EDUCATION AND TRAINING
PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences (Curriculum “BIO”: Environmental Biology and Biotechnology. Additional title: International PhD).
Thesis title: "Taxa redescriptions and novel data on study methodologies, biodiversity and phylogeny of limnoterrestrial tardigrades".
Degree awarded on 31.03.2025 – University of Catania.
Supervisor: Prof. Oscar Paolo Vincenzo Lisi.
Co-supervisor: Prof. Anna Maria Pappalardo.
State exam for the professional qualification as Biologist, Section A, National Order of Biologists.
Score: 38/50.
License obtained on 24.11.2021.
Master's Degree in Environmental Biology (LM-06).
Final grade: 110/110 cum laude.
Thesis title: "Tardigrades of the Maltese Archipelago: faunal data and biogeographical considerations".
Degree awarded on 21.10.2020 – University of Catania.
Supervisor: Prof. Oscar Paolo Vincenzo Lisi.
Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32).
Final grade: 108/110.
Thesis title: "The taxonomic revolution of limno-terrestrial tardigrades: implications for faunistics, biogeography and conservation".
Degree awarded on 20.07.2018 – University of Catania.
Supervisor: Prof. Oscar Paolo Vincenzo Lisi.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
2024–2025 (ongoing): Research assistant for the SoilMATs Project – “Training the next generation of soil Meiofauna experts”.
PI: Prof. Roberto Guidetti.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation program within the TETTRIs project (Grant Agreement No. 101081903).
2022–2026 (ongoing): Research assistant for the project "Patterns of Tardigrade Diversity: The effect of biotic homogenization on their communities in urban gradients".
PI: Prof. Alejandra Mariana Rocha.
Funded by PDI – Department of Biological Sciences No. 40, National University of La Pampa, Santa Rosa, Argentina.
2021–2024: Research assistant for the project "Tardigrada associated with bryophytes and lichens in tropical dry forest fragments of the Montes de María and the Serranía de Piojó: A contribution to Colombia's biodiversity".
PI: Prof. Sigmer Quiroga.
Funded by Minciencias under the call “Convocatoria de Programas Conectando Conocimiento 852-2019”.
2021: Research assistant for the “INTERREG-FAST Italy-Malta” project.
PI: Prof. Giorgio Sabella.
Funded by Interreg V-A Italy-Malta 2014–2020, call 2/2019 – Priority Axis III.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
May 7 – June 30, 2024: Visiting Researcher at Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia.
Supervisor: Prof. Sigmer Quiroga.
January 14 – February 15, 2024: Visiting Researcher at Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals (ISEA-PAS), Kraków, Poland.
Supervisors: Prof. Daniel Stec, Dr. Matteo Vecchi.
August 25 – October 2, 2023: Visiting Researcher at Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia.
Supervisor: Prof. Sigmer Quiroga.
November 10 – 21, 2021: Visiting Researcher at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Supervisor: Prof. Roberto Guidetti.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
October 2023 – March 2024
Junior Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Vertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 30h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
October 2023 – March 2024
Junior Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Invertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 30h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
February 2023 – June 2023
Supplementary teaching – Course: Zoological Methodologies, Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 28h.
Instructor: Prof. Oscar Paolo Vincenzo Lisi.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
February 2023 – June 2023
Supplementary teaching – Course: Environmental Bryology, Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 12h.
Instructor: Prof. Marta Maria Puglisi.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
February 2023 – July 2023
Qualified Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Vertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 30h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
February 2022 – June 2022
Supplementary teaching – Course: Zoological Methodologies, Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 40h.
Instructor: Prof. Oscar Paolo Vincenzo Lisi.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
May 2022 – July 2022
Qualified Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Vertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 20h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
May 2020 – September 2020
Junior Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Vertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 24h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
May 2020 – October 2020
Junior Tutor – Course: Fundamentals of Zoology (Invertebrate Module), Bachelor's in Environmental and Natural Sciences (L-32), 30h.
Institution: University of Catania – Animal Biology Section.
Other teaching-related activities:
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Co-supervisor of 4 Master’s students (Environmental Biology LM-6).
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Co-supervisor of 5 Bachelor’s students (Environmental and Natural Sciences L-32).
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Supplementary teaching for the course Laboratory of Zoological Methodologies.
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Supervision of 3 interns in laboratory activities related to systematic zoology, faunistics, and biogeography of Tardigrades.
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2019–2020: Supervision of 6 interns in laboratory activities on tardigrades.
