English name of common Filipino animals (Tagalog) with notes

Here is a list of animals found or used in the Southern Luzon, Philippines.

Note that I used the word tagalog here because there are different dialects in the Philippines which will have different names for animals. The filipino language is based on tagalog and is the official language of the Phillppines.

List of common Crustaceans in Filipino

Hipong-urong (Tagalog) or alupihang dagat English name: Mantis shrimp

Note: Many urban-dwelling Filipinos do not know that this is edible.

Hipon (Tagalog) English Name: Shrimp

Note: Farmed shrimps and Wild shrimps taste different in the Philippines..
"Hibe" is dried shrimp in Tagalog while in Japan, shrimp is called "Ebi"

Talangka (Tagalog) English name: Freshwater crab

Note: "Talangka" are small freshwater crabs and are usually found on streams, usually in the brooks of rice fields. I seldom encounter them in rivers probably because they prefer the gentle flow of water found in brooks.

Alimango (Tagalog) English name: Giant mud crab

Note: Giant mud crabs are freshwater crabs commonly found in fishponds in the Philippines.

Alimasag (Tagalog) English name: salt water crab

Alimasag for food consumption, Philippines

Note: Alimasag is a general term for saltwater crab, commonly the blue crab. Other species of crab may refer to Alimasag.

List of common birds in Filipino 

Maya (Tagalog)  English name: Eurasian tree sparrow

Note: Mayas are surprisingly shy given their sheer number in the region. 

Manok (Tagalog) English name: Chicken

Tandang (Tagalog) English: Rooster

Note: Surprisingly, native chicken are still abundant in the Philippines and are preferred by some Filipinos over their domesticated counterparts. 

Pato (Tagalog) English name: Duck

Kuwago (Tagalog) English name: Owl (General) 

Note: Rare-sight in the urban or suburban regions of the Philippines

Lawin (Tagalog) English name: Falcon

Pabo (Tagalog) English name: Turkey

Note: Pabo or Turkeys are not commonly breed in the Philippine backyards, Filipinos do not usually prefer them for meat.

List of common Amphibians in Filipino 

Palakang-bukid (Tagalog) English name or direct translation: Field Frogs (Rice field frogs)

Note: In southern Luzon, palakang bukid are any frogs that can be seen in rice paddies. They are eaten before by some locals and are distinguished from the introduced species of frog such as Rhinella marina or Cane Toad

Palakang-saging (Tagalog) English name/Direct translation: Banana frogs (Any Tree frogs)

Asian-painted frog

Note: It is a newly introduced species of frog in the Philippines.

List of common Mammals in Filipino

Kalabaw (Tagalog) English name: Carabao

Note: This is a ubiquitous companion animal of almost all Filipino farmers. Kalabaws are used to ploy the rice field in the Philippines.

Kambing (Tagalog) English name: Goat

Kabayo (Tagalog) English name: Horse

Baka (Tagalog) English name: Cow

Baboy (Tagalog) English name: Pig

Note: Baboy is used as a derogatory term in the Philippines. It is used to describe a person who has no hygiene or personal cleanliness.

Baboy-ramo (Tagalog) English name: Warty pig

Note: There are several species of warty pigs in the Philippines but are locally extinct in many areas of the Philippines.

Usa (Tagalog) English name: Deer (General)


Note: There are several species of Deer in the Philippines but are locally extinct in many areas of the Philippines. They are very rare in the Philippines due to overhunting and poaching of the local people. 

Ungoy (Tagalog) English name: Monkey or referring to Philippine Macaque.

Paniki (Tagalog) English name: Bat

Note: Modern Filipinos cannot usually distinguished between a fruit-bat and other types of bat.

Musang (Tagalog) English name: Bearcat

Aso (Tagalog) English name: Dog

Note: Dogs in the Philippines are generally smaller and are usually mixed breed but mostly shows features of Dingos. 

Asong-kalye (Tagalog) English name: Street Dog

Note: The word "asong-kalye" is derogatory and "Aspin" is preferred.

