Dr. Ireneo L. Lit, Jr is Professor 12 at the Environmental Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, UPLB and concurrently its Division Head. Ireneo or “Jun” gained his PhD by Research (2002) and MS degrees (1989) in Systematic Entomology and his BS Agriculture (1983, Major in Entomology) from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. Jun was a Honorary Visiting Postgraduate Research Fellow in Ecology, Evolution and Systematic at the Australian National University from 1994-1997.
At UPLB, he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Ecology, Environmental Biology, Environmental Management, Evolutionary Biology, Conservation Biology in the Tropics, Entomology, Systematics, Cave Ecology, Scientific Writing, Natural Science – The Living Planet (A General Education Course covering aspects of Astronomy, Geology and Biology).
Jun’ research interests fall under Arthropod Systematics (scale insects including mealybugs, stick insects, ants, soil and cave arthropods, butterflies), terrestrial arthropod biodiversity especially soil and cave biodiversity, ecology of mutualisms especially those involving ants and of host plant-arthropod herbivore interactions, insects on bamboos and on endangered plants and biosafety of insect-protected biotech hybrids to non-target organisms
He is a Curator of Mealybugs and other Scale Insects (Coccoidea) in the Entomology Museum of the UPLB MNH; Affiliate Professor in the Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology (College of Agriculture and Food Science), Department of Forest Biological Sciences (College of Forestry and Natural Resources), School of Environmental Science and Management, and in UP Diliman, the UP Institute of Biology.
He is also a member of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau’s roster of experts and sits in the Philippine Red List Committee. He has served as chair and member of various editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals, namely; The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Entomologist, UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History, and the International Journal of Entomological Research.
Jun is a prolific researcher, having published nearly a hundred articles in refereed, non-refereed, semi-technical or popularly written articles.
Recent Publications
Abenis KO, IL Lit, Jr., Byeong-Tae Choi, Doo-Sang Park (2020) Variation in some characters of the genus Sceliphron (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in the Philippines, Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, Available online 20 February 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2020.02.005
MNRM Quibod, PA Alviola, APO de Guia, VC Cuevas, IL Lit Jr., BO Pasion (2018) Diversity and threats to cave-dwelling bats in a small island in the southern Philippines. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 12(4):481-487
KO Abenis, IL Lit Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, JCB Naredo (2018) First record of the dynastid beetle, Xylotrupes gideon L., on field corn. Philippine Entomologist 32 (2), 147-150
JCT Gonzalez, CAA Layusa, LE Afuang, MRM Duya, LR Heaney, et. al (2018) Review and update of the 2004 National List of Threatened Terrestrial Fauna of the Philippines. Sylvatrop 28(1):73-144
CC Lucañas, IL Lit, Jr. (2018) Oligotomidae (Insecta: Embioptera) of Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Philippines, with description of a new species. Zootaxa 4415(1):173-182
AK Amarga, IL Lit Jr., PA Alviola, SA Yap (2017) Checklist of ectoparasitic arthropods among cave-dwelling bats from Marinduque Island, Philippines. Check List 13(1)
IL Lit, Jr., M Caasi-Lit, CV Talidong (2016) The production of long anal filaments by the bamboo node mealybug, Antonina sp.(Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae), as a response to lack of attending ants. Entomologica 33:311-316
JDV Alvarez, IL Lit, Jr., PA Alviola, EA Cosico, EG Eres (2016) A contribution to the ectoparasite fauna of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Mindoro Island, Philippines: I. Blood sucking Diptera (Nycteribiidae, Streblidae) and Siphonaptera (Ischnopsyllidae). International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 36(4):188-194
CC Lucanas, IL Lit, Jr. (2016) Cockroaches (Insecta, Blattodea) from caves of Polillo Island (Philippines), with description of a new species. Subterranean Biology 19:51
NM Barbecho, IL Lit, Jr. (2015) A modified sieve dish for easier preparation of microscope slide mounts for taxonomic studies of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology 9:81-86
CC Lucañas, JMA Encinares, IL Lit, Jr. (2015) Addenda and Corrigenda to the Litter-baited Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattodea) Fauna of Bulalon Cave, Burdeos, Polillo Island, Quezon, Philippines. UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History 4:62-66
IL Lit, Jr., OL Eusebio (2015) A new species of cone-headed stick insect (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Loxopsis) from Samar Island, The Philippines. Arthropoda Generalis 6:1-8
IL Lit, Jr., OL Eusebio, PRD Bicaldo, MT Caasi-Lit (2015) A new set-up for free-choice feeding tests for cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhapidophoridae) and other Cavernicolous Arthropods. UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History 4:58-61
LA Corpuz-Raros, IL Lit, Jr. (2015) List of Mites (Acari) Inhabiting Philippine Caves and Cave-Dwelling Vertebrates. UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History 4:30-54
GO Sopsop, IL Lit, Jr. (2015) Soil-litter arthropod assemblage in dipterocarp forest, agroforestry area and mahogany plantation in Makiling Forest Reserve, Laguna. Journal of Nature Studies 14(1):47-65
YJ Lee, IL Lit, Jr. (2015) A new cicada species of the genus Psithyristria Stal, 1870 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Psithyristriini) from Luzon, Philippines, with a key to the 15 species. Zootaxa 3948(2):296-300
JDV Alvarez, IL Lit, Jr., PA Alviola (2015) Bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from Mount Makiling, Luzon Island: New host and distribution records, with a checklist of species found in the Philippines. Check List 11(1):1501
