My research explores the intersection of evolutionary biology, functional morphology, and biomechanics, focusing on understanding how organisms adapt their form and function to environmental challenges. I am particularly interested in understanding how different species have evolved varying structural solutions to perform similar functions and the role of morphology in mediating organism-environment interactions. By employing advanced imaging techniques and 3D modelling, I can quantify anatomical traits and assess their biomechanical performance, providing insights into the evolutionary forces shaping phenotypic diversity across arthropods. I aim to bridge the gap between detailed anatomical data and broader evolutionary patterns, using phylogenetic comparative methods and biomechanical analyses to uncover trends in trait evolution. Ultimately, my work seeks to shed light on the processes driving biodiversity and contribute to applied fields like bio-inspired design.

Education

2020 | Ph.D. Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil. Biology, Entomology

2016 | MSc. Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil. Biology, Entomology

2014 | BSc. Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil. Biology

Professional Experience

2024 – current | Postdoctoral Researcher Fellow, Universität Greifswald

2024 – current | Visiting Researcher, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

2020 – 2024 | Postdoctoral Scholar, OIST

2019 | Visiting Researcher, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ), Harvard, USA 

2018 | Visiting Researcher, OIST

2018 | Visiting Researcher, Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo (MZSP), Brazil

2014 – 2020 | Assistant in the Curatorship, Entomological Collection Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure (DZUP), Brazil

Published

18. Conrado, [...] Ferreira, and Maia. (2023). Amazonian earthworm biodiversity is heavily impacted by ancient and recent human disturbance. Science of the Total Environment, 895, p.165087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165087 

17. Carvalho, [...] The Synergize Consortium [Casadei-Ferreira, …], and Silveira. (2023). Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research. Current Biology, 33(16), pp.3495-3504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.077 

16. Klunk, Argenta, Casadei‐Ferreira, and Pie. (2023). Mechanical demands of bite in plane head shapes of ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers. Ecology and Evolution, 13(6), p.e10162. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10162 

15. Nickele, [...] Casadei-Ferreira, Feitosa, and Pie. (2023). Assessing forest restoration effectiveness in the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregion using epigaeic ant assemblages. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 39, p.e37. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467423000275 

14. Casadei‐Ferreira, Feitosa, and Pie. (2022). Size and shape in the evolution of the worker head in Pheidole ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Zoology, 317(4), pp.270-282. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12978

13. Silva, [...] Casadei-Ferreira, […] and Emanuel Oliveira Alves. 2022. ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3580 

12. Demetrio, [...] Ferreira, [...] and Stanton. (2021). A “dirty” footprint: Macroinvertebrate diversity in Amazonian anthropic soils. Global Change Biology, 27(19), pp.4575-4591. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15752

11. Klunk, Argenta, Casadei-Ferreira, Economo, and Pie. (2021). Mandibular morphology, task specialization and bite mechanics in Pheidole ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 18(179), p.20210318. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2021.0318 

10. Casadei‐Ferreira, Friedman, Economo, Pie, and Feitosa. (2021). Head and mandible shapes are highly integrated yet represent two distinct modules within and among worker subcastes of the ant genus Pheidole. Ecology and Evolution, 11(11), pp.6104-6118. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7422 

9. Casadei-Ferreira, Economo, and Feitosa. (2020). Additions to the taxonomy of Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the southern grasslands of Brazil. Revista Brasileira de entomologia, 64. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2020-0068 

8. Casadei-Ferreira, Fischer, and Economo. (2020). Evidence for a thoracic crop in the workers of some Neotropical Pheidole species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Arthropod structure & development, 59, p.100977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2020.100977 

7. Silva and Casadei-Ferreira. (2020). A species-level association in Pheidole Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ants with a parasitoid wasp of the genus Orasema Cameron (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) in Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 64. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2020-0005 

6. Barroso, [...] Ferreira, Silva, and Morini. (2020). Twigs occupied by Pheidole Westwood, 1839: Is there a difference between species?. Biota Neotropica, 20. https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-BN-2019-0897 

5. Prado, [...] Casadei-Ferreira, Silva, and Andrade-Silva. (2019). An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhão, Brazil. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 59, p.e20195938. https://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2019.59.38 

4. Casadei-Ferreira, Chaul, and Feitosa. (2019). A new species of Pheidole (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Dominican amber with a review of the fossil records for the genus. ZooKeys, 866, p.117. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.866.35756

3. Vicente, Ferreira, Santos, and Prado. (2018). Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from an Amazonian fragmented landscape, Juara, Mato Grosso, Brazil, with new records of ant species. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 58. https://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2018.58.40

2. Ferreira, Martins, and Feitosa. (2016). Rediscovery of the morphologically remarkable social parasite Pheidole acutidens (Santschi, 1922), with the first records for Brazil. Sociobiology, 63(4), pp.1069-1072. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v63i4.1263

1. Cunha, [...], TPI Network [Ferreira, …] and Kille. (2016). Soil animals and pedogenesis: the role of earthworms in anthropogenic soils. Soil Science, 181(3/4), pp.110-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15752

Preprints ⏐ Under Revision

2. Casadei-Ferreira, [...] Economo. Evolution and functional implications of stinger shape in ants. Submitted. Evolution.

1. Warren, Kass, Casadei-Ferreira, and Economo. (2022). Incorporating sampling bias into permutation tests for niche and distribution models. bioRxiv, pp.2022-08. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.08.503252

Book Chapter

3. Boudinot, Casadei-Ferreira, [...] and Richter. Ecomorphology of Ants. Submitted. In: Dr. Oliver Betz (Org.). Insect Ecomorphology.

2. Casadei Ferreira. Pheidole. In: Dr. Christopher K. Starr. (Org.). Encyclopedia of Social Insects. 1ed.: Springer International Publishing, 2019, v., p. 1-4. 

1. Brown, [...] Casadei Ferreira, […] Lavelle. The role of soil fauna in soil health and delivery of ecosystem services. In: Dr. Don Reicosky. (Org.). Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1: Fundamentals. 48ed.Cambridge: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited, 2018, v. 1, p. 2-45