Pusa (Tagalog) English name: Cat

List of common Reptiles in Filipino 

Buhaya (Tagalog) English name: Saltwater Crocodile

Note: "Buwaya" are often used to describe politicians in the Philippines because crocodiles are often seen as too greedy in the Philippines.

Pagong (Tagalog) English name: Freshwater turtle


Pawikan (Tagalog) English name: Green sea turtle

Sawa (Tagalog) English name: Reticulated Python

Note: "Sawa" is a ubiquitous snake in the Philippines, explaining for its specific name in the Filipino language.

Ahas-Tulog(Tagalog) English name: Blind-snake

Ulopong (Tagalog) English name: Philippine Cobra

Note: It is seldomly used in other parts of the Philippines which do not have the native range for the species. 

Almoranin (Tagalog) English: Poisonous snake Scientific name: Unverified

Tuko (Tagalog) English name: Gecko

Timbabalak (Tagalog) English name: Skink 

Bayawak (Tagalog) English name: Monitor Lizard 

Note: Some locals eat bayawak. 

List of common Fishes in Filipino

Igat (Tagalog) English name: Eel

Lapu-Lapu (Tagalog) English name: Grouper

Espada (Tagalog) English name: Black Scabbard fish

List of common Molluscs in Filipino

Kuhol (Tagalog) English name: Golden apple Snail

Note: Kuhol is ubiquitous in fresh bodies of water in the Phililpines. In some areas of the Philippines, it is a delicacy. 

Suso (Tagalog) English name: Snail

Talaba (Tagalog) English name: Oyster

Tahong (Tagalog) English name: Mussel

Kabibe (Tagalog) English name: Clam

Halaan, Butil (Smaller), Batotoy (Dark) English name: Manila clam or Japanese clam

Note: Only few Filipinos know these terms. Majority of those familiar are those in the local markets.

Taklobo (Filipino) English name: Giant clam

Bayuku (Tagalo) English name: Philippine Muffin Snail
Scientific name: Ryssota oteheitana
Additional Information

Note: It is only used in regions with the species range such as Laguna.

Bangongon (Filipino) English name: Horn snail

Native fruit bearing trees of the Philippines with notes

This is a list of fruit-bearing native trees found in the Philippines with their

scientific name, English name and Filipino name with additional notes. Note that this is based on my field observation over the Philippine islands. This list does not include imported fruits found commercially in Philippine markets such as apples and pears. 

Common Native Fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

Syzygium samarangens

English name: Wax apple

Filipino name: Makopa

Fallen ripe makopa, philippines

Note: Makopa is not usually sold in markets in the Philippines. The fruit has low commercial value in the Philippines. 

Syzygium aqueum

English name: Water apple

Filipino name: Tambis

Note: Makopa and Tambis are different species of plant or tree.

Syzygium cumini

English name: Jambul 

Filipino name: Duhat

Duhat leaves 

Note: Duhat is not usually sold in commercial markets in the Philippines. Duhat trees have widespread canopies ideal for bird habitat. 

Syzygium curanii

English name: Philippine berry

Filipino name: Lipote, Baligang, ipot

Note: The Philippines has other species of the genus Syzygium. This list does not include those species not widely cultivated in the region. This also shows the diversity of Philippine Flora. Moreover, majority of these plants are not yet studied like Syzygium Calubcob.

Citrus sp. 
English name: Lime
Filipino name: Limon

Citrus aurantifolia

English name:  Key lime

Filipino name: Dayap

xCitrofortunella mitis

English name: Calamondin

Filipino name: kalamansi 

Possible natural origin: China and Philippines

Note: Kalamansi is a favorite fruit in the Philippines, used in Filipino cuisine. It is used as an alternative to lime or lemon in the Philippines. I had observed that a species of caterpillar depends on the leaves of Kalamansi.  

Citrus sinensis 
English name: Orange,

Filipino name: Orange or Dalandan(Depends on the variety)

Citrus maxima

English name: Pomelo 

Filipino name: Lukban

Lukban Fruit

Note: There are many varieties of Lukban in the Philippines. Some of the pulp range from white, yellow or pink.  

Lansium domesticum 
Filipino name: Lanzones 
Possible natural origin: Western Southeast asia

Nephelium lappaceum
Filipino name: Rambutan

Note: Rambutan are abundant in Laguna, Philippines. 

Averrhoa carambola
English name: Carambola or Starfruit 
Filipino name: Balimbing

Litchi chinensis
English name and Filipino name: Lychee  
Possible natural origin: China, Taiwan and Southeast asia, Philippines(unverified)


Durio species
English name and Filipino name: Durian 
Possible natural origin: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, Davao, Philippines(Currently debated)


Note: It is only found in Mindanao, Philippines. 

Durian Fruit

Note: Durian is made into candies. 

Dimocarpus longan
English name: Longan  
Possible natural origin: South and Southeast asia, Philippines

Diospyros blancoi
English name: Velvet apple
Filipino name: kamagong 

Note: Although endemic to the Philippines, I seldom see Kamagong trees in Cavite, Philippines. Nowadays, the fruit is not widely available for consumption. 

The kamagong wood produces high quality lumber but takes decades to produce and probably explains why it is now seldom seen in the country. 

Musa sapientum, English name: Banana
Filipino name: Saging  
Possible natural origin: South and Southeast Asia

 Flower of banana plant

Banana Tree, Cavite, Philippines 

Note: This is a ubiquitous tree or plant in the Philippines. Saging is very common in grasslands or fields in the Philippines. The banana leaves are used in the Philippines as food plate during fiestas or occasions. The stem are traditionally applied to ease insect bites. There are also many varieties of banana or saging in the Philippines like lakatan (Exported), Latundan, saba and señorita. 
The saba, banana variety is made into a cold dessert in the Philippines, saging-con yelo. It is a favorite local merienda or snack. 

Photo Courtesy of Bitesize Philippines

Note: Botanically speaking, the banana plant is not a tree but a herb. 

Cocus nucifera, English name: Coconut
Filipino name: Buko  
Possible natural origin: Currently debated

Note: This is a ubiquitous tree or plant in the Philippines. Buko is very common in grasslands or fields in the Philippines. The leaves of buko are also used as wrappers in rice cakes. They can also be made as brooms or walis-tingting. 

Macapuno is a variety of the coconut fruit that is made into a sweet filipino dessert or delicacy.

Averrhoa bilimbi

English name:Bilimbi

Filipino name: Kamias 

Possible natural origin: Moluccas, Indonesia

Note: Kamias is commonly used in cooking in the Tagalog region. 

Garcinia mangostana
English name: Mangosteen
Filipino name: Mangosteen

Arrenga pinnata

English name: Sugar palm

Tagalog name: Kaong 

Note: The fruit is often made into Filipino preserved dessert. It is part of the halo-halo ingredients, a shaved ice Filipino dessert. 

Terminalia microcarpa
English name: Damson plum
Filipino name: Kalumpit


Note: The word Kalumpit is also a name of a place in Bulacan, Philippines.

Wild fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

Note for the following Species of trees:
They are not frequently cultivated for their lack of commercial or low economic values to many Filipinos.


Artocarpus odaratissimus
English name: Joey Oak
Filipino name: Marang 
Possible natural origin:Borneo and Palawan, Philippines

Artocarpus integer
Common name: Chempedak 
Possible natural origin: Southeast asia, Philippines(unverified)

Artocarpus altilis
English name: Bread fruit
Filipino name: Balimbing*

Artocarpus Blancoi 
English name: Bread fruit
Filipino name: Antipolo
Endemic to the Philippines

Note: The word antipolo is also a place in the Philippines. 

Metroxylun Sagu

English name: True sago palm

Native: Southeast Asia 

Note: Sago or pearl is traditionally eaten as a dessert in the Philippines. Palamig is a sweet drink with sago and gulaman.

Ficus Nota 

English name: Sacking Tree

Filipino name: Tibig

Endemic to the Philippines

Note:

This ficus tree is frequently eaten by fruit bats in the Philippines.  

