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Post by nomad on Dec 17, 2015 16:58:00 GMT
Finding what appears to be a new, previously undescribed species of hawkmoth in South America. It really doesn't get much better than that! Very good news Jon, so you did do a little collecting in South America. An update on where you went and what you did, would be most welcome here.
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Post by nomad on Dec 17, 2015 17:00:01 GMT
For me, amongst many new books for my collection, 2 of them are of high importance to me : OHYA T., 2008/12, "Original descriptions of birdwing butterflies, 2 vol. + additional edition", Kagawa, by the author. and SCHULTZE A., AURIVILLIUS C., 1917/25 , "Lepidoptera, 4 teile ; in Schubotz : Ergebnisse der zweiten deutschen Zentral-Afrika-Expedition, 1910-1911", Leipzig, Klinkhardt & Biermann. A+, Michel I am pleased Michel, that you have found some specials volumes to add to your impressive book collection.
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Post by timmsyrj on Dec 17, 2015 17:22:39 GMT
Finding what appears to be a new, previously undescribed species of hawkmoth in South America. It really doesn't get much better than that! I would have to say the same with the unidentified stichophthalma species on my website, admittedly they came to me through the post but as yet still unidentified, I've contacted Alexander Monastyrski who is going to visit the area next year so a possible new species / sub species could be named, they came from my friend Thanh of vietnaminsects on eBay. Song-yun Lang, a taxonomist from China has never seen anything like this, he studies Chinese nymphalidae and especially stichophthalma, it's his belief this is a new taxon, not sub species, in the neumogeni / nourmahal group, the underside certainly suggests this, but neither have a large white forewing apex or hindwing markings anything like these. Rich
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 17, 2015 21:21:40 GMT
Song-yun Lang, a taxonomist from China ..., it's his belief this is a new taxon, not sub species, in the neumogeni / nourmahal group, ... Rich I don't want to sound pedantic, but feel that I need to point out the meaning of the word 'taxon'. A taxon is actually any level in a classification, and does not refer only to species. Thus a family is a taxon, as is a subspecies and a species. Here is the definition of the word taxon according to the ICZN Code: taxon, ( pl. taxa), n. A taxonomic unit, whether named or not: i.e. a population, or group of populations of organisms which are usually inferred to be phylogenetically related and which have characters in common which differentiate (q.v.) the unit (e.g. a geographic population, a genus, a family, an order) from other such units. A taxon encompasses all included taxa of lower rank (q.v.) and individual organisms. The Code fully regulates the names of taxa only between and including the ranks of superfamily and subspecies. and the explanation in Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxon : In biology, a taxon (plural taxa; back-formation from taxonomy) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and given a particular ranking, especially if and when it is accepted or becomes established. It is not uncommon, however, for taxonomists to remain at odds over what belongs to a taxon and the criteria used for inclusion. If a taxon is given a formal scientific name, its use is then governed by one of the nomenclature codes specifying which scientific name is correct for a particular grouping. Adam.
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Post by exoticimports on Dec 21, 2015 19:35:55 GMT
I caught a Dobson fly close to home. Doesn't sound like much, but considering that after 30 years collecting in the area I'd never seen one; fish flies are common, but this is the first Dobson fly! Just goes to show, if you keep looking, you'll find an oddball now and then.
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Post by poisonarrow on Jan 5, 2016 16:24:26 GMT
Nothing much this year, as I spent almost all my time raising my two small kids, but for me the happiest moment was netting a Papilio xuthus in Hawaii. I love catching Papilio, they are a difficult to catch lot normally, and for the rarer species I have caught in my lifetime, I still recall even the swing with the net, and the amazement that I got a specimen in the net. So far, i have not found anything which comes close to this feeling Cheers Ben
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