Banca de DEFESA: ÍTALO SÉRGIO DE OLIVEIRA COSTA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : ÍTALO SÉRGIO DE OLIVEIRA COSTA
DATE: 28/05/2026
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: https://meet.google.com/
TITLE:

 Morphology, Phylogenetic Position, and Bionomics of Entomobalia Flores and Triplehorn, 2002 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

KEY WORDS:

Tenebrionidae; Nycteliini; Caatinga; Taxonomy; Biogeography.

PAGES: 74
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Zoologia
SUBÁREA: Taxonomia dos Grupos Recentes
SUMMARY:

Beetles of the family Tenebrionidae constitute one of the most diverse and ecologically important groups of Coleoptera. Among them is the subfamily Pimeliinae, which is highly adapted to arid environments. In South America, the tribe Nycteliini exhibits marked endemism, with its species richness concentrated in Andean regions, but in Brazil it is represented only by the genus Entomobalia Flores & Triplehorn, 2002, comprising two species: E. picta (Perty, 1830) and E. platynota (Perty, 1830). The description of the genus remains the only work dedicated to the group, highlighting the need for further studies. Despite the endemism of Entomobalia and the ecological importance attributed to tenebrionids, its bionomics were completely unknown. This study sought to expand the geographical distribution and knowledge of the genus through morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic studies. For that, field expeditions were conducted in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte to collect and observe the species. Collections were carried out actively during the day and night, prioritizing shrubby environments and open areas. In addition, searches were conducted for specimens already deposited in entomological collections. Thus, the bionomic analyses revealed that the species are nocturnal and crepuscular; detritivores, feeding mainly on dry plant matter; and seasonal, being active in the environment only during the rainy season. Providing insights for future research on its ecology and physiology. The results also extend the known geographic distribution of the genus to other states, such as Ceará, Alagoas, and Minas Gerais, as well as to the Cerrado biome. Furthermore, the detailed morphological review identified diagnostic characters to be further explored, such as the anatomy of the female genitalia, in addition to revealing gradients of intraspecific variation and a new morphospecies. The phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters confirmed the inclusion of Entomobalia in Nycteliini, highlighting its basal position alongside Gyriosomus, and a likely evolutionary isolation from the other representatives of the tribe. Therefore, Entomobalia emerges as a potential genus to broaden the biogeographic landscape along the South American dry diagonal, serving as an important key taxon for understanding the evolution and history of diversification of the Nycteliini in Neotropical semi-arid environments.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - ALINE DE OLIVEIRA LIRA - UFRPE
Presidente - 3152261 - ANAMARIA DAL MOLIN
Interno - 1879211 - BRUNO CAVALCANTE BELLINI
Externo à Instituição - SERGIO ZUCATELI ALOQUIO JUNIOR