Bioprospection in Five Insects of Biotechnological Interest Belonging to the Tropical Dry Forest Remnant of the María Auxiliadora Campus of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana Sede Guayaquil (Insect)

This research project aims to characterize five insects of biotechnological interest in the tropical dry forest remnant of the María Auxiliadora campus of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Guayaquil headquarters. The project includes the collection and identification of insects, the characterization of their anatomy and morphology, the development of a rearing and reproduction protocol, and the evaluation of their protein potential and pigment concentration.

Goals:
Conduct a literature review on insect biodiversity in the tropical dry forest remnants of Ecuador.
Identify insects of biotechnological interest that have been characterized in the forest remnant of the María Auxiliadora campus of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana.
Establish a methodology used for the rearing and reproduction of tropical insects in controlled environments.
Evaluate the protein potential of an insect and the pigment concentration in an insect (carmine acid in cochineal) grown in a controlled environment.

Research lines:
Biodiversity and genetic resources