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2019–2021: Collaboration in the teaching labs of the Laboratory of Zoological Methodologies course.
PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
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August 22–26, 2022: Participant at the 15th International Symposium on Tardigrada, Kraków, Poland.
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1st Latin American Meeting of Tardigradology.
ABSTRACT/POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Abstracts (asterisk marks the presenting author):
Camarda D.*, Massa E., Guidetti R., Lisi O. (2023). SEM en tardígrados: resultados preliminares sobre la aplicación de una nueva técnica. 1st Latin American Meeting of Tardigradology (October 3–13, 2023 – Mexico City, Mexico).
Londoño R.*, Daza A., Camarda D., Lisi O., Quiroga S. (2023). La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia): un macrouniverso para los ositos de agua (Tardigrada). 1st Latin American Meeting of Tardigradology.
Ignoto S.*, Camarda D., Lisi O., Mancini E., Lombardo B.M., Tiralongo F. (2023). Inside the wood: new data on marine borers from the central Mediterranean Sea. 82nd Congress of the Italian Zoological Union (Sept 19–22, 2023 – Palermo, Italy).
Ostertag B., Rocha A.R., Doma I., Gonzalez-Reyes A., Camarda D., Grabosky A., Lisi O.* Current state of knowledge of the limno-terrestrial tardigrade fauna of the Republic of Argentina. 15th International Symposium on Tardigrada (22–26 Aug 2022 – Kraków, Poland).
PARTICIPATION IN COURSES / TRAINING
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September – October 2024: Introduction to Genetics and Evolution – 25h (COURSERA – Duke University).
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September – October 2024: Introduction to Biology: Ecology – 19h (COURSERA – Rice University).
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April – May 2021: Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions – 40h (COURSERA – University of Alberta).
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April 30; May 2 and 3, 2019 – Seminar series “Biotechnology in the Field”.
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April 10, 12, and 13, 2018 – Laboratory access training course: “Health and safety in the workplace” – 12h.
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Internship (Bachelor’s in Environmental and Natural Sciences) – 6 ECTS (150h).
Activities involved field and laboratory studies of major terrestrial invertebrate phyla, with a focus on the phylum Tardigrada.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Involvement in PNLS (National Plan for Scientific Degrees) activities:
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Presentation of the PhD project and general information on the phylum Tardigrada to two high school classes (Principe Umberto – 22/02/2023).
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Nature guide on faunal biodiversity during a PNLS field trip with Boggio Lera High School students (Piano Bottara, Etna).
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Presentations on tardigrades and the PhD project for students of Boggio Lera and Principe Umberto high schools.
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Participation in the 2023 Student Orientation Fair.
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Participation in the 2024 Student Orientation Fair.
PARTICIPATION IN COURSES / TRAINING
Abstracts (asterisk marks the presenting author):
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Camarda D.*, Massa E., Guidetti R., Lisi O. (2023). SEM en tardígrados: resultados preliminares sobre la aplicación de una nueva técnica. 1er encuentro Latinoamericano de Tardigradologia (October 3rd – 13th, 2023 Mexico City, Mexico).
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Londoño R.*, Daza A., Camarda D., Lisi O., Quiroga S. (2023). La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia): un macrouniverso per los ositos de agua (Tardigrada). 1er encuentro Latinoamericano de Tardigradologia (3–13.10.2023 Mexico City, Mexico).
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Ignoto S.*, Camarda D., Lisi O., Mancini E., Lombardo B.M., Tiralongo F. (2023). Inside the wood: new data on marine borer from the central Mediterranean Sea. 82° Congresso Nazionale Unione Zoologica Italiana (19–22.09.2023 Palermo, Italy).
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Ostertag B., Rocha A.R., Doma I., Gonzalez-Reyes A., Camarda D., Grabosky A., Lisi O.* Current state of knowledge of the limno-terrestrial tardigrade fauna of the Republic of Argentina. 15th International Symposium on Tardigrada (22–26.08.2022 Kraków, Poland).
Posters (asterisk marks the presenting author):
- Frigieri F.*, Camarda D., Cesari M., Giovannini I., Rebecchi L., Lisi O., Guidetti R. (2023). Lights on tardigrade biodiversity: integrative redescription of Eremobiotus alicatai with new insights on its morphology, systematics and biogeography. 82nd Congress of the Italian Zoological Union.
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Massa E., Camarda D., Lisi O., Guidetti R.* (2023). A new simplified protocol to prepare micrometazoans for SEM. 82nd Congress of the Italian Zoological Union.
