Zamira Yusseff Vanegas, Ph.D. Student

Contact Information

Location: Dr. Ing Agnarsson Lab, Rm 316 Marsh Life Science
Phone: (802) 656-2972
Email: Zamira Yusseff Vanegas
Web: CLICK HERE

Blog: CLICK HERE

Advisor: Dr. Ingi Agnarsson

Research

My research primary focus is the Forensic sciences. Since grade school I have been fascinated with reading books about research, forensic sciences and CSI. This hunger for science made Biology my passion. Collecting insects in the field, knowing their behavior, looking at their habitat and the hours spent under the microscope (while describing, drawing and identifying them in the lab) was the perfect combination of what I am today; a Forensic Entomologist.

I have been involved in Forensic Entomology since 2002, working with the Order Diptera, primarily with members of the Calliphoridae family (commonly known as blow flies). Recently I started working in Dr. Agnarsson’s research lab, where our effort will be the identification of the insects involved in the cadaveric decomposition in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. Our research will study the taxonomy, distribution, phylogeny, systematics and biogeography of the Calliphoridae in the West Indies, filling the gasps that exist today regarding this group in the Caribbean. In addition our goal will be to understand the importance of these organisms and the role they play, or could potentially play, in the field of Forensic Sciences.

Other interests: I like working with insect’s collections, museum and curator related activities. Also I enjoy photography, drawing, and reading.

Publications

García-Espinoza F, Martínez MT, Sánchez FJ, Yusseff-Vanegas SZ. 2012. Desarrollo larval y requerimientos calóricos de Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) durante primavera y verano en Torreón, Coahuila. Acta Zoológica Mexicana 28 (1): 172-184. http://www.fmvz.unam.mx/fmvz/posgrado/coordinacion/articulos/30.pdf

Franz, N. M. & S. Z. Yusseff Vanegas. 2009. The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez insect collection - then and now. Entomological News 120: 401-408 http://academic.uprm.edu/franz/publications/UPRM-InsectCollection.pdf

Yusseff, S. Z. 2007. Efectos de la temperatura sobre el desarrollo de Chrysomya rufifacies y Cochliomyia
macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae), dos especies importantes para la entomología forense en Puerto Rico.  Tesis M. S. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, P.R. 86 pp. http://grad.uprm.edu/tesis/sohathyusseff.pdf

Yusseff, S. Z. 2006. Entomología Forense: Los Insectos en la escena del Crimen. Revista Luna Azul. Manizales,2006-11-16(Rev.2007-01-10) http://lunazul.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=312

Yusseff, S. Z. y M. del C. Daza. 2003. Caracterización de la entomofauna asociada a la descomposición cadavérica empleando como biomodelo el cerdo (Sus scrofa) en el municipio de Tunja. Tesis de Pregrado Biología. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Tunja. Colombia. 141 pp

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