SOUZA, D. S.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7420476212636273; SOUZA, Daniela Sotério de.
Résumé:
Citizen Science is a collaborative practice in which people, even without scientific training,
contribute to the advancement of science through sending data. This voluntary and engaged
collaboration improves the quality of scientific data in an accessible and low-cost way. The
Caatinga biome is among the biomes with the lowest number of studies related to butterfly and
moth fauna. The objective of this work was to identify, through the iNaturalist platform, the
occurrence of the order Lepidoptera in the Caatinga biome, describing the geographic
distribution seeking to correlate with urbanized and natural areas, with a view to environmental
conservation actions. The present study was carried out in the Caatinga biome between 2022
and 2024 based on data obtained in the iNaturalist project “Ocorrência da Ordem Lepidoptera
no Bioma Caatinga”. For data analysis and construction of maps, the software R Studio and
QGIS were used. The study demonstrated a considerable diversity of species for the set of data
analyzed, 760 species were identified, distributed in 29 families. Furthermore, it highlighted
the impact of urbanization on these insects. Therefore, the study demonstrated the potential of
the platform in collecting relevant data on lepidoptera in the Caatinga, making it necessary to
obtain more data related to lepidopterofauna. It also highlights the collaborative importance
between the public and researchers, allowing the expansion of data and encouraging
conservation initiatives for butterflies and moths in the Caatinga biome.