Founded in 1982, the Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines (ASBP) aims to promote and represent the science and practice of taxonomy, systematic and natural history in the country. Its scope has expanded in recent years beyond the traditional sphere of basic taxonomy and systematically to include ethnobiology, biodiversity conservation, and public education. Membership of the ASBP is open to anyone who endorses the objectives of the organization.
Part of this further construction is the establishment of the Center for Informatics and Biodiversity Research. It is with great excitement that we welcome you all to the 36th Society of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines – Symposium and Annual Meeting (ASBP-SAM). I would like to thank all the active officers, members of the general steering committee, the local organizing committee headed by Dr. Sanguila from Father Saturnino Urios University, and to our dear participants for making this year's 36th ASBP-SAM a success.
Getting to know and appreciate the rich biodiversity of the Philippines through the important work of taxonomists and systematists is far from being fully realized in our society. The Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines (ASBP) has tried to ask itself these questions.
ASBP 2018 STEERING COMMITTEE
KEYNOTE LECTURE
PLENARY LECTURE
Rafe Brown is currently the Curator in Charge in the Herpetology Department of the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas. Macroinfauna in the Pitcher Traps of Nepenthes peltata in Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary. Species composition, endemism and local status of hawkmoths (Heterocera: Sphingidae) in the two proposed expansion sites of Mt.
Important species documented in the recent checklist of freshwater copepods (Copepoda: Calanoida & Cyclopoida) of Lopez et al.* in the Philippines. In the Philippines, Selaginella species are restricted to island groups, resulting in high endemism of the said species, and no species inventory has been conducted. The purpose of the study was to determine the species richness and conservation status of Selaginella in the Philippines.
The inventory revealed a total of forty-two Selaginella species from different montane ecosystems in the Philippines. The mentioned number of species is about 90% of the total number of species recorded in the Philippines. Species richness was highest in forest (SR=16) compared to forest edge (SR=6) and agricultural areas (SR=5).
The presence of anurans in this area is influenced by anthropogenic disturbance rather than an edge effect. They have a wide distribution from Southeast Asia and play an important role in the environment as indicators of habitat quality and biomass degradation. Today, the levels of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cd and Fe) in the river are relatively high; and approx.
A comparative study of the macrofungi of Mindoro Island, Philippines was conducted in the lowland forests of Mt. 1College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines. In 2017, Lopez et al. published the most recent account of freshwater microcrustaceans (Copepoda and Cladocera) in the Philippines.
Annotated checklist and island distribution of freshwater microcrustaceans (Copepoda: Calanoida & Cyclopoida; . Cladocera: Anomopoda and Ctenopoda) in the Philippines. Phylogenetic inference within the genus Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) in the Philippines based on DNA barcoding markers.
List of Abstracts
This study was performed to verify the occurrence of phenotypic plasticity in the genus Pleocnemia. Taxonomic studies and ethnomedicinal use of Zingiberaceae in the mountain ranges of Northern Antique, Philippines. Taxonomic research on Plecoptera (stoneflies) is one of the most overlooked gaps in freshwater studies in the Philippines, despite the high suitability of stoneflies as bioindicators of clean freshwater systems.
In the tropics, stoneflies have low family-level diversity, but due to the geological profile of the country, species richness and endemism are expected to be high. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the Zingiberaceae species present in the Northern Antique mountain ranges, to determine their species richness, diversity and ethno-medicinal use. On the identity of Miliusa vidalii deduced from multiple cpDNA sequence data Mariel B. The true identities of 'Lunas-Bagon' species from Agusan del Sur, Philippines deduced from ITS and rbcL sequences.
Review of the taxonomic status and distribution of the genus Dudgeodes SARTORI (Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Teloganodidae) in the Philippines. Spatial distribution of freshwater crabs in the selected eco-tourism sites of Libungan, North Cotabato. A species of an aerophytic, epiphyllous green alga, Phycopeltis epiphyton (Trentepohliaceae), causing reddening of the leaves of some fruit-bearing trees in Quezon, Laguna and Cavite, is reported for the first time in the Philippines.
2 Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031. The presence of invasive species and two opportunistic species in the forested and riparian zone indicates disturbance in the area. Despite the moderate species diversity at the sampling sites, the presence of invasive species indicates a threat to biodiversity in the protected landscape.
We highlight ecological and environmental threats (conversion to agricultural land, game hunting, slash and burn, and increasing population) in the area as deserving of mitigation. The findings indicated that no diversity of freshwater crabs was documented in the sampling sites. This study was conducted to determine the comparative abundance of two gastropod families, namely Conidae and Cypraeidae in the coastal waters of Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte, Philippines.
All species of Conidae and Cypraeidae seen in the sampling plots were counted to determine and compare their abundance. Thirteen species from the families Aphelocheiridae, Gerridae, Helotrephidae, Mesoveliidae, Nepidae and Veliidae were recorded in the areas.
