A Study on the Invertebrate and Vertebrate Biodiversity of the Jalaur River System of Iloilo, Panay, Philippines

Abstract

This study, conducted from July to November 2009, aimed to FYQMPSF UIF EJWFSTJUZ PG MBSHF BRVBUJD BOE UFSSFTUSJBM PSHBOJTNT found in microhabitats along the Jalaur River System on Panay Island, Philippines. We adopted a purposive sampling approach VTJOHTFWFSBMDPMMFDUJPOUFDIOJRVFTBQQSPQSJBUFUPQBSUJDVMBSUBYB or group of taxa. These include the netting method for birds and bats, cruising and transect methods for herpetofauna, gill-net mTIJOH GPS BRVBUJD WFSUFCSBUFT BOE RVBESBU NFUIPE GPS NBDSP invertebrates. Data were analyzed for species richness (S) and SFMBUJWFBCVOEBODF BOEGPSmTI DBUDIQFSVOJUFGGPSU $16& BOE income per unit effort (IPUE). Three areas, representing the upper,
middle, and lower portions of the river, served as the sampling sites. The results of the study show that there are at least 106 species of UFSSFTUSJBMWFSUFCSBUFTBOEBCPVUTQFDJFTPGBRVBUJDWFSUFCSBUFT and macro-invertebrates in the area. These include 22 endemic species of terrestrial vertebrates, a new Philippine record of the goby Trypauchenopsis intermedia and an undescribed goby of the genus Rhinogobius0GUIFTQFDJFTPGmTIPCTFSWFEJOUIFBSFB 36 species (70.59%) are known to inhabit marine and brackish water habitats, while 14 species (27.45%) inhabit freshwater. Only one DBUBESPNPVTTQFDJFTPGmTI Anguilla marmorata, was observed in UIFBSFB5IFTUVEZBMTPJEFOUJmFEOJOFFYPUJDTQFDJFTPGmTIBOE two species of freshwater mollusks are harvested in the area. The terrestrial vertebrate species diversity appears to be depauperate.