Kaminski Lab: Systematic Entomology

Background:

The primary focus of my research has been the taxonomy, biogeography, and ecology of beetles. My first academic studies assessed the diversity of hypogean fauna in mountainous landscapes, with special focus on ground beetles. Over the past years, my research has played an important role in clarifying the classification of different groups of Carabidae, describing taxa and characterizing their autecology. My PhD consisted in a comprehensive revision of the ground beetle tribe Dyschiriini in the Ibero-Balearic region, and I completed it with a unanimous rating of Outstanding Cum Laude.

Museums are the research centers that inspire me the most, as I believe that natural history collections are invaluable repositories of scientific knowledge and biodiversity data. In the course of my doctorate and my previous and subsequent projects, I have been actively involved in curation and research based on entomological collections, collaborating with institutions as the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC) and the Naturhistorisches Museum Bern (NMB), among others. Now, at the Kamiński Lab, my postdoctoral research will delve into the evolutionary history, morphological and molecular adaptations, and phylogeography of the subfamily Blaptinae, within the project funded by the National Science Center, Poland (OPUS-29 #2025/57/B/NZ8/03028): “Surviving the Desert: Phylogenomics and Evolution of Arid-Adapted Darkling Beetles”.

My academic background includes collaboration and paid work in funded research projects at the University of Alcalá (UAH) and the University of Basel (UB). I also completed a postdoctoral stay at the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), with the aim of learning systematics and phylogenetics techniques, transcriptomics and bioinformatics analyses. Finally, I have worked as docent at the University for Seniors (UAH) and as assistant professor at the University Alfonso X El Sabio (UAX). To date, I have more than 300 hours of teaching experience in undergraduate courses of Natural Sciences and Veterinary studies.

Publications:

9. Ortuño, V.M. & Muñoz-Santiago, J. 2025. Comparative study of the two species of Tinautius Mateu, 1997 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichini) with proposal of new genus and extension of chorological and autoecological knowledge. Annales de la Société entomologique de France (N.S.), 61 (5), 433-448. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2025.2520558 

8. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Balkenohl, M. 2025. Notes on the little studied Iberian endemic Dyschirius breviphthalmus Balkenohl & Lompe, 2003 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Dyschiriini). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 132 (1): 17-23. https://doi.org/10.35929/RSZ.0137 

7. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2024. Sexual dimorphism of Dyschiriini (Coleoptera, Carabidae): comparative morphological SEM study of palpi sensilla and its possible role in intraspecific chemical communication. Micron, 183: 103659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2024.103659 

6. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2023. The species Dyschirius (Dyschiriodes) heydeni Fleischer, 1899 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar: update of its taxonomy, chorology and autoecology, with description of a new subspecies. Annales de la Société entomologique de France (N.S.), 59 (3): 204-216. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2023.2208090  

5. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2023. The tribe Dyschiriini (Coleoptera Carabidae) in the Ibero-Balearic region: history, current state, and future of its study. Bulletin of Insectology, 76 (1): 83-94. 

4. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2022. Revision of the tribe Pogonini (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae) from the Ibero-Balearic region. European Journal of Taxonomy, 846 (1): 75–109. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.846.1967    

3. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2021. New data of Ocys tachysoides (Antoine, 1933) in the Iberian peninsula and discussion about its morphological distinction from Ocys harpaloides (Audinet-Serville, 1821) (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Graellsia, 77 (2): e147. https://doi.org/10.3989/graellsia.2021.v77.313  

2. Ortuño, V.M., Arribas, O., Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Peña-Aguilera, P. 2021. A case of allopatric speciation in the Central System (Iberian Peninsula): Leistus elpis sp. nov., a sibling species of Leistus constrictus (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Zootaxa, 4995 (3): 452-470. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4995.3.3   

1. Muñoz-Santiago, J. & Ortuño, V.M. 2020. Taxonomic reconsideration of the subspecific complex of Laemostenus (Antisphodrus) cazorlensis (Mateu, 1953) (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Platyninae). Zootaxa, 4801 (1): 151-163. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4801.1.7