Viviane Campos da Silva Nunes

PhD candidate
+49 7071 29 74830
+49 7071 29 5150
room E2P10
email

Postal address
University of Tübingen
Institute of Evolution and Ecology
Auf der Morgenstelle 28
72076 Tübingen
Germany

Research Interests

Viviane has developed expertise in population genetics, phylogenetics, and integrative taxonomy, with particular experience in comparative phylogenetic methods, firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) taxonomy, and taxonomy of Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Broadly interested in evolution across temporal and spatial scales, her research is guided by three overarching questions: why species diversity rises and falls, where species are found, and what they do for a living. Her PhD project aims to understand evolutionary morphology of Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) through an integrative framework combining micro-CT data and phylogenomics. In parallel, she also develops side projects on Lampyridae systematics and taxonomy.

Find me on

ResearchGate

Current third-party funded projects

Title

Project sponsor

Funding reference

Evolutionary morphology of the hyperdiverse Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and possible reasons for their ecomorphological radiation in the context of cavedwelling, predation and association with ants

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

YA 995/1-1

project 545056792

Short CV

Since 2024

PhD candidate

University of Tübingen

“Evolutionary morphology of the hyper diverse Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and possible reasons for their ecomorphological radiation in the context of cavedwelling, predation and association with ants.”

2024

M. Sc. in Organismal Biology and Evolution

University of Lisbon

“Shrouded in a flashing mystery: decoding the gene flow and species boundaries in the firefly Luciola lusitanica (Lampyridae: Coleoptera).”

2019

B. Sc. in Biology

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro / University of Coimbra

Selected Publications

Lima W, Nunes VCS , Zeballos L, Peñuela AGL, Vasconcelos da Fonseca CR, et al. (2026) Systematics of giant neotropical fireflies and their kin (Lampyridae: Lampyrinae). PLOS ONE 21(8): e0354465.

⁠Nunes, V. C. , Paulo, O. S., Novák, M., Takiya, D. M., Pacheco, Y., Cadigan, J., ... & Silveira, L. F. L. D. (2026). Systematics, phylogeography and integrative taxonomy of European Luciola fireflies (Lampyridae: Luciolinae). Systematics and biodiversity, 24(1), 2632789.

⁠Ballantyne, L., Jusoh, W. F., Novák, M., Nunes , V., & Da Silveira, L. F. (2025). The type species of Luciola Laporte, 1833 (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae). Zoosystema, 47(7), 105-123.

Silveira, L., Souto, P., Khattar, G., Takiya, D. M., Nunes, V., Mermudes, J. R. M., ... & Macedo, M. (2022). Unlocking the evolution of abdominal specializations in Luciuranus fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae). Zoologica Scripta, 51(6), 708-723.
⁠
Nunes, V., Figueira, G., Lopes, L. F., & Souto, P. (2021, September). On the natural history of the Black Winged Firefly, Phosphaenopterus metzneri Schaufuss, 1870 with comparative notes on Phosphaenina (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). In Annales Zoologici (Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 661-691). Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences.
⁠⁠
Nunes, V. C. S., de Matos, E. J. L., Lima, W., Vaz, S., Mermudes, J. R. M., & da Silveira, L. F. L. (2021, March). Lights ahead: morphology and life stages of the spotted tortoise firefly, Aspisoma sticticum Gemminger, 1870–fireflies with a unique extra pair of lanterns on the larval pronotum (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). In Annales Zoologici (Vol. 71, No. 1, pp. 153-178). Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences.

Nunes, V. C. S., Souto, P. M., Minelli, A., Stanger-Hall, K. F., & Silveira, L. F. L. (2020). Antennomere numbers in fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): unique patterns and tentative explanations. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 286, 1-10.