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About me

I am a spongiologist (specialist in sponges) and my work focus on systematics and distributional patterns of deep-sea sponges using an integrative approach to answer evolutionary, taxonomic and biogeographic questions.​

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​Currently, I'm a postdoc in the Museu Nacional (MNRJ) / UFRJ in Brazil, working on the systematics of and biogeography of deep-sea sponges of the Western Atlantic. I am also an associate research at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (SI-NMNH), in Washington DC (US).

 

My research goals are  (1)  to enhance the knowledge of  deep-sea sponge biodiversity and   (2)  to clarify the evolution of deep-sea sponge geographic ranges and diversity using genetic tools.

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I began my career working with taxonomy of shallow water sponges in Bahia (Universidade Federal da Bahia - Brazil) with Dr. Carla Menegola (undergraduate and master’s degrees). My master degree was on the subject of systematics and biogeography of freshwater sponges of a genus (Metania) with circum-tropical distribution (study published in the journal Invertebrates Systematics; link). After that, I joined TAXPO team to pursue a Ph.D under the supervision of Dr. Eduardo Hajdu (Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro - Brazil) studying the systematics of deep-sea sponges of the Southwestern Atlantic. Such in-depth study of wonderful and previously unexplored fauna has resulted in the description of 18 new species and some taxonomic considerations with redescriptions, in partnership with Dr. Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu and Dr. Thiago de Paula (both from UERJ, Brazil), as well as Dr. Allen Collins (Smithsonian, USA).

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About me: About
Professional appointment 
  • Postdoc Nota 10 FAPERJ - Museu Nacional (MNRJ - UFRJ) - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil (2024 - )

  • Research Associate at Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (SI - NMNH), Washington, DC, USA (2023 - )

  • Peter Buck postdoc fellow - Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (SI - NMNH) - Washington, DC, USA (2019 - 2023)

  • Collaborating Researcher at TAXPO Lab, Museu Nacional (MNRJ - UFRJ) - Rio de Janeiro, RJ (BR) (2018 - 2023)

Education
  • PhD in Zoology - Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ - UFRJ)​

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  • MSc in Zoology - Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)

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  • Bs in Biology - Universidade Católica de Salvador (UCSAL)

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