Occurrence of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) litters along the eastern coast of Palawan Island, Philippines.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused worldwide health constraints. This study was conducted to establish a baseline monitoring survey to describe the distribution of PPE litters during the COVID-19 pandemic in the province of Palawan, Philippines. A total of 386 COVID-19-related PPE items were present in 83 % of coastal sampling sites with over a cumulative area of 48,200 m, with a density of 8 × 10 items m.

Two new species of Rhinogobius (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) from Palawan, Philippines, with their phylogenetic placement.

Two new species of Rhinogobius found in streams on central part of Palawan Island, Philippines are described. The two new species, Rhinogobius estrellae and Rhinogobius tandikan share unique transverse rows of sensory papillae on the cheek with Rhinogobius similis Gill, 1859, but differ from the latter in fin ray counts, arrangement of the scales, etc. The two new species are distinguished from each other by the pectoral-fin ray count, the longitudinal- and predorsal-scale counts, and colouration of the body.

Looking Through the COVID-19 Window of Opportunity: Future Scenarios Arising From the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Five Case Study Sites.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused (and continues to cause) severe disruption in global and local economies and has forced countries, societies, and individuals to adapt quickly to the unprecedented and unpredictable situations. Despite the obvious negative consequences of the pandemic, many have called for efforts to identify transformative opportunities for sustainable development throughout this disorderly time. In the present paper, we explore such potential opportunities in the context of an interdisciplinary, international research project, which is focusing on sustainable marine management in biosphere reserves and marine parks in Southeast Asia.

Plastic litter pollution along sandy beaches in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, Philippines.

Marine plastic litter pollution has become an emerging threat to the Philippines, especially in Palawan. This study was conducted to investigate the macroplastic litter and determine the clean-coast index (CCI) of the residential and non-residential sites on the coasts of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Plastic litters were sampled from 21 coastal barangays by delineating a 50-m-long transect line with three 4 m × 4 m quadrats.

A new species of the genus Stiphodon from Palawan, Philippines (Gobiidae: Sicydiinae).

Palawan is an island in the western Philippines, and the freshwater fish fauna of this island has received limited research attention. In the present study, a new goby species, Stiphodon palawanensis, is described on the basis of 57 specimens collected from freshwater streams on the island. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by having nine segmented rays in the second dorsal fin, 15 rays in the pectoral fin, a pointed first dorsal fin in males, premaxilla with 45-71 tricuspid teeth, the nape and posterior half of the occipital region covered by cycloid scales, 9-11 dusky transverse bars laterally on the trunk and tail, a line of black blotches (in male) or a black band (in female) on the distal part of the second dorsal fin, and the first dorsal and pectoral fins lacking distinctive markings.