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Vecchi M.*, Camarda D., Ferrari C., Lisi O., McDaniel J., Walsh E. (2023). Freshwater rock pools: an unexplored source of tardigrades biodiversity. 82nd Congress of the Italian Zoological Union.
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Rocha A.R., Doma I., Camarda D., Ostertag B., Grabosky A., Gonzalez-Reyes A., Lisi O. Two new species of the genus Minibiotus from an urban area of Northern Argentina. 15th International Symposium on Tardigrada.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Native language: Italian
Other languages: English; Spanish
Self-assessed English proficiency: B2
Self-assessed Spanish proficiency: B1
Daniele Camarda, Ph.D., is a zoologist specializing in the study of micrometazoans, with a particular focus on limno-terrestrial tardigrades. His work encompasses species identification, the description of new species, taxon redescriptions, and the development of innovative study methodologies. An expert in the use of optical microscopy techniques (PCM, DIC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), DNA barcoding, and phylogenetic analyses, he applies cutting-edge approaches in taxonomy, systematics, and evolutionary biology.
He has served as a visiting researcher at institutions in Italy, Colombia, and Poland (with which he maintains active collaborations), contributing to biodiversity projects and refining methodologies for microfaunal studies. His technical expertise ranges from sample preparation for light microscopy (LM) and SEM to the extraction and amplification of rDNA and mtDNA, followed by analysis using bioinformatics software.
*= corresponding author)
Camarda, D., Lisi, O., Stec, D., Vecchi, M. (2025). Description of a new genus and species of Isohypsibioidea (Tardigrada), together with its mitochondrial genome sequence. (PAPER ACCEPTED)
Camarda, D., Pai CY, Kristensen RM, Stec D.* (2025). Integrative description of a new freshwater tardigrade species, Dactylobiotus taiwanensis (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Murrayidae), discovered through social media. Zool Stud 64:14.
Rocha, A., Camarda, D., Doma, I., Ostertag, B., González-Reyes, A., Pappalardo, A. M., & Lisi, O. (2024). Macrobiotus olgae sp. nov.: a new urban, limno-terrestrial eutardigrade (Tardigrada, Macrobiotidae) from Argentina. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 1-19.
Camarda, D., Massa, E., Guidetti, R., & Lisi, O. (2024). A new, simplified, drying protocol to prepare tardigrades for scanning electron microscopy. Microscopy Research and Technique, 87(4), 716-726.
Camarda, D., Frigieri, F., Guidetti, R., Cesari, M., & Lisi, O. (2024). Lights on tardigrade biodiversity: integrative redescription of Eremobiotus alicatai (Eutardigrada, Isohypsibiidae) with new insights on its morphology, phylogeny, and biogeography. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 1-26.
Rocha, A., Doma, I. L., Camarda, D.*, Ostertag, B. R., Meier, M. F., Frigieri, F., Cesari, M & Lisi, O. (2024). Integrative description of a new species of Minibiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from Salta City (Argentina).
Venencia-Sayas, D., Londoño, R., Daza, A., Pertuz, L., Marín-Muñoz, G., Londoño-Mesa, M. H., Lisi, O., Camarda, D. & Quiroga, S. (2023). Tardigrades (Tardigrada) of Colombia: Historical Overview, Distribution, New Records, and an Updated Taxonomic Checklist. Diversity, 16(1), 13.
Rocha, A., Camarda, D., Ostertag, B., Doma, I., Meier, F., & Lisi, O. (2023). Actual state of knowledge of the limno-terrestrial tardigrade fauna of the Republic of Argentina and new genus assignment for Viridiscus rufoviridis (du Bois-Reymond Marcus, 1944). Diversity, 15(2), 222.
Camarda, D., Pilato, G., & Lisi, O. (2022). Considerations on the claws of the Apochela and a novel detail of the bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the genus Milnesium (Tardigrada: Apochela: Milnesiidae). The European Zoological Journal, 89(1), 263-284.
Siracusa, A. M., Santitto, A., Camarda, D., & D’Urso, V. (2022). Small mammal community in a Mediterranean target area of Sicily by the data from the long-eared owl pellets. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY, 21(2), 169-179.
Camarda, D., Lisi, O., & Mifsud, D. (2022). First faunistic report of limno-terrestrial tardigrades (Tardigrada Doyère, 1840) from the Maltese Islands. Check List, 18(4), 779-792.