Abstract
We present a brief biography of Dr. Cleide Costa, eminent entomologist from Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP). She has been dedicating the last six decades to the study of adults and immatures of Coleoptera. Dr. Costa is the pioneer in collecting and rearing immature beetles in Brazil, being responsible for establishing the most extensive Latin American collection of reared immatures Coleoptera. We discuss central aspects of her personal history, as well as career landmarks and achievements. A compilation of taxa introduced to science by her, taxa named in her honor, and a full list of her scientific, educational and cultural production are provided in chronological order. More than a biographical account, this publication is an acknowledgment of Dr. Cleide Costa’s legacy to entomology.
Highlights
Cleide’s scientific career has followed three overlapping lines of research: systematics, phylogeny and biology of Elateroidea, with an emphasis in Elateridae; study of Coleoptera larvae from Neotropical Region; and systematics, bionomy, and metamorphosis of Coleoptera
This endeavor counted with the constant contribution of dedicated colleagues that were zoologists, botanists, entomologists, technicians, field assistants, and drivers, like Sônia A
The collection comprises 103 beetle families, 471 genera, and 662 species, especially from the Neotropical region, most of them identified by specialists in each family (Barbosa et al, 2013)
Summary
Cleide’s scientific career has followed three overlapping lines of research: systematics, phylogeny and biology of Elateroidea, with an emphasis in Elateridae; study of Coleoptera larvae from Neotropical Region; and systematics, bionomy, and metamorphosis of Coleoptera (see publications below, chronologically listed). During this period of intense taxonomic works in luminescent elaterids, Cleide has caught attention due to her knowledge and descriptions of their immature forms and natural history (Costa, 1970, 1971a, 1972b) This particular interest gave rise to her second and successful line of research: the study of the immature forms of Neotropical Coleoptera. This endeavor counted with the constant contribution of dedicated colleagues that were zoologists, botanists, entomologists, technicians, field assistants, and drivers, like Sônia A. The collection comprises 103 beetle families, 471 genera, and 662 species, especially from the Neotropical region, most of them identified by specialists in each family (Barbosa et al, 2013)
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