Professor at the Federal University of Viçosa. He holds a bachelor's degree and a licentiate in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of São Carlos (1987), a Master's in Biological Sciences (Zoology) from the Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (1990), and a PhD in Biological Sciences (1990) (Zoology) from the University of São Paulo (1995).