Castanopsis philippinensis  
English name: Philippine Chestnut
Additional Information

Calamus sp.
English name: Rattan Fruit
Filipino name: Lituko

Antidesma bunius
English name: Salamander Tree
Filipino name: Bignay

Naturalized fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

In contrast, the link below is a list of Introduced or naturalized fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines with their possible native country. Most Filipinos are unaware that many trees in their backyards are not really native Philippine trees. Most of these trees or fruits came to the Philippines during the Spanish era where trade from different countries occurred especially from South America, explaining for the high number of Philippine naturalized fruit-bearing trees coming from that region. 

Naturalized fruit bearing trees of the Philippines

Plant-derived Fruits 
Present in the Philippines

      On the other hand, the link below is a list of edible fruits from plants that can be found in the Philippines, both native and non-native. I did not separate the naturalized and native fruit bearing plants in the Philippines.

Plant-derived fruits of the Philippines

Others: Less common Philippine Fruits

Rare Philippine Fruits

Unique Philippine Fruits

Conclusion on the Philippine Trees 

The Philippines is blessed with fertile soil, given that an abundant number of trees grows in this place. Unfortunately, these trees that we see today are not what they used to be. Sadly, even in some forest areas, introduced species of trees dominate.

Based on my observation, the figs are the trees we should give more importance ecologically in the Philippines for fauna support. 

A misleading name of a Tree in the Philippines

 

       Pine trees are very special for many Filipinos because they are quite rare in the Philippines. The Filipino folks love seeing these trees, especially on mountains, as they give this temperate or boreal environment-look found in other countries which gives a colder vibe.

      As a tropical country, a cold climate in the Philippines is something everyone wants to experience once in a while. These Pine trees adds to the experience to many Filipinos during vacations.  But if a study would be made about the cooling effect of these trees, they would be easily out favored by the local trees. The native trees with broader leaves receives relative more light than the needles of these pines trees and are thus more effective in giving more shade and reducing the tropical heat.We therefore can conclude that it also misleads Filipinos by giving this false picture of a colder climate.

     

Cook Pine Tree or Norfolk Pine Tree 

      The thing is being  famous, many Filipinos have mistakenly named some of these trees for another species. In Tagaytay, locals sell some of these pine trees. One of these trees are the Cook pine or Araucaria columnaris which they sell as Norfolk pine tree Araucaria heterophylla which is a close cousin but a different species. I have long believed that the local sellers there are indeed correct but after I saw a large tree specimen in Tagaytay, Cavite which had produced cones I had become skeptic of the tree as being A. heterophylla. The morphology of the two species are very much alike indeed but I am now certain that those trees found in Tagaytay and in some places in the Philippines are A. columnaris. After seeing the cones, I am certain that it is indeed the Cook Pine tree. It is common for people, not only in the Philippines, to be confused between these two pine species because of their similarities.

Native pine-looking Tree, Dingalan, Aurora

A False Pine tree

      In contrast, here is a native pine-looking tree in the coastal area of Dingalan, Aurora, Philippines. I initially mistook this tree as a Philippine pine tree but I just found out that these trees are called Agoho, locally and are not the same as the Pinus Kesiya or Philippine pine trees. They are known as Australian pine tree and are not true pine trees. The scientific name is Causarina equisetifolia.

    I thought initially that these false pine trees grow in these low-elevation areas in the Philippines due to the microclimate there of having higher relative humidity.But being an angiosperm instead of conifer explains why they can thrive in low-land areas.

Controversial Carbon dioxide emission of Plants

Araucaria columnaris at Philippine Mountain

   
     It really agitated me after hearing from the BBC documentary, Hot planet, that plants give off Carbon dioxide at night. It's not that I am unaware that plants give off Carbon dioxide too but it is just the way it was said that is worrying me. This is very misleading in my opinion. Anyway, here is the full phrase from the documentary. 

"Trees absorb Carbon dioxide but they release it during the night and when they decompose." 

I don't know if the producer behind this documentary had just taken for granted this very phrase but it is misleading in my opinion. 

Through my years of studying biology, I have always bear in my mind that plants have always been the great changer of our atmosphere. The organisms which absorb the Carbon dioxide emitted by other organisms especially the animals. To me, the phrase sounded that the net total Carbon dioxide absorbed by plants and converted to other compounds is zero. This is like saying or at least some might interpret this, that plants do not change the level of Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere when the net total amount is considered. 

