Researchers at University of Mindanao (UM) and their partners named a new species of "easter egg" beetle after the Obu Manuvu tribe to honor one of Davao City’s homegrown tribal groups.

Dubbed "Pachyrhynchus obumanuvu", the brilliantly colored beetle, with its iridescent scarlet and green-black markings has coloring reminiscent of the Obu Manuvus’ traditional garments.

Dr. Milton Medina, assistant vice president at the university’s research and publication center and director at UM’s Institute for Biodiversity and Environment, and who was part of the research group who discovered the new beetle, said Pachyrhynchus obumanuvu was discovered in the remaining heavily forested areas in Mindanao, particularly in the ancestral domain of the Obu Manuvu in the western side of Davao City.

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Pachyrhynchus obumanuvu was discovered in time for the National Indigenous People’s Month celebration in October.

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“We wanted to honor the various indigenous communities in Davao region since they are the primary stakeholders of our mountain ecosystems and also because the specimen was collected from their ancestral lands,” said Dr. Ann Cabras, director for UM’s Coleoptera Research Center.

Meanwhile, a newly discovered species of bug was also recently named after Dr. Anthony Sales, the regional director of the Department of Science and Technology in Region XI for his contribution in the advancement of research.

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Sales, in his Facebook post, said he was happy and honored to be immortalized in the name of a newly discovered insect, Metapocyrtus salesi sp. nov., discovered in Davao de Oro, by Dr. Cabras. — Report from Hernel Tocmo

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