Invited researchers

Keynote lectures

Dr. Letícia Vieira

Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Brazil

Professor Dr. Vieira teaches at the UFLA in the Graduate Program in Entomology. Her research focuses on the systematics, ecology, and conservation of Coleoptera, especially Carabidae. She is the Associate Curator of UFLA’s Entomological Collection, Taxon Coordinator for the "Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna Brasileira (CTFB)" (Adephaga), and a contributor to Carabidae.org.

Lecture: History of Neotropical Carabidology

The lecture will highlight the progress and challenges in carabid studies in the Neotropical region.

Dr. Richard Leschen

New Zealand Arthropods Collection, New Zealand

Dr. Leschen has extensive experience in teaching Coleoptera systematics and biology since 2012. He has served as a lead instructor or collaborator in courses held in several countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, the United States, Japan, New Caledonia, and the Czech Republic.

Lecture: Coleoptera Workshopping: Style and Content

The lecture will address not only taxonomic and phylogenetic aspects of Coleoptera but also teaching methodologies that promote an engaging and memorable learning experience.

Dr. Lukas Sekerka

Department of Entomology, National Museum, Prague

Dr. Sekerka is the curator of the Entomological Collection at the National Museum in Prague. He is a leading expert in the taxonomy and systematics of Cassidinae, with over 20 years of experience with the group.

Lecture: Biology and Ecology of Neotropical Cassidinae

The lecture will present an overview of the current state of knowledge on the group.

Dr. Fernando Vaz-de-Mello

Department of Biology and Zoology, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Professor Dr. Vaz-de-Mello is the curator of the Entomological Collection of Mato Grosso (CEMT), Brazil. He is a renowned expert in the taxonomy and phylogeny of Scarabaeoidea, with a strong background in training researchers.

Lecture: INCT National Institute of Coleoptera (CNPq)

The lecture will present the INCol project, a national initiative that combines cutting-edge scientific research, technological innovation, and practical applications aimed at solving environmental, economic, and social challenges.

Dr. Sergei Tarasov

Finnish Museum of Natural History, Finland

Dr. Tarasov is the Coleoptera Curator and an Academy Research Fellow at the Finnish Museum of Natural History. His empirical research focuses on dung beetle (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) systematics, aiming to reconstruct their evolutionary history and document their diversity. Complementing this, his theoretical work involves developing computational tools and statistical models to analyze trait evolution on phylogenetic trees. Together, these approaches enable him to address a wide range of evolutionary questions.

Lecture: Evolution of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) on Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands: From Ancient Colonizations to Modern Extinctions

The lecture will present new phylogenetic findings on the systematics and evolutionary history of dung beetles in Madagascar and the neighboring Mascarene Islands.

Prof. Dr. Paulo H. G. Zarbin

Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil

Prof. Paulo H. G. Zarbin is the head of the Semiochemicals Laboratory and a full professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil. His research focuses on the identification, structure, and synthesis of insect pheromones, as well as the chemical ecology of insect–plant interactions. He also works on the development of bioactive compounds, aiming to understand the chemical mechanisms that mediate behaviors and ecological relationships among organisms. Internationally recognized, he is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (FRES), associate editor of Scientific Reports (Nature), and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Chemical Ecology (Springer). In 2021, he received the Silverstein-Simeone Award from the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE), being the only Latin American researcher to receive this honor.

Lecture: Chemical communication in necrophagous beetles: application in forensic science

Panel discussion

Dr. Nicole Gunther - Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Bruno de Medeiros - Field Museum of Natural History, Illinois, U.S.A. - Moderator

Dr. Diego Souza - Field Museum of Natural History, Illinois, U.S.A.

Dr. Bruno Clarkson - Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, RJ, Brazil

Topic: Molecular approaches to Coleoptera studies

Have you ever wondered how molecular tools are transforming beetle research? In this roundtable, four internationally recognized experts come together to discuss how different molecular approaches are revolutionizing our understanding of the diversity, evolution, and natural history of these fascinating insects.

