13/11/2022
𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐋𝐮𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝
As early as 2014, our Executive Director 𝐄𝐧𝐏 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬 asserted that the Ludong population in the Cagayan River was 𝐶𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑒𝑢𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑖 (Macleay, 1883). 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦.
After eight years, this morphological assessment has been 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬! While better late than never, this scientific validation is absolutely crucial for the conservation and management of this important species.
You can check the advanced online link to the paper by Escaño et al. below:
http://www.nfrdi.da.gov.ph/tpjf/etc/Updates%20on%20Identification%20and%20Distribution%20of%20the%20River%20Mullet%20Ludong%20in%20Northern%20Philippines.pdf
