Mr. Elorde S. Crispolon, Jr. a faculty-researcher of USM College of Agriculture together with Dr. Sheryl A. Yap UPLB scientist and Dr. Adeline Soulier-Perkins and Dr. Eric Guilbert, European Collaborators discovered one new genus and five new species of spittlebugs in various islands of the Philippines. In addition, Mr. Crispolon and Dr. Guilbert made a taxonomic revision of one species of spittlebug previously discovered by earlier taxonomist. This discovery is part of the on-going research study of Mr. Crispolon for his doctorate degree in Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France.
The newly discovered genus of spittlebug is scientifically known as Trigonoschema Crispolon & Soulier-Perkins 2021 which currently contains 4 species endemic to the Philippines. Three of which are regarded novel to science and one is a result of taxonomic revision. The type species of the genus is known as Trigonoschema manoborum Crispolon & Soulier-Perkins 2021 named after the Manobos, the inhabitants in Bongolanon, Magpet, North Cotabato, the place where this type of specimen was first collected. Other species were T. negrosensis Crispolon & Yap 2021, named after Negros, the island where it was collected and T. rubercella Crispolon & Guilbert 2021, named for its striking red coloration in the network of cells at the apex of its forewings.
Another species previously classified under genus Mioscarta Breddin 1901 was transferred to the new genus Trigonoschema, now known as T. pallida (Lamelland, 1927). Two new species of spittlebugs in Luzon island were also discovered and is scientifically known as Mioscarta nubisa Crispolon & Soulier-Perkins 2021, named for its morphological character which is light to darker coloration forming a cloudy pattern on its forewings and M. translucida Crispolon & Yap 2021, named for its translucid forewings. This scientific advancement was published in European Journal of Taxonomy in 2021.
In the Philippines, only 18 genera and 65 species are known for this taxon of insect. However, with this discovery, the number of genera and species in the archipelago grew to 19 and 70, respectively. Most of the recorded species are endemic to the Philippines, and are distributed across the country’s three major regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Many economically important crops such as rice, corn, sugarcane and other pasture grasses are identified as hosts by cercopids in various regions in the world however, in the Philippines, there is a limited information on the species’ feeding habits and ecology because most specimens were collected using light traps, which do not allow direct observation.
These contributions to science, however, may serve as foundation for future biological researches.
