Panamanian, in the bug expert directory

Panamanians continue to leave the country’s name high. On this occasion, Isthmian biologist Manuel D. Barría was included in the “World Directory of Scarab Workers”.

This is a digital catalog managed by the University of Nebraska, United States, which brings together the profiles and research of the world’s best experts in the study of insects, especially beetles.

Manuel D. Barria He is the first Panamanian scientific researcher to appear in the directory.

According to the Panamanian scientist, to be “World Directory of Scarab Workers” (unsm-ento.unl.edu/workers/alpha.htm) seems to “appear in the yellow pages” of this scientific branch, facilitating communication between researchers of beetle species and the identification of sources and information related to these insects.

to enter this global directory of expertsBarría presented the results of studies he developed on the large family scaraboids (bugs), including data obtained thanks to the project “The effect of human intervention on the diversity of Scarabaeoideos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in the cloud forests of Panama”.

In addition, Barria’s recently published book “A Monographic Revision of The Jewel Scarabs Genus Chrysina from Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini)” is another result of this research project.

The compilation includes data on 28 species scaraboids (especially gender Chrysina), 25 of them are present on the territory of Panama.

This book is available in physical form through the site www.lulu.com and in digital form (free PDF) on the website of the University of Nebraska Zea Publishing House https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook/141/

“The effect of human intervention on the diversity of Scarabaeoideos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in the cloud forests of Panama”, was funded by the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation, after winning the Public Call for New Researchers in 2021.

Researcher

In the seven years he devoted himself to the study of insects, Barría published descriptions of two new species, one from Panama and the other from Colombia and Ecuadorand is preparing publications corresponding to another 25 new species of beetles he discovered, 15 of which are endemic to Panama.

Barria is a researcher at Laboratory for biological research of arthropods from the University of Panama and as future projects he plans to complete the description of the new species of beetles he discovered, prepare “Atlas of the family Scarabaeoidea” for Panama and help highlight the importance of insects within the natural balance by fulfilling multiple ecological functions.