Philippines: colorful weevil rediscovered after 100 years + new species found

Biologist Tom Terzin of the University of Alberta discovered two species of weevil in the rainforests of the Philippine island of Negros: one previously thought extinct and one entirely new species. What is especially interesting is that the finds, published in the journal Topola, show nature’s ability to recover after human interference. Over the course of the 20th century, the island of Negros lost almost all of its primeval forest through commercial logging, large-scale agriculture and population growth. Only four percent of the original rainforest survived on the mountain peaks. In the early 21st century, primary rainforest in the mountains began to recover, while lowland forests are still absent.

Terzin’s discoveries come from the study of beetle samples collected in 2016 and 2017 in Northern Negros National Park. During his research on color patterns and mimicry in insects, he identified the colorful weevil Metapocyrtus (Orthocyrtus) bifoveatus, which had previously been known only from a type specimen collected in 1925 and had so far been considered extinct.

According to the study, Terzin discovered the specimen of Metapocyrtus (Orthocyrtus) bifoveatus in a rainforest at about 1,400 meters elevation, far above its original lowland home, which had been destroyed by logging. This suggests that the species either adapted to surviving at higher elevations to escape deforestation, had always been a highland species, or had a wider range before the forests were cleared.

A new weevil species was also discovered

In addition to rediscovering Metapocyrtus (Orthocyrtus) bifoveatus, Terzin came across a new beetle species in his research, distinguished by its black exterior without the typical metallic sheen of similar weevils. Of this new species, Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) augustanae, named after the Augustana Campus, Terzin found only a single female specimen measuring just 0.66 centimeters in length. Researchers describe the beetle as having a gray-black body with yellowish, bristle-like projections. This discovery in rainforest at around 1,400 meters elevation may point to rare and evolutionarily changing behaviors.

These discoveries emphasize the importance of biodiversity and the protection of natural habitats. The rediscovery of Metapocyrtus (Orthocyrtus) bifoveatus shows that species can survive at higher elevations even when their original habitat has been destroyed. The discovery of Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) augustanae reveals that there is still much to learn about the evolutionary adaptations of species, especially those previously known from only a single specimen.