BIO 30 Week Showcases the Realm of Insect Genetics

By: Jaka Rossengail Santos (Amelogenin)

On May 8 to 13, 2023, The UPLB Genetics Society plans to conduct its first face-to-face m

BIO 30 Week since the pandemic with the theme, "Gene-sects: Tiny Creatures as Paraphernalia for Big Discoveries," at the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines - Los Baños (IBSUPLB) The week-long event will feature various activities such as the exhibit opening, BIO 30 Quiz Contest, GENEWS launching, followed by an educational webinar, and minor orientation for prospective applicants of the organization

The physical exhibit will be open to the public on May 8 at Wing C in

IBS The exhibit will showcase the resident members’ unique crafts that feature the diversity of insects and their relevance to genetics On May 10, GeneSoc will hold a minor orientation, where the organization will introduce its advocacy, activities, and achievements Students who have taken or will be taking BIO 30 will be encouraged to join the event ...

Moreover, a BIO 30 Quiz Contest, open to all students taking BIO 30, will take place at the IBS Main Lecture Hall on May 11 An intense competition will be expected as students, allowed to join in groups of three (3), showcase their knowledge of Genetics. The winners of the quiz contest will take home cash prizes.

Meanwhile, May 12 will be allotted for the launch of GENEWS, the Official Publication of the UPLB Genetics Society. The organization will produce online and physical copies to increase awareness about the relevance of Insect Genetics in today's society

Lastly, on May 13, a webinar with the theme “Pagsulyap sa Kulisap: A Webinar on the Roles of Insect Genetics in Developing Novel Technologies for Agriculture and Industry , will be aired on Facebook Live to foster a fruitful discussion on one of the hidden gems of l Insect Genetics the organization s wareness about the s, the organization engaging activities through a mix of online events This Week is much highlighting the insects like the fly Drosophila elucidating genetic

Cockroaches Get a Fantasy Makeover: New Species Named after Lord of the Rings and GeneSoc Junior Adviser

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Entomologist Cristian Lucañas has recently named a new cockroach genus after the populpopular fantasy series, Lord of the Rings and a new species, Hobbitoblatta lambioe after GeneSoc’s Junior Faculty adviser, Prof. Ivy Amor Lambio.

Mr. Lucañas, an entomologist at the University of the Philippines - Los Baños Museum of Natural History, has been studying cockroaches for several years His research focuses on the systematics and evolution of cockroaches specifically on the identification and classification of c k h i P tl h h d described and co-described 14 new cockroach species, among other insects.

The species he discovered was originally under the genus Periplaneta before being assigned to the genus Hobbitoblatta. Mr. Lucañas explained that Periplaneta necessitates taxonomic revision as it has been considered a waste bin genus into which cockroaches have been grouped as they await further research for classification As the country's foremost and youngest cockroach expert, he can recognize differences in specimens from the UPLB Museum of Natural History's entomological collection The two new genera that Mr Lucañas named, which include Hobbitoblatta, were classified based on five morphological differences such as sexual dimorphism, from the representative species of Periplaneta – P americana

He coined Hobbitoblatta from a combination of two words: one, from the word Hobbits to pay homage to J R R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and two, from the term blatta, meaning cockroach. By naming it after a fictional race that has captured the hearts of millions of readers he wishes that cockroaches will be viewed in a new, more relatable light.

To describe the new genus, Mr. Lucañas designated a male holotype or representative specimen collected in 2016 from the UPLB Hortorium, which he named Hobbitoblatta lambioe. The species is distributed around Luzon such as in Mt Makiling, Laguna; Laguna-Quezon Land Grant in Siniloan, Laguna; and the Polillo Islands in Quezon. His fellow curator at the UPLB Museum of Natural History, Prof Ivy Amor Lambio, a botanist specializing in bryophytes and a fan of Tolkien's works, is the inspiration for the species H lambioe

Mr. Lucañas' research is a testament to the importance of taxonomic studies in understanding the diversity of life on Earth His work sheds light on the evolutionary history of cockroaches, and highlights the need for further research to uncover the secrets of these fascinating creatures .