04/09/2026
Apayao Biodiversity Survey Team uncovers potential new species
Paving the way for future ecological discoveries, researchers from the University of Santo Tomas, Kyoto University, and the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity shared early herpetofaunal findings during a Research Exit Conference held at the Apayao Biosphere Reserve on August 19.
The nearly 396,000-hectare reserve contains the Apayao Lowland Forest Key Biodiversity Area, one of the last remaining lowland forest landscapes in the Philippines. This forest area serves as a habitat for threatened wildlife and features high levels of endemism.
The initial findings of the collaboration include three Platymantis specimens, which are currently being assessed to determine whether they are new to science. This reaffirms Apayao's rich biological diversity, solidifying its status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Beyond documenting new Platymantis species in the forests of Calanasan, the researchers aim to gain a broader understanding of the ecological conditions within the wildlife reserve by thoroughly evaluating 15 other herpetofaunal species. This collection of frogs, snakes, geckos, skinks, and other reptiles and amphibians is being further analyzed using taxonomic and morphological methods to establish their identities and determine their roles in the nature reserve's ecosystem.
Asst. Prof. Mae Lowe L. Diesmos, MSc, a faculty member from the Department of Biological Sciences, led the herpetological research collection, with the aforementioned collaborators and the support of the Apayao provincial government.
Through this herpetofaunal survey, the research team hopes to go beyond compiling a simple species list for the area. They aim to provide baseline information for future research and better conservation planning over the next few years of reserve management.
Written by Stephen Recto
