Analyn Cabras looks for beetles in the Philippines. By Brenna Maloney Before you read Wildlife and Wild Places Life Science As you read, think about how one scientist’s research can impact a field of study. 07/06/2024 23:46:32How To UsePress left/rightto view pagesScroll up/downto view pageClick buttonsand icons Go to cover Go to articles Read aloud Go to next page
Analyn Cabras studies beetles. That’s a big job. There are more than 400,000 species of beetles on Earth. They can be found on every continent but Antarctica. They can live where it’s hot or cold. They can live where it’s wet or dry. Some are really tiny. Others are as big as your hand! Cabras researches beetles in the Philippines. This beetle is about the size of Cabras' thumbnail. Cabras looks for beetles on Mindanao. It is an island in the Philippines. Not much is known about the beetles that live here. This place has not been studied much. Philippines ASIA Cabras looks at a beetle up close. Island Surprises So far, Cabras’ work has been full of surprises. She has found many beetles called jeweled weevils. She has also found many new beetles. “It feels like every time we go into the field, we discover at least one new species,” she says. She and her team found four new species in one small stretch. That’s a lot! Know Your Scientist In her work studying beetles, Analyn Cabras plays many roles: Biologist: an expert on living organisms Coleopterist: a person who studies or collects beetles Conservationist: a person who acts for the protection of the environment and wildlife Ecologist: an expert in the relations of organisms to one another and to their natural surroundings Taxonomist: a biologist that names and groups organisms into categories 07/06/2024 23:46:38