Collection of more than 1.400 samples promises to reveal species still unknown to science
An expedition to the ZF2 Reserve of the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), approximately 80 km from Manaus (AM), collected more than 1.400 samples composed of thousands of insects in the various strata of the forest. The activity is part of two large-scale projects supported by FAPESP and CNPq.
For six days, a team of 34 entomologists explored an area of 10 hectares in the Central Amazon in search of insects in a variety of environments: soil, tree trunks, leaf litter, bodies of water and even above the tree canopy. The sampling is part of the "BioInsecta" and "BioDossel" projects, which aim to reveal and monitor the diversity of insects throughout the vertical structure of the forest.
The intensive collection involved more than 30 different methods, from light traps to entomological nets and aquatic traps. All the material was preserved for molecular analysis and morphological identification in the laboratory, a process that should reveal thousands of species — many of them new to science.
According to coordinators José Albertino Rafael (Inpa) and Dalton de Souza Amorim (USP), this is the largest entomological expedition ever carried out in the Amazon in terms of the number of specialists gathered, covering around 20 of the 28 orders of insects registered in Brazil.
Ground to canopy collections
Cascade traps, the main collection method, were installed at three points in the Central Amazon and have remained active since July 2024. This system, consisting of five stacked traps measuring two meters each, allows simultaneous collection at different heights in the forest, from the ground to around 30 meters.
With biweekly sampling until September 2025, the expectation is to collect more than 5,5 million specimens. In addition, the intensive expedition allowed the capture of species that would be difficult to obtain using traps alone, significantly expanding knowledge of local biodiversity.
Diversity still little known
Despite the immense wealth of species, the insect fauna of the Amazon — especially that which inhabits the treetops — is still little studied. Previous studies indicate that more than 60% of the species found above 8 meters in height do not occur on the ground.
"It's like exploring an unknown continent," says Amorim. "The fauna in the canopy is different from the fauna on the ground, but access has always been a major challenge." The data generated will allow future comparisons of the impact of climate change, fires and other factors on the forest's biodiversity.
In addition to revealing new species, the BioInsecta and BioCanopy projects aim to create a robust genetic database using advanced DNA sequencing technologies. The estimate is to analyze the genetic material of around 500 specimens, which should set a new benchmark for biodiversity studies in tropical forests.
Global importance
The results should place Brazil among the world's leading researchers in tropical biodiversity studies. In comparison, the most comprehensive study to date, conducted in Panama, captured 14 insects over 14 months. Now, the scale of collection in the Amazon is significantly larger, both in terms of the number of specimens and the depth of analysis.
According to José Albertino Rafael, the database created will also serve as a reference for monitoring, in the future, the environmental effects in preserved areas of the forest: "It will be a fundamental tool to support public policies for the conservation of the Amazon."