Caique Dantas

Despite increasing attention following recent catastrophic wildfires in Brazil, research on Indigenous Fire Management remains fragmented across regions and disciplines. This study performed a systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, to integrate evidence on IFM across Brazilian biomes, practices, and governance contexts. Searches in major databases (1970–2025) yielded 605 records, of which 20 met eligibility criteria. The studies document 95 Indigenous Territories with systematic fire use, mainly in the Cerrado (52%) and Amazon (36%), followed by the Pantanal (7%) and Atlantic Forest (5%). Fire practices were categorized into five functional axes: agricultural (swidden and fallow enrichment), hunting and fruiting (patch-mosaic burning), cultural and ritual (localized low-intensity burns), prevention and territorial defense (prescribed burns, firebreaks, brigades), and ecological/restorative (control of invasive grasses and maintenance of clearings). Evidence indicates that Indigenous-managed fires enhance landscape heterogeneity, reduce fuel continuity, and significantly lower the extent and severity of uncontrolled wildfires, while strengthening food security and territorial governance. Policy analyses reveal a gradual transition from restrictive “zero-fire” policies toward adaptive co-management models led by the Prevfogo/Ibama program and recognition of Indigenous Fire Stewardship. Overall, IFM emerges as a biocultural conservation strategy that aligns ecological dynamics with traditional knowledge and governance systems, offering promising pathways for climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration. Yet, challenges persist, including unstable funding and limited operational support for Indigenous brigades outside the dry season.

Butterflies, in addition to their ecological relevance, play important symbolic and cultural roles in many societies. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of common names attributed to butterflies in Brazil, based on a systematic literature review (following the PRISMA method), including sources such as scientific articles, books, and field guides. A total of 189 scientific species names were recorded, belonging to five taxonomic families, and associated with 111 distinct common names. The family Nymphalidae presented the highest number of records, indicating a morphologically diverse and culturally recognized group. The common names were classified into interpretive categories, with morphological designations being the most common, followed by behavioral, ecological, and symbolic associations. The analysis shows that common names reflect local knowledge grounded in empirical observation and symbolic meaning, contributing significantly to ecological understanding and the appreciation of biodiversity. This study highlights the role of ethnoentomology as an interdisciplinary approach that values local knowledge and enhances the understanding of human-insect relationships, recommending its broader application in related research.

Parasitic interactions play a central role in shaping insect diversity; however, many host–parasite associations remain poorly documented, particularly among Diptera. Species of Forcipomyia (Microhelea) are known ectoparasites of other insects, yet information on their host associations is still fragmentary. The Fuliginosa species-group is known to be ectoparasite of larvae of Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. In this study, we present the first global synthesis of ectoparasitism by Forcipomyia (Microhelea), Fuliginosa species-group, on caterpillars, integrating literature records with data obtained from the citizen science platform iNaturalist. A total of 109 validated photographic records from 29 countries were compiled, revealing 49 Lepidoptera species belonging to 14 families. When combined with literature records, 15 Lepidoptera families are recognized as hosts, including six reported here for the first time. This interaction shows a broader geographic distribution and higher host diversity than previously recognized, with first records from 17 countries. Our results highlight the potential of citizen science to reveal ecological interactions and demonstrate that parasitism by Forcipomyia on Lepidoptera larvae is more frequent, diverse, and widespread than previously documented.

This study reports the first record of the butterfly species Clito aberrans (Draudt, 1924), belonging to the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The specimen was collected in January 2023 using an entomological net at the Campus of the Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), an area located within the Caatinga-Atlantic Forest ecotone in the municipality of Feira de Santana, Bahia. Images of C. aberrans and a map illustrating the species occurrence in Bahia are also provided. This new record underscores the importance of expanding taxonomic research in the state of Bahia and the Northeast region, as well as mapping the species distribution across Brazil.

While there are well-documented records of anthropoentomophagy practices among numerous Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Brazil, it is likely that its prevalence remains significantly underestimated. This review examines a total of 116 edible insect species in Brazil, identified at the species level, categorized into eight orders: Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, and Psocodea. Hymenoptera was the most represented order, comprising 79 species (68%). Depending on the species, these insects are consumed in both their immature and adult stages, either raw or cooked, ingested whole, in parts, or as by-products. Given Brazil’s vast sociobiodiversity, edible insects exhibit substantial potential due to their nutritional richness and abundance, playing a crucial role in Traditional Food Systems while also offering promising prospects as sustainable ingredients for both household cuisine and the food industry.

