Filling knowledge gaps of Hymenoptera species from the Neotropics

• Grant number: 22/01974-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2022
• End date: January 05, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Roberto Ferreira Brandão
• Grantee: Lívia Pires do Prado
• Host Institution: Museu de Zoologia (MZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/07366-1 - Collect, identify, describe, exhibit: the curatorial cycle and the production of knowledge, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo is considered a reference center in the production and dissemination of knowledge about the zoological diversity of the Neotropical region in the most varied aspects, standing out for the size of its collections and the quality of the curatorship carried out over the course of several years your story. Despite the efforts of many over the last two centuries to describe its biodiversity, the Neotropical region has one of the highest levels of lack of knowledge about diversity and endemism among the biogeographic regions of the planet, accumulating many species to be described (Linean deficit) and lack of information about their geographic distribution (Wallacean deficit), knowledge about the relative abundance of taxa (Prestonian deficit) and knowledge about natural history (Hutchinsonian deficit). Among insects, which are considered the richest and most diverse animal group, the order Hymenoptera is perhaps the one with the greatest potential for the description of new taxa. Considering the amount of material deposited in the collection, in addition to the fact that the Hymenoptera Laboratory conducts research in the areas of taxonomy and ecology, which expands its scope of action, this proposal is an opportunity for the development of a project aimed at making the collection a powerful tool in identifying and solving significant knowledge gaps. In view of this, the present proposal has the initiative to invest in the survey and description of the diversity of Hymenoptera through a curatorial approach, involving taxonomic, geographic and ecological dimensions, generating qualified and accessible knowledge about the fauna of the Neotropical region.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VICENTE, RICARDO E.; SOUZA, JORGE L. P.; PRADO, LIVIA P.. The Capixaba ant species inventory is far from complete: A local scale assessment of the ants (Formicidae) reveals the importance of diversity studies and entomological collections. Sociobiology, v. 70, n. 2, p. 11-pg., 2023-06-01. (22/01974-8)

QUEIROZ, ANTONIO C. M.; PRADO, LIVIA P.; CASARINO, RAFAEL A.; SANTIAGO, GRAZIELE S.; V. OLIVEIRA, CYNTHIA V.; RABELO, MARIANA A.; RIBAS, CARLA R.. Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of APA Pandeiros: A Perspective from a Decade of Research in an Environmental Protection Area in the Cerrado-Caatinga transition. Sociobiology, v. 69, n. 3, p. 15-pg., 2022-09-01. (22/01974-8)

FABRÍCIO SEVERO MAGALHÃES; DÉBORA RODRIGUES DE SOUZA CAMPANA; GISELY DA SILVA FREITAS; MARLINA RIBEIRO ABONIZIO-SANTOS; LÍVIA PIRES DO PRADO; MARIA SANTINA DE CASTRO MORINI. Natural regeneration in Atlantic Forest Fragments: using ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for monitoring a conservation unit. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo), v. 62, 2022-12-09. (22/01974-8)

GONCALVES, DEBORA CRISTINA DE OLIVEIRA; DO PRADO, LIVIA PIRES; MAGALHAES, FABRICIO SEVERO; ABONIZIO-SANTOS, MARLINA RIBEIRO; MORINI, MARIA SANTINA DE CASTRO. Occurrence of Pheidole tijucana Borgmeier, 1927 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Check List, v. 19, n. 2, p. 7-pg., 2023-01-01. (22/01974-8)