AnalynCabrasstudiesbeetles.That’sabigjob.Therearemorethan400,000speciesofbeetlesonEarth.TheycanbefoundoneverycontinentbutAntarctica.Theycanlivewhereit’shotorcold.Theycanlivewhereit’swetordry.Somearereallytiny.Othersareasbigasyour hand!
Cabrasresearchesbeetlesinthe Philippines.
ThisbeetleisaboutthesizeofCabras' thumbnail.
CabraslooksforbeetlesonMindanao.ItisanislandinthePhilippines.Notmuchisknownaboutthebeetlesthatlivehere.Thisplacehasnotbeenstudied much.
Philippines
ASIA
Cabraslooksatabeetle up close.
IslandSurprises
Sofar,Cabras’workhasbeenfullofsurprises.Shehasfoundmanybeetlescalledjeweledweevils.Shehasalsofoundmanynewbeetles.“Itfeelslikeeverytimewegointothefield,wediscoveratleastonenewspecies,”shesays.Sheandherteamfoundfournewspeciesinonesmallstretch.That’sa lot!
KnowYourScientist
Inherworkstudyingbeetles,AnalynCabrasplaysmany roles:
Biologist:
anexpertonliving organisms
Coleopterist:
apersonwhostudiesorcollects beetles
Conservationist:
apersonwhoactsfortheprotectionoftheenvironmentand wildlife
Ecologist:
anexpertintherelationsoforganismstooneanotherandtotheirnatural surroundings
Taxonomist:
abiologistthatnamesandgroupsorganismsinto categories