My research focuses on the debate on the phylogenetic relationships of Pasimachus with respect to other genera and its tribal position. The most accepted proposal considers it as the sister group of Mouhotia Castelnau, an oriental genus with three species, as the only members within Pasimachini; another proposal considers Pasimachus as the only representative of the Pasimachina subtribe. With phylogenetic analysis with traditional morphological characters and five structural modules coded with Geometric Morphometry, I try to know the relationships of the 34 species of Pasimachus and their affinities at the tribal level (Scaritini and Carenini). The results with a single cladogram validate Pasimachini (Pasimachus + Mouhotia), and supraspecific arrangements are proposed at the subgeneric level within Pasimachus. The relevance of the Transverse Volcanic Axis as an element that has favored the generation of an important pattern o vicariance in the evolution of Pasimachus is discussed, as well as the analysis of the evolution of the evaluated structural modules.

My project focuses on a taxonomic revision of the species of the genus Strigoderma Burmeister with distribution in Mexico, which includes a detailed reassessment of external and internal morphology, as well as biogeography that allow us to adequately delimit the species. Historically, the diversity of this taxon has been underestimated, especially in the case of species with wide morphological variation and wide geographic distributions. I am interested in providing relevant, novel and complementary taxonomic information for the recognition of intra- and interspecific variation, and proposing a supraspecific arrangement within the group, with interpretations of the evolution of characters and biogeography.

My study focuses on the phylogeny of the Pelidnotina subtribe made up of 27 genera and 420 species exclusive to America. It presents a complicated taxonomy, since in 21 of its 27 genera there are doubts about its belonging to the subtribe itself or related taxa, and there are no phylogenetic works that address the problem. An example are the genera Chipita Soula (Pelidnotina) and Platyrutela Bates (Anticheirina) that, despite belonging to two different subtribes, present unique morphological and ecological characters among the 71 genera of these subtribes. My interest is to know the evolutionary affinities between them with emphasis on Chipita and Platyrutela based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Wings are evolutionary innovations that in insects have favored radiation, colonization of habitats and the exploitation of resources. Being a complex system, it is common for its shape and functionality to be affected by various factors and it is possible to use them as predictors of adaptations to different selective pressures. Furthermore, they have been historically recognized for their value in taxonomy and phylogeny; however, the evolution of wing characters is still largely unexplored. This research examines the evolution of the alar shape (morphological variation, modularity and integration), and its association with diet, flight habits and taxonomy. Wings have been found to exhibit great variation associated with food preferences and habitats, which determine their shape and flight ability. Moreover, the alar form provides taxonomic information.

This project aims to analyze the diversity and genetic flow in three species of beetles, each with different distribution areas and dispersal capacities, between two natural protected areas, La Malinche and Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Parks, both located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The Belt is formed by a set of mountain ranges and volcanoes that cross central Mexico, which is where the country’s largest cities -with their great anthropogenic pressure- are also located. The phylogeographic analyses include the use of tools of population genetics, biogeography, conservation biology, etc., in order to identify priority areas for conservation. It is part of the multidisciplinary and multitaxonomic project "Analysis of functional connectivity between La Malinche and Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Parks, and identification of priority areas for conservation".

The project I am carrying out is a phylogenetic analysis of the New World genus Orizabus Fairmaire made up of 30 species distributed from the southern United States to Panama. This taxon is interesting because its greatest diversity occurs in Mexico (22 species, 18 endemic), and several of its species have undergone vivariance due to altitudinal isolation, resulting in microendemisms in high mountains, such as El Cofre de Perote, Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl, La Malinche, Colima Volcano, and Zempoaltépetl. The purpose of my project is to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships between the species and to infer the possible evolutionary processes and mechanisms in the speciation of the group.