I had researched a little bit about this topic and I found out that plants(including trees) in general do not give off more Carbon dioxide than absorbing them which means they have a large role in maintaining the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Normally, plants do absorb more of these Gases but according to studies, plants do rarely produce more Carbon dioxide in certain circumstances like producing many flowers.

The animal without a Scientific name (yet)!

Palawan White Squirrel

I find this squirrel to be very fascinating. This squirrel has an unusual white fur apart from the fact that this species of squirrel can only be found in a small island in the Philippines. It is also fascinating because there are only a few squirrels found on the archipelago yet there is no research being done about this new animal. The squirrel has currently little documentations and another fascinating fact about is that it still have not been given any scientific name to date. It's also intriguing that despite all of this, the squirrel is already poached by many local hunters. It saddens me to know such beautiful animal being extirpated even before it has been given a scientific name.

The glum future of Cavite's biodiversity

     With a mere existing forest area of approximately 86km2out of of the total land area of 1,512.41km of Cavite, the wildlife and the environment on this providence is surely in danger in the next few years. This approximate range gives us 5.6% forest cover. This means that the forest land area in Cavite is only 6% out of the total area of the province. This measurement was done on 2007 which means that the numbers could have declined further.

      This is very much alarming considering the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the province. The less than 6% forest area means so many things. One meaning of this is that the local government of Cavite is not giving any priority to its forest resources if these numbers are indeed correct. If deforestation continues on the province, the less than 6% forest area of the province would surely be extirpated in the next upcoming years if the government would not take measures for these forest areas.

      Cavite Province lies in the western monsoon forest zone which is ideal and suitable for the formation of tropical rainforest. The biodiversity of Cavite is thus very rich. Although there are less than 6% forest area on Cavite, it is very much apparent that there are considerable numbers of groves on the province. An example would be in the municipality of General Trias where abundant animals can be found. Reptiles and birds and a few mammals abound on the town although there are no protected forest area on the said location. The reptiles include geckos, monitor lizards, skinks, and snakes such as pythons and colubrids. The bird biodiversity in the region is by far the most fascinating which includes Kingfishers, herons, barn and typical owls, frogmouths, crakes, canaries, swallows, bitterns and a few more. There are also a few frogs. There were once shrews and civets on the town but they could have been extirpated too because of poaching and destruction of their natural habitat.

      The wild animals survives through the few groves which can be found on the area but the problem is that these few groves are slowly decreasing because of industrialization and urbanization. One example would be the cutting of many old-aged trees on General Trias because of the commercialization of the area. A large portion of a town in General Trias is underdevelopment as a subdivision under the name of Antel which had resulted to the loss of many old-aged trees.

       With overpopulation, urbanization, pollution, and government neglect on the wildlife of Cavite, it would not be surprising for the wildlife of Cavite to get extirpated in no time.

       We all know that our forest is very much important to our environment. There are myriad reasons why we should save our forest areas and we should act now before it is too late.

List of the Fauna or animals in Bacao General Trias, Cavite Philippines

This is a list of the animals found in Bacao General Trias, Cavite Philippines
with their scientific name, common name and Filipino (tagalog) name if possible. 

Reptiles(Incomplete)

• Lycodon Capucinus Common name: Common Wolf snake

Disclaimer: This snake was released after this picture was taken

• Phyton reticulatas Common name: Reticulated Phyton - Sawa
• Gonyosoma oxycephalum*
• Ramphotyphlops braminus Common name: Brahminy blindsnake - Ahas tulog

Photo Courtesy of Ecologyasia.com

• Gekko gecko  Common name: Tokay gecko - Tuko

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

• Varanus salvator  Common name: Water monitor - Bayawak
• Eutropis multifasciata Common name: Sun Skink 

Amphibians(Incomplete)

• Kaloula pulchra  Common name: Asian painted bullfrog

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

• Hylarana erythraea

        Photo courtesy of Ecologyasia.com

English name: Golden orb weaver spider

Tagalog: Gagambang pare (Priest spide)