Zootaxa journal recently published and gave names to 6 cricket discovered in the Philippines, and one of it is only found in Palawan. This cricket now known as Lebinthus hamus is found in a place called Tarumpitao in Palawan year 1958 for the male species, while the female is found in Pasig in the municipality of Balabac in 1957.
According to Researcher Jessica Baroga-Barbecho of University of the Phillippines-Los Banos, these crickets or specimen was from the entomological collections of the British P. Bishop Museum in Hawaii for many long years.
“These specimen were loaned by my mentor, co-author and eneopterine expert, Dr. Tony Robillard of Museum naturalle in Paris, France. We were able to examine these museum specimens during my research visit in 2017 for my MS thesis. Through morphological examination and comparing them with other specimens, we have identified them as new species,” Barbecho said.
Lebinthus hamus is described by its yellowish face with black bands running in upper part below the antennae and eyes. It has a mustache and its hook face shape pseudepiphallic parameres with hook like expansion in ectophallic arc (male genitalia) which is the reason why it’s named hamus which means “hook” in Latin.
Barbecho said that it really takes time or even decades before it was acknowledged. Many researchers in the past collect many specimens and it takes a researcher or expert to study it before it can be noticed.
“Yes possible po yun lalo na madaming specimens na nakolekta ng mga researchers/sciencetist noong unang panahon, usually kasi nabibigyan lang ng pansin itong mga specimens kapag may mga taong nag study na nito or expert sa field na ito,” Barbecho added.
The other species from Philippines that were given names are Lebinthus palaceus and Lebinthus parvus from Misamis Oriental. Lebinthus magayon from the provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur. Lebinthus boracay found in central provinces of Aklan and Antique, named after Boracay Island and Lebinthus dannybaletei found in Antique and is named after Danilo “Danny” S. Balete, a well-known Filipino mammalogist and conservationist.