Two new species of butterflies were recorded here in Davao City according to a study presented at the first Sustainable Davao Research Symposium held on October 10, 2018.
Mycalesis igoleta (Felder and Felder, 1863) 
Mycalesis mineus (Linnaeus, 1758)
The new locality record butterfly species from Genus Mycalesis were found in Matina Pangi riverbank in an inventory conducted by Harvey Salaga and his fellow researchers from the University of Southeastern Philippines. Out of the 1,027 species in the Philippines, their study documented 45 species of butterflies from Matina Pangi, Puan, Calinan and Toril. This includes 12 endemic species or those that can be found only in the country.
cassander orchomenus (D) Neptis mindorana pseudosoma (E) Mycalesis
frederici (F) Ypthima stellera stellera
navales (I) Oriens fons (J) Troides rhadamantus rhadamantus (K) Mycalesis
mineus (L) Mycalesis igoleta
The research result was a confirmation of the city’s urban biodiversity. “I’m very pleased with the butterfly study, it showed us that Davao City is still conducive for other species to thrive, providing us with aesthetic beauty and biological benefits,” said Ivan Cortez, environmental planner and Office-in-Charge of City Planning and Development Office.
Mr. Cortez also suggested the need to document behavioral changes among butterflies in the context of urbanization in order to preserve them. “We need to have connector parks, as there are parts of the city where it’s hard for the butterflies to thrive so one of the challenges is to provide spaces for all living organisms,” he added.
Councilor Mabel Acosta who was also present during the event shared that there is a barangay tourism council that can help in the promotion of the butterflies found in Brgy. Matina Pangi. She said that barangays need to conduct environmental scanning to see what gems they have in their areas that they can harness.
Researchers recommended that communication, education and public awareness be done because the new locality record are possible subspecies and can be used as indication of seasonal changes in the area, with butterflies changing color for wet and dry season.
Judges applaud the researchers for using visual encounters as their methodology, not collecting any specimens and utilized photography instead. Philippine Eagle Foundation Research Director Jayson Ibanez suggested to maximize citizen participation as a method in monitoring butterflies. Sustainable Davao Movement member Arnold Vandenbroeck encouraged the researchers to explore partnerships with Davao City’s nature parks such as Eden Garden Resorts and Malagos Garden for full documentation of butterflies in Davao City.
The study aimed to contribute to the Healthy Watersheds theme promoted to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Davao City. The Sustainable Davao Movement organized the symposium to gather researches to be used by the network in its advocacy to localize the SDGs in Davao City and by the City Government in the updating of its Comprehensive Land Use Plan.