A PROFESSOR and biologist from Silliman University discovered a subspecies of an endemic butterfly in Panay Island.

Dr. Jade Aster Badon founded the “Ptychandra negrosensis angelalcalai” with Justin Nuyda, a visual artist and lepidopterist. The butterfly was part of Nuyda’s collection.

Badon realized that Nuyda’s Ptychandra negrosensis specimen from Panay is different from the Ptychandra negrosensis specimen he found in Negros Island.

The biologist pointed out that the discovery proved that each island in the country could have unique species or subspecies.

“The subspecies in Panay has narrower shiny white band sa margin ng wings, while mas malapad and diagonal ang sa Negros Island,” Badon explained.

The subspecies was named after Dr. Angel Alcala, a national scientist.

Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo, an entomological journal, published Badon and Nuyda’s discovery in its 41st volume in December.

It said that Nuyda collected the specimen in 1989 from Mount Madjaas in Culasi, Antique.

In June 2020, the same journal published Badon’s discovery of the Appias phoebe nuydai, a subspecies unique to Mount Talinis.