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PERSONNEL |
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DR.
ANDREW B. T. SMITH
Canadian Museum of Nature • Project Leader
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My
research experience is in the systematics, phylogenetics, evolution, and biodiversity of scarab beetles, and
I have produced several monographic revisions of scarab genera. I have also
had experience conducting molecular phylogenetic research
on scarab beetles. A major component of this research project is to conduct basic taxonomic research on the scarabs from the study region. I am working towards this goal by conducting several taxonomic revisions and reviews of many of the major groups of scarabs from southern South America. |
| I am also working with collaborators to place the scarab taxa in the study region in the context of the world fauna using morphology and molecular phylogenetics. Beyond the taxonomic research, I will be using the distributional and taxonomic data gathered to examine biogeography and conservation of southern South America. I am also leading and overseeing work on the specimen database. |
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DR. M. J. PAULSEN
University of Nebraska State Museum • Research Collaborator |
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Dr. Paulsen is an expert in the family Lucanidae and has recently completed a revision of all the southern South American taxa. Since Lucanidae is the second most diverse group of scarabs in the region, his work represents a major component of the taxonomic work for this project. He is also a principal collaborator with the field work for this project, including four major expeditions to Chile. |
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DR. FEDERICO C. OCAMPO
Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Aridas (IADIZA). Mendoza, Argentina • Research Collaborator |
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Dr. Federico Ocampo is conducting research on systematics and biogeography of southern South American scarabs using morphology and molecular phylogenetics. He has published numerous papers on scarab systematics and evolution and weevil systematics. He also has experience with molecular techniques, biogeographic methods, and bioinformatics. He is a citizen of Argentina with many professional ties and contacts in Chile and Argentina. |
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JOSÉ MONDACA
Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, Chile • Research Collaborator |
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José Mondaca is a principal research and field work collaborator on this project. He has been an enthusiastic beetle collector in Chile for many years and has published papers on Scarabaeidae and Tenebrionidae from that country. He has been indispensable in the field during the course of this project, having assisted with four separate major expeditions. He is also working on the systematics of several Chilean scarab groups including Bolborhinum, Dihymenonyx, Oogenius, and Hilophyllus.
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MARIO
ELGUETA
Museo Nacional de historia Natural. Santiago, Chile • Chilean research coordinator |
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Mario Elgueta is a professional coleopterist in charge of the Coleoptera collection at the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Chile. He has many years of field experience and is responsible for coordinating the network of collaborators in Chile, facilitating collecting permits, and advising on the field expedition itineraries. He will also be a scientific collaborator for the identification guide. Elgueta is responsible for coordinating the in-country activities of the collaborators and entomological research collections.
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DR. SERGIO ROIG JUÑENT
Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Aridas. Mendoza, Argentina •
Argentinean collaborator
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Dr. Roig Juñent is the Director of the entomology laboratory at the Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (Mendoza, Argentina). He is a coleopterist who works primarily on carabid beetles. Roig Juñent facilitates collecting permits and is a scientific collaborator some of the conservation research. |
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STUDENT COLLABORATOR |
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EIDER
RUIZ-MANZANO 1978-2010
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Before her death, Eider
Ruiz-Manzanos was
working on her Doctoral degree at the Laboratory of Entomology
at the Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas
Aridas (CRICYT) in Mendoza, Argentina. For her dissertation
research, she was revising the Neotropical genera of the
tribe Pachydemini (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Eider was also concerned about
the lack of interest in Europe about systematics, and was working
towards reversing this problem by promoting systematics among
scientist and the public. |
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ILLUSTRATOR
AND WEBSITE DEVELOPER |
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| Aura
Paucar-Cabrera finished her M.S. degree in Entomology at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2001. Her research included the systematics
of New World Rutelinae as well as scarab larvae. For her M.S. research,
she revised the genus Epectinaspis (Rutelinae: Anomalini),
and the paper was published by the Coleopterists Bulletin Monographic
series. She completed a faunistic survey of the Rutelinae of Ecuador
for her Licenciatura degree at the Catholic University of Quito-Ecuador
in 1998. Currently she is working at the University of Nebraska
State Museum. She designs and upgrades the web pages of "Scarabaeoidea
of Southern South America" and other museum websites. Aura
also does illustrations for some products of this project. |
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OTHER RESEARCH COLLABORATORS |
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François Génier - Taxonomic research on Scarabaeinae
François is collaborating on a revision of the genus Homocopris with Smith and Vaz-de-Mello.
Shauna Hawkins - Taxonomic research on Lichniini
Shauna completed a revision of the tribe Lichniini in 2006 and databased over 2000 specimens of this group.
Dr. Paul Skelley - Taxonomic research on Aphodiinae
Paul collaborated with Smith on a review of the Aphodiinae of southern South America.
Fernando Vaz-de-Mello - Taxonomic research on Scarabaeinae
Fernando has already published one paper describing a new genus with two new species of dung beetles from Chile and is now collaborating on a paper revising the genus Homocopris with Smith and Génier. |
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SPECIMEN-EXCHANGE COLLABORATORS |
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Bob Anderson, Canadian Museum of Nature - Cuculionidae
Elizabeth Arias, University of California, Berkeley - Elateridae
Chuck Bellamy , California Department of Food and Agriculture - Buprestidae
Mike Catarino, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History - Histeridae
Caroline Chaboo, University of Kansas - Chrysomelidae
Andrew Cline, California Department of Food and Agriculture - Nitidulidae
Catherine Duckett, Rutgers University- Chrysomelidae
Gustavo Flores, IADIZA, Mendoza - Tenebrionidae
Norm Johnson, Ohio State University - Hymenoptera
Kerry Katovich, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - Heteroceridae
Lubo Masner, Canadian National Collection of Insects - Hymenoptera
Joe McHugh, University of Georgia - Cucujoidea
Al Newton, Field Museum of Natural History - Staphylinidae
Andrew Short, Cornell University - Hydrophilidae
Derek Sikes, University of Alaska - Silphidae
Margaret Thayer, Field Museum of Natural History - Staphylinidae
Terry Wheeler, McGill University - Diptera
Kip Will, University of California, Berkeley - Carabidae
...and many others! |
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