This study provides a detailed analysis of the historical context of fire management in Brazil from the perspective of ethnoecology. The study aims to identify traditional fire management practices in Brazil, examining their interactions with ethnoecology and their impacts on biodiversity conservation. The review adopted a systematic approach that began with the formulation of a clear research question: “What are the traditional fire management practices in Brazil from an ethnoecological perspective, and what are their impacts on biodiversity?” The results highlight the uneven distribution of studies across Brazilian biomes, with a greater concentration of research in the Cerrado and Amazon regions, while significant gaps were observed in other biomes such as the Atlantic Forest and Pantanal. Recent advances in research on fire management by traditional communities underscore the importance of local knowledge as an essential tool for the sustainable management of Brazilian ecosystems. Nevertheless, traditional fire management practices have historically been marginalized by public policies. This review emphasizes the need to more broadly integrate these practices into environmental management strategies, recognizing their significance for biodiversity conservation, landscape management, and cultural revitalization. Such integration is increasingly urgent given the growing threats to Brazil's biomes.

Mais de 2.000 espécies de cogumelos comestíveis são conhecidas, oferecendo benefícios nutricionais, medicinais e, por vezes, mágico-religiosos, o que os torna uma adição valiosa às dietas frequentemente desequilibradas em países em desenvolvimento. Considerando que a etnomicologia examina a importância sociocultural dos fungos nas culturas humanas, diferenciando entre atitudes "micofóbicas" e "micofílicas", este estudo investiga o papel dos cogumelos na nutrição humana a partir de uma revisão sistemática de literatura guiada pelas diretrizes do método PRISMA. Uma busca abrangente em trabalhos acadêmicos foi realizada no Google Acadêmico, Web of Science, Scopus e Scielo com palavras-chave relacionadas a cogumelos, nutrição e cultura, cobrindo artigos e teses publicadas entre 2014 e 2024. Dos 110 trabalhos iniciais, oito estudos atenderam aos critérios de inclusão para análise detalhada, com foco na importância nutricional dos cogumelos, seu papel na dieta e uso cultural entre grupos indígenas brasileiros. Os resultados revelam que embora muitos estudos desenvolvidos no Brasil tenham abordado as propriedades nutricionais e medicinais dos cogumelos, há uma falta notável de pesquisas sobre as dimensões culturais. Isso destaca a necessidade de futuros estudos incorporarem uma análise mais aprofundada das práticas alimentares tradicionais e da importância cultural dos cogumelos. A pesquisa adota uma abordagem transdisciplinar, integrando perspectivas da Antropologia Cultural, Nutrição, Ecologia e Micologia para fornecer uma compreensão abrangente e promover soluções sustentáveis.

Bolbapium Boucomont, 1910 is a Neotropical genus of Geotrupidae with 22 known species. In this paper, we describe Bolbapium vazdemelloi sp. nov. in Southwestern Bahia, Brazil. This new species is distinguished from congeneric species by its unique combination of morphological characters: cephalic tubercle adjacent to each eye; pronotum with little expanded bidentate tubercle; parameres symmetric, with acute and divergent apex. The new species was incorporated into a previously published identification key for Bolbapium.

This report aims to present our experiences in the Biology internship carried out at the Colégio da Polícia Militar (CPM) Diva Portela located in the municipality of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The internship plays a fundamental role in teacher education, as it is through it that future teachers acquire essential knowledge for the development of their identity. The theme addressed was Evolutionary Theories, a central theme of interest in the training of future Biology teachers, as well as being a topic demanded in entrance exams, especially the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM). During this experience, we accompanied a Biology teacher in the 2nd and 3rd year classes, where we taught lessons, applied activities, and discussed the topic. Overall, the experience of being in front of a classroom teaching was enriching for our formation as future Biology teachers. Based on our observation and teaching experiences, we can form some distinct strategies on how to work with different classes, different people, in different contexts.