CUERVO PINEDA Delfina Naomi , Cuba
Abstract
The IES Acarological Collection contains 20000 specimens of mites from 171 species, belonging to 43 families, 96 genera and 6 suborders (Astigmata, Crysptostigmata, Prostigmata, Mesostigmata, Metastigmata and Notostigmata). In the specimens from Cuba there exist 61 holotypes, 395 paratypes and 19 alotypes. However, the state of preservation of these types is in bad shape due to the montage liquid used and the high humidity and temperature of storage. The main purpose of Mrs CUERVO's visit to theRoyal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is to receive training in the assembly methods, preparation and conservation of Acari with modern techniques so that the morphological characters can be maintained. A second aim is to obtain an overview of the taxonomic and nomenclatural changes that have occured the last decades. Finally, the most important litertaure for acarian taxonomy in the Caribbean will be xeroxed.
Training location and duration: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels; 21.XI.2004 to 26.XII.2004
Gained personal capacity: increased skills in acarian taxonomy.
Gained institutional capacity: the Acaria collection of the Institute of Ecology and Systematics in Havana can now be adequately restored. Mrs Pineda is one of the acaraian taxonomists who will benefit tremendously from the digitization of the reprint collection of DR. Fain. Read more here.
Remarks: in 2006, Ms CUERVO served as assistant tutor in a GTI training course organized in Havana.
Ms Cuervo explains the principle of synonymy during a training course in Havana (Photo by: Y. SAMYN)
Recent output