IL Lit, Jr., CC Lucañas (2014) Are webspinners (Embioptera) really rare in the Philippines?: Preliminary answers from taxonomic account and review of previous terrestrial arthropod biodiversity surveys. Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology 8:82-92
IL Lit, Jr., OL Eusebio (2014) A new species of leaf insect (Phasmatodea: Phylliidae) from Northern Luzon, Philippines. Arthropoda Generalis 5:1-11
IL Lit, Jr., NM Barbecho (2014) A new species of armored scale insect (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) infesting Lansium domesticum in the Philippines. Arthropoda Generalis 4:1-7
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, EA Benigno (2014) In search of efficient and effective sampling methods for field evaluation of non-target organisms in Bt corn trials: A comparative study. The Philippine Entomologist 28(2):171-193
JMA Encinares, IL Lit, Jr. (2014) Evaluation of leaf litter baits for sampling insects in Bulalon Cave, Burdeos, Polillo Island, Quezon Province, Philippines. The Philippine Entomologist 28(1):76-89
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, OL Eusebio (2014) Modified vacuum sampler for arthropods for monitoring non-target organisms in Bt corn fields and other biodiversity studies. The Philippine Entomologist 28(1):99-103
FM Labarque, VDA San Juan, IL Lit, Jr., CE Griswold (2014) Redescription of Ilodesmus margaritiferus (Gervais, 1836) (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Platyrhacidae) from the Philippines. The Coral Triangle: The 2011 Hearst Philippine Biodiversity Expedition: 427-444
ALA Barrion-Dupo, AT Barrion, JB Rasalan, CP Garcia, JFV Abrantes, L Lioanag, APG Macabeo, EA Quinto, PA Bawingan, A Pinas, R Amoncio, D Amilao, R Beniking, MA Caliway, NK Lagarteja, WT Fajardo, JS Hur, IL Lit. Jr, CC Lucañas (2014) A new cave-dwelling mygalomorph spider of the genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Selenocosmiinae) from Burdeos, Polillo Island, Quezon province, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology 8:1-15
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, ALA Barrion-Dupo (2014) Three new records of defoliators (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Pyralidae & Sphingidae) on ornamental plants in the Philippines. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist 97(1):67-72
LA Corpuz-Raros, IL Lit, Jr. (2013) Soil-inhabiting mites from the Quezon National Park and southern Sierra Madre Mountains in Quezon Province, Luzon Is., Philippines. The Philippine Entomologist 27(2):151-175.
ALA Barrion-Dupo, CGB Banaay, IAF Lambio, FS Maranan, MAF Rabena, RJD Flores, RC Deyto, AC Manila-Fajardo, IL Lit, Jr. (2013) Effect of population density on larval dispersion and pit construction of the antlion, Myrmeleon angustipennis Banks (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Asian Journal of Biological Sciences 6(2):131-137.
IL Lit, Jr. (2012) Reviving, revitalizing for our race against time and biodiversity loss. (Editorial). UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History 3:i-ii.
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, EA Benigno, AFB Ramal, SA Yap, GD Sapin, OL Eusebio, AR Larona (2012) Non-target organisms on Bt corn hybrids MON89034 and MON89034/NK603: Part 2. Functional guilds arthropods in regulated field trial sites during dry season in Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines. The Philippine Entomologist 26(1):28-53.
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, AFB Ramal, SA Yap, GD Sapin, OL Eusebio, AR Larona (2012) Non-target organisms on Bt corn MON89034 and MON89034/ NK603: Part 1. Abundance and diversity of canopy and ground surface-dwelling arthropods in regulated field trial sites during dry season in Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines. The Philippine Entomologist 25(2):131-155.
MT Caasi-Lit, IL Lit., Jr., AR Larona (2012) Expansion of local geographic and host ranges of Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell) (Pseudococcidae, Hemiptera) in the Philippines with new records of predators and attending ants. The Philippine Journal of Crop Science 37(1):47-54.
MT Caasi-Lit, IL Lit, Jr. (2011) First Report of the Coffee Bean Weevil Araecerus fasciculatus (De Geer) (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) as Pest of Papaya in the Philippines. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist 94(4):415-420.
IL Lit, Jr., MT Caasi-Lit, JB Balatibat, AM Palijon, AR Larona, AJD Borja (2011) Postscript to an invasion: The erythrina gall wasp, Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in the Philippines. The Philippine Entomologist 24(2): 100-121.
IL Lit, Jr., MV Navasero (2010) Effectiveness of thiamethoxam gel bait against the black crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille). The Philippine Entomologist 24(1):77-86.
IL Lit, Jr. (2010) The new spiny stick insect Stenobrimus lumad Lit & Eusebio, n. sp. Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae: Obriminae: Eubulidini) – The first record of the genus from Mindanao Island, The Philippines and some insights in the conservation of forest arthropods. Arthropoda Generalis 1:1-12.
LRI Velasco, IL Lit, Jr. (2010) Reassessing our views of basic science towards revitalizing our basic research programs. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 4:7-16.
Lit, I.L., Jr. 2010. The interrelationships and continuing relevance of biodiversity conservation, systematics and biological collections in the Philippine context. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 4: 17-28.
ERG Abraham, JCT Gonzalez, ML Castillo, IL Lit, Jr., ES Fernando (2010) Forest cover and biodiversity profile of the crater area of Mt. Makiling, Luzon, Philippines. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 4:49-82.
VDA San Juan, IL Lit, Jr. (2010) Two new species of flat-backed millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) from Polillo Island, Philippines. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 4: 131-138.
IL Lit, Jr. (2010) A new species of triangular back stick insect (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae: Eubulidini: Tisamenus) from Mt. Kanlaon, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Asia Life Sciences 19(2): 325-332.