Dr. Emmanuel Ariaga-Varela (Coccinelloidea) - Institute of Ecology INECOL, Xalapa de Enríquez, Mexico - Moderator

Dr. Darren Pollock (Tenebrionoidea) - Professor and Associate Curator of Invertebrates, Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, U.S.A.

Dr. Gabrielle Jorge Melo (Scirtoidea) - Instituto de Pesquisas Amazônicas, Amazonas, Brazil

Topic: Neglected groups in Coleoptera Systematics

Very small, monochromatic beetles, or those belonging to poorly diverse families, often go unnoticed. As a result, they are rarely (if ever) studied. However, a large diversity of neglected beetles remains unknown. In some cases, it is not even possible to work with these groups due to the lack of foundational studies, such as taxonomic revisions. This round table aims to provide some knowledge to beetle researchers about these lesser-known families, highlight their current taxonomic status, and discuss the challenges that still need to be addressed.

Dr. Maria Eduarda Maldaner - Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Brazil

Dr. Ornela de Gasperin Quintero - National Laboratory of Climate Change Biology, and the Scientist Rebellion networks, INECOL, Mexico

Master Poppy Elizabeth Lane - University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

Topic: Climate change and its impact on species

Dr. Adriana Marvaldi - Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina

Dr. Francisco Eriberto Nascimento - Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Dr. Isaac Jorge - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

Topic: Host Plant Specialization and Evolution in Phytophaga

Special talks

Dr. Jennifer Girón

Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A.

Dr. Girón is the Curator of Invertebrate Zoology. Her research focuses on the taxonomy and systematics of beetles, specifically of Neotropical broad-nosed weevils (Curculionidae: Entiminae) and water scavenger beetles in the subfamily Acidocerinae (Hydrophilidae). She is also the manager of the Coleoptera Anatomy Ontology.

Lecture title: "Rectificando la terminología anatómica de Coleoptera: un vistazo a la literatura con bases ontológicas"

The lecture will present revised definitions of commonly used anatomical terms in Coleoptera, as part of the chapter on Coleoptera anatomy for the book Beetles of Canada and the United States. It will include clear definitions and justifications based on anatomical ontologies.

Dr. Diana Mendez Rojas

Instituto de Investigación en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad (IIES), UNAM, México

Biologist (Universidad del Quindío, Colombia), Master and Ph.D. in sciences from the Instituto de Ecología, INECOL A.C. (Mexico). Dr. Mendez has experience in the study of the ecological response of soil insect communities (especially staphylinid beetles) to anthropogenic disturbance. Her research interests focus on understanding how Neotropical Staphylinidae communities are structured in anthropogenic landscapes, and on evaluating the response of these communities to land use change, in particular the variation of their taxonomic and functional diversity among habitats. In her last postdoctoral stay, she also explored changes in the structure of staphylinid-heliconia networks in response to anthropogenic disturbance.

Lecture title: ¿Cómo responden los escarabajos estafilínidos a la presión antrópica? Una mirada ecológica desde los trópicos

Dr. Nicole Gunter

Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Gunther is a researcher and Curator of Entomology in the Department of Biodiversity and Geosciences at the Queensland Museum. She focuses on the systematics, phylogeny, and biogeography of Coleoptera, particularly the subfamily Scarabaeinae. Her research has contributed to studies involving the use of ultra-conserved elements (UCEs), molecular phylogenies, and ancient DNA from museum specimens to resolve evolutionary relationships in beetles.

Lecture title: Ultra-Conserved Elements to Resolve Tribal-Level Classification of Scarabaeinae

The lecture will discuss how UCEs have been applied to resolve the tribal classification of Scarabaeinae, with an emphasis on Australasian endemic genera and their connections to Neotropical genera.

Dr. Gabriel Biffi

Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil

Dr. Biffi is a researcher at the USP and curator of the cave-dwelling Coleoptera collection at MZUSP.

Lecture title: "Coleoptera do Brasil": um livro sobre nossa fauna, escrito por nós e para nós

The lecture will present a collaborative project to produce a textbook exclusively about the Brazilian beetle fauna, written mostly by the community of Brazilian experts.

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