HomeDAVAO RESEARCH JOURNALvol. 16 no. 1 (2025)

The Undying Legacy of Dr. Analyn A. Cabras: Memoir of her Mentees and the Countless Hearts she Touched

Daven Jayson D. Agbas | Graden G. Obrial

Discipline: psychology (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

Dr. Analyn A. Cabras made significant contributions to Philippine entomology, particularly in the study of Pachyrhynchini weevils. This paper presents a memoir of our experiences as her mentees, highlighting her role as both a mentor and a dedicated scientist. Through her guidance, we gained firsthand experience in beetle taxonomy, specimen analysis, and taxonomic classification of Pachyrhynchini weevils. Her commitment to advancing knowledge in entomology was evident in her extensive body of published work and collaborations with both local and international researchers. Despite facing professional challenges, Dr. Cabras remained steadfast in her pursuit of scientific discovery. She upheld her principles, dedicating herself to research and fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity. Beyond her scientific contributions, she was a mentor who not only guided her mentees in beetle taxonomy but also provided them with opportunities to publish their work and contribute to the growing body of knowledge. Her influence extended far beyond her laboratory in DORSU, shaping the careers of young taxonomists and inspiring future researchers. This paper aims to honor her enduring legacy in Philippine biodiversity research, particularly her pioneering studies on Pachyrhynchini weevils. More than a mentor, she was a friend and a source of inspiration, leaving an indelible mark on our lives and the scientific community.



References:

  1. Agbas, D. J., Cabras, A. A., & Obrial, G. G. (2024). Two new flightless weevils in the genus Metapocyrtus Heller (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) from Mt. Candalaga, Davao de Oro, Mindanao Island, Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 24(2), 251–265.
  2. Barševskis, A. (2017). Four new species of the genus Doliops Waterhouse, 1841 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 16, 69–82.
  3. Barsevska, Z., & Barševskis, A. (2020). Two new species of Cleomenes Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 20, 201–205.
  4. Barševskis, A. & Rukmane-Bārbale, A. (2016). Nine new species of the genus Pachyrhynchus Germar, 1824 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from the Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 16, 77–96.
  5. Barševskis, A. (2018a). Three new species of the genus Callimetopus Blanchard, 1853 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from the Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 18, 77–83.
  6. Barševskis, A. (2018b). A new species of the genus Lamprobityle Heller, 1923 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 18, 91–95.
  7. Barševskis, A., Cabras, A. A., Medina, M. N., Barsevska, Z., & Garajeva, S. (2023). Taxonomic notes on the less studied long-horned beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) endemic in the Philippines. Part 1. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 23, 93–103.
  8. Cabras, A. A., Buenavente, P. A. C., Medina, M. N., & Bollino, M. (2023a). Two new species of the genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 subgenus Trachycyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from the Philippines. Zootaxa, 5383, 383–390. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5383.3.7
  9. Cabras, A. A., Buenavente, P. A. C., Medina, M. N., & Bollino, M. (2023c). Two new species of the genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 subgenus Trachycyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from the Philippines. Zootaxa, 5383(3), 383–390. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5383.3.7
  10. Cabras, A. A., Buenavente, P. A. C., & Medina, M. N. (2024b). New species in the genera Eumacrocyrtus Schultze, 1923 and Enoplocyrtus Yoshitake, 2017 from Luzon Island, Philippines (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini). ZooKeys, 1191, 23–33. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1191.110217
  11. Cabras, A. A., Buenavente, P. A. C., & Villegas, J. (2024a). Two new species of Metapocyrtus Heller from Mindanao Island, Philippines (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini). Ecologica Montenegrina, 73, 125–137. https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2024.73.13
  12. Cabras, A. A., & Medina, M. N. (2018). Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) willietorresi sp. n. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Southern Mindanao, Philippines, with notes on its ecology and mimicry complex. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology.
  13. Cabras, A. A., & Medina, M. N. (2022). Pachyrhynchus panumanon sp. nov., a new species of Easter egg weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Journal of Tropical Coleopterology, 3, 88–97.
  14. Cabras, A. A., Medina, M. N., Waldien, D., Setliff, G., Mantilla-Wong, L. K., Pajota, E. L., Torrejos, C., & Pepito, M. J. (2023b). Metapocyrtus willietorresi, Willie Torres Weevil. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
  15. Cabras, A., & Rukmane-Bārbale, A. (2016). A new species of Pachyrhynchus Germar, 1824 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis, 16, 123.
  16. Cabras, A. A., Villanueva, R. J., & Medina, M. N. (2021). Two new species of Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from Davao de Oro, Mindanao Island, Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 21, 95–103.
  17. Explorer Home. (2024). Nationalgeographic.org. https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/analyn-anzano-cabras
  18. Fortescue, L. E., Hancock, C., Organt, M., Cabras, A., Medina, M. N., & Waldien, D. L. (2023). Metapocyrtus ginalopezae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T212424927A212425312. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T212424927A212425312.en
  19. Legaspi, M. S., Senarillos, T. L., Tirona, A. V. M., Suetos, K., Opiso, G., Ibanez, J., Van Dam, M., & Cabras, A. A. (2024). Rediscovery of Pseudapocyrtus schadenbergi Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from the Apayao Lowland Forest, Northern Luzon, the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science, 153, 923–928. https://doi.org/10.56899/153.03.16
  20. Medina, M. N. (2023). Synopsis of the tribe Dorcaschematini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) of the Philippines with the description of Olenecamptus cabrasae sp. nov. from Davao Oriental. Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis, 23. https://doi.org/10.59893/abud.23(2).001
  21. Medina, M. N., Agbas, D. J., Obrial, G. G., Villegas, J., & Cabras, A. A. (2024b). Callimetopus dagtumanus sp. nov., a new species of Pteropliini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Mt. Candalaga Mountain Range, Maragusan, Davao de Oro, Philippines. Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis, 24. https://doi.org/10.59893/abud.24(1).004
  22. Medina, M. N., & Barševskis, A. (2024). Description of a new species of Tsounkranaglenea Lin & Ge, 2021 (Coleoptera: Lamiinae: Saperdini) from Davao de Oro, Mindanao, Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 24, 267–272. https://doi.org/10.59893/bjc.24(2).015
  23. Medina, M. N., Cabras, A. A., & Barševskis, A. (2023a). Two new species of Cacia Newman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from the Mindoro Biogeographic Region of the Philippines. Baltic Journal of Coleopterology, 23, 241–248. https://doi.org/10.59893/bjc.23(2).010
  24. Medina, M. N., Cabras, A. A., & Torrejos, C., Setliff, J., & Waldien, G. (2023b). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
  25. Medina, M. N., Lam, A., Barševskis, A., Cabras, A. A., & Van Dam, M. (2025). Integrative taxonomy of the genus Cyriotasiastes (Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) with the description of a new species from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Zootaxa, 5569, 493–508. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5569.3.5
  26. Medina, M. N., Obrial, G. G., Agbas, D. J., & Cabras, A. A. (2024a). Description of a new species of the genus Doliops Waterhouse, 1841 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Davao de Oro, with notes on other endemic species and mimicry complex in Mindanao Island, the Philippines. Far Eastern Entomologist, 507, 15–24. https://doi.org/10.25221/fee.507.3
  27. Medina, M. N., Vitali, F., & Barševskis, A. (2023c). Catalog of the genus Cacia Newman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) in the Philippines with description of two new species. Zootaxa, 5231, 537–551. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5231.5.3
  28. Obrial, G. G., Agbas, D. J., Medina, M. N., & Cabras, A. S. (2024). Three new mimetic weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) from Mt. Candalaga, Davao de Oro, Mindanao Island, Philippines. Zootaxa, 5541. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5541.4.2
  29. Schultz, J., Kalmbach, D., Villegas, J., Medina, M. N., Cabras, A. A., Grooms, J., Dragoo, A., & Waldien, D. (2023). Agelasta mindanaonis.
  30. Tseng, W.-Z., Hsiao, Y., Cabras, A. A., & Cheng, R.-C. (2024). First molecular phylogeny estimate of the weevil tribe Mecopini (Curculionidae: Conoderinae) unveils its polyphyletic nature at the tribal and generic level. Zoological Studies, 63, 49. https://doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2024.63-49
  31. Van Dam, M., Parisotto, A., Medina, M. N., Cabras, A. A., Gutiérrez Trejo, N., Wilts, B., & Lam, A. (2024). Biogeography confounds the signal of cospeciation in Batesian mimicry. Current Biology, 34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.09.084
  32. Villegas, J., Buenavente, P. A., & Cabras, A. (2024). New distribution record for Rizal’s jewel weevil Pachyrhynchus rizali Schultze, 1934 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Philippine Journal of Science, 153, 43–48. https://doi.org/10.56899/153.01.04