Monte Cucuy lies on the right bank of the Negro River, in Venezuelan Amazonia

---

"Se achamos que nosso objetivo aqui, na nossa rápida passagem pela Terra, é acumular riquezas, então não temos nada a aprender com os índios. Mas se acreditamos que o ideal é o equilíbrio do homem dentro de sua família e dentro de sua comunidade, então os índios têm lições extraordinárias para nos dar."


Cláudio Villas-Bôas

I am currently a temporary assistant professor in the Department of Zoology of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG (Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil). I am also the temporary curator of the herpetological section of the Taxonomic Collection Center at UFMG.

My research is focused on the evolution of the anuran acoustic system using the frog family Leptodactylidae as model organisms, a species-rich clade (>200 spp.) distributed across the Neotropics.

Specifically, I have dedicated myself over the past five years to characterize in detail the acoustic mating signals and the laryngeal anatomy of leptodactylid frogs. By examining the morphological and acoustic diversity, we can determine the extent of association between acoustic changes and the vocal apparatus. This work has also benefited from a morpho-functional perspective, incorporating data on mechanics of vocal sound production in frogs.

In parallel, I have also been deeply involved in documenting the anuran biodiversity in the Neotropics, as well as characterizing their vocal repertoires. My research is usually developed in a collaborative effort with several research groups in Brazil and many other countries. My main collaborations are with the laboratory of Dr. Célio Haddad, at São Paulo State University (Rio Claro, SP, Brazil), the laboratory of Dr. Marcos Gridi-Papp, at the University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA), and the laboratory of Dr. Ariovaldo Giaretta, at the Federal University of Uberlândia (Ituiutaba, MG, Brazil).  

Contact me at: