma, Heptodonta, Thopeutica, Lophyra, Calomera, and Cylindera) were documented from the area (56% of tiger beetle fauna of Mindanao and 21% of Philippine species). Twelve species were noted from Northern Mindanao region for the first time, including five taxa, Neocollyris speciosa, Calomera angulata, Cylindera minuta, Lophyra striolata tenuiscripta, and Thopeutica virginea, not recorded from Mindanao before. Distribution maps for all recorded species and the first photographs of habitats for some species in Mindanao and/or in the Philippines are provided. Eight species (27% of recorded fauna) were noted from riverine habitats while 18 tiger beetles (60%) were typical forest taxa; in the case of four species, their habitats in Northern Mindanao region are not known.

On a collection of freshwater and estuarine crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines.

The brachyuran fauna of the large southern Philippine island of Mindanao is poorly known, with only a few freshwater and estuarine crab species described or recorded in the last 30 years. Renewed interest in crab biodiversity has led to recent, small-scale surveys (2016-2019) of freshwater and estuarine habitats in various localities in Mindanao, which have yielded a good diversity of brachyuran crabs. As a result, a total of 26 species of brachyuran crab, representing 6 families (Hymenosomatidae, Oziidae, Gecarcinidae, Sesarmidae, Varunidae, and Ocypodidae), are reported here. Of these, 15 species are new records for the main island of Mindanao, 6 of which are also new records for the Philippines. Remarks on the taxonomy, distribution, and natural history of these species are also provided.

The Venom of Philippine Tarantula (Theraphosidae) Contains Peptides with Pro-Oxidative and Nitrosative-Dependent Cytotoxic Activities against Breast Cancer Cells (MCF-7) In Vitro.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease that affects women worldwide. Its progression is likely to be executed by oxidative stress wherein elevated levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species drive several breast cancer pathologies. Spider venom contains various pharmacological peptides which exhibit selective activity to abnormal expression of ion channels on cancer cell surface which can confer potent anti-cancer activities against this disease. METHODS: Venom was extracted from a Philippine tarantula by electrostimulation and fractionated by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Venom fractions were collected and used for in vitro analyses such as cellular toxicity, morphological assessment, and oxidative stress levels. RESULTS: The fractionation of crude spider venom generated several peaks which were predominantly detected spectrophotometrically and colorimetrically as peptides. Treatment of MCF-7 cell line of selected spider venom peptides induced production of several endogenous radicals such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), nitric oxide radicals (•NO), superoxide anion radicals (•O2-) and lipid peroxides via malondialdehyde (MDA) reaction, which is comparable with the scavenging effects afforded by 400 µg/mL vitamin E and L-cysteine (p<0.05). Concomitantly, the free radicals produced decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential and metabolic activity as detected by rhodamine 123 and tetrazolium dye respectively (p>0.05). This is manifested by cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells as seen by increase in membrane blebbing, cellular detachment, caspase activity and nuclear fragmentation. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the Philippine tarantula venom contains peptide constituents exhibiting pro-oxidative and nitrosative-dependent cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 cells and can indicate mechanistic insights to further explore its potential application as prooxidants in cancer therapy.
.

A new record of Neoperla obliqua Banks, 1930 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Mt. Malindang, Mindanao, Philippines and association of life stages using DNA barcodes.

The nymph of the perlid Neoperla obliqua Banks, 1913 from Mt. Malindang, Mindanao Island, the Philippines is described and associated with the male and female adults using DNA barcodes. Using pairwise CO1, the nymph was associated with 99.9 ± 0.14% interspecific similarity, while comparison between sexes generated a 0.2% intraspecific divergence between males and females of putative conspecifics. Additionally, the mature ova from female adults are described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The distinctive chorionic surface is rugose with longitudinal ridge-like pattern with a bare and flat collar.

DNA barcodes for dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) of Mindanao, Philippines.

Reliable species identification provides a sounder basis for use of species in the order Odonata as biological indicators and for their conservation, an urgent concern as many species are threatened with imminent extinction. We generated 134 COI barcodes from 36 morphologically identified species of Odonata collected from Mindanao Island, representing 10 families and 19 genera. Intraspecific sequence divergences ranged from 0 to 6.7% with four species showing more than 2%, while interspecific sequence divergences ranged from 0.5 to 23.3% with seven species showing less than 2%. Consequently, no distinct gap was observed between intraspecific and interspecific DNA barcode divergences. The numerous islands of the Philippine archipelago may have facilitated rapid speciation in the Odonata and resulted in low interspecific sequence divergences among closely related groups of species. This study contributes DNA barcodes for 36 morphologically identified species of Odonata reported from Mindanao including 31 species with no previous DNA barcode records.

Description of a new Oriental stonefly species, Phanoperla constanspina (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Mindanao, Philippines and association of life stages using DNA barcoding.

A new perlid stonefly, Phanoperla constanspina sp. nov. is described from Mt. Malindang, northern Mindanao, Philippines. The male of the new species is distinguished by lacking lobes on penial sac and large black spines at the penial apex. The female is distinguished by the egg. DNA barcoding was used to associate male, female, and nymphal specimens with 0% divergence. Morphological variation was observed in the shape of the hemitergal anterior processes and the 9th tergal setal patches of male adult and body pigmentation of the nymph. A key to the Philippine Phanoperla species and a checklist of Oriental Phanoperla are also provided.

Mitochondrial genome of a flashwing demoiselle, Vestalis melania from the Philippine Archipelago.

This study determined the first complete mitochondrial genome of a demoiselle, Vestalis melania (Odonata, Zygoptera, Calopterygidae) using long-range PCR and a primer walking approach. This mitogenome is 16,685 bp long and contains the entire set of 37 genes and an A + T-rich control region typically found in insects. Presently, this mitogenome is the largest mitogenome of all available odonates, mainly because of its long A + T-rich region (2036 bp). The gene arrangement of the V. melania mitogenome is identical to that of other known odonates. The inter-genic spacer s5 shared by the Anisoptera is absent in V. melania, which supports the view that the absence of the s5 spacer is a synapomorphy of the Zygoptera.