Taxonomy and bionomics of Pseudostigmatinae (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in Central Amazonia

• Grant number: 24/18305-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Program to Stimulate Scientific Vocations
• Start date: March 08, 2025
• End date: April 27, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Neusa Hamada
• Grantee: Amanda Stocco
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Manaus , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The scholarship holder will analyze adults of Pseudostigmatinae stored at the Laboratory of Cytotaxonomy and Aquatic Insects (LACIA) and specimens deposited at INPA Invertebrate Collection over a period of 50 days (March 8 to April 27, 2025). Additionally, she will perform field sampling using an entomological net to collect adults and will search for larvae in the usual habitats for this subfamily (palm bracts fallen to the ground with accumulated water, holes in tree trunks, traps with artificial habitats). Locating natural habitats containing larvae is not very common, mainly due to the low density of this subfamily, but recognizing the habitats is very important for both taxonomic and biological studies. Part of the collected material will be stored in entomological envelopes and part in PET bottles containing absolute alcohol, labeled with collection information and stored at -20°C. The collections of both larvae and adults will be carried out at the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve and the Silviculture Reserve, both of which are part of INPA and are located in the city of Manaus, in the state of Amazonas. At LACIA and the Invertebrate Collection at INPA, adults of Pseudostigmatinae will be sorted from the different samples available. Images of the specimens, as well as of selected morphological structures will be obtained using a camera attached to microscopes and will be used to assist in taxonomic identification and to compose the research results. Taxonomic identification will be carried out using specific literature and with the assistance of specialists associated with LACIA. With the development of this proposal, it is expected that the student will gain field experience by collecting adults, recognizing habitats occupied by larvae of these dragonflies, and rearing larvae under laboratory conditions. Another important training for the student to continue working with Odonata is learning about the morphological structures specific to the taxonomy of the group and techniques for preparing the genitalia structures for identification purposes. The scholarship holder will receive training in photography techniques using a stereoscopic and optical microscope, an important tool for illustrating descriptions and composing the plates that will be used in her research. With the specific literature, the help of a specialist in the group and the specimens collected, the student will deepen her taxonomic knowledge about the genera of Pseudostigmatinae that occur in the Central Amazon region. This knowledge acquired will be important for her to be able to work with the fauna of different regions of Brazil. The student will prepare a video showing all the stages of her work to publicize the research carried out to the general public and high school and elementary school students to stimulate interest in the biodiversity of the Amazon region.