WHY COLLECT LEPIDOPTERA? The role of museums and collections

1. WHY COLLECTLEPIDOPTERA? The role of museums and collections

2. Why do people collect? Hobby – for fun and entertainment.

3. Why do people collect? Hobby – for fun and entertainment. Curiosity – what is it?

4. Why do people collect? Hobby – for fun and entertainment. Curiosity – what is it? To gather data to answer questions. For scientists, these may be ecological, biological, or phylogenetic.

5. What constitutes a useful adult Lepidoptera specimen? Well prepared (features visible to facilitate identification) pinned correctly wings spread (wing fringe) Morphological features in tact (also for identification) mouth parts and antennae abdomen Reliable data Location (including latitude/longitude) Date Collector Hosts or other associations

6. What information can be obtained from a specimen? FROM SPECIMENS Assess variation in morphological characters (dissections) Assess phenotypic variation (comparing long series) Discover novel features (SEMs) Tissue samples for DNA analyses (legs or entire specimens) FROM DATA Geographic distribution (range) Temporal distribution (flight period) Plant associations (larval hosts)

7. How can the information be used? Specimens represent the raw material upon which all systematic, morphological, ecological, and faunistic studies are based. Collection = library of information (morphological, biological, geographic, etc.). Document biodiversity – how many species are there? Prepare faunal surveys – what species occur in a place? Prepare monographic treatments – diagnoses and descriptions. Tissue samples for DNA analyses – relationships. Assess bio-control agents – is this species host specific? Assess invasive species – is this species new to this place? Manage pest species – when and where does it occur? The specimens may become vouchers for all kinds of studies…. or even Types of new species!

8. No comprehensive guides to Lepidoptera Holland’s (ca. 1910) moth book – an oldie but a goodie Covell’s(ca. 1980) book on eastern moths Powell and Opler’s (2008) moths of western North American Websites – Moth Photographer’s group Lynn Scott’s Lepidoptera Images MONA – Moths of America north of Mexico Monographic treatments of specific genera, tribes or families

9. How man specimens are in Lepidoptera collections worldwide? British Museum – ca. 8 million Paris Museum – ca. 4-6 million Vienna Museum – ca. 3.5 million American Museum – ca. 3.5 million McGuire Center – ca. 3 (to 9) million U.S. National Museum – ca. 3 million Canadian National Collection – ca. 1.5 million Most easily accessible when in public institutions.

10. How are species described? Consult the scientific literature – catalogs, checklists, monographic treatments, faunistic work. Borrow material from institutional collections and usually from private collections, as well. Circumscribe “species” and compares them against type specimens. Write the results, complete with illustrations. Submit to a scientific journal for peer review. Paper is reviewed and returned to author for revisions. Journal publishes the paper.

11. How are species named? International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The name must be published. The name must include only characters of the Latin alphabet. The name of a species may be derived from Latin (or Latinized), Greek, or an “arbitrary combination of characters.”

12. How are species named? International Code of Zoological Nomenclature “Recommendation 25C: Responsibility of Authors forming new names. Authors should exercise reasonable care and consideration in forming new names to ensure that they are chosen with their subsequent users in mind and that, as far as possible, they are appropriate, compact, euphonious, memorable , and do not cause offence.”

13. How are species named? International Code of Zoological Nomenclature Easy ways to Latinize names: Patronyms – “i”, “ae” “orum” Place names – “ensis” Others – “ana”, “ella”, etc. Tautonomy – okay Homonymy – avoid

14. How are species named? William Kearfott species names: bobana cocana dodana fofana gogana hohana kokana lolana momana nonana popana rorana sosana totana vovana zozana

15. How are species named? William Kearfott species names: bobanadandana cocanafandana dodanagandana fofanahandana goganakandana hohanamandana kokananandana lolanapandana momanarandana nonanasandana popanatandana roranavandana sosanawandana totana vovana zozana

16. How are species named? William Kearfott species names: bobanadandanabaracana cocanafandanacaracana dodanagandanadaracana fofanahandanafaracana goganakandanaharacana hohanamandanamaracana kokananandananaracana lolanapandanayaracana momanarandana nonanasandana popanatandana roranavandana sosanawandana totana vovana zozana

17. How are species named? Edward Meyrick’s response: “On some impossible scientific names in Micro-lepidoptera.” “…openly and obviously based on a barbarous and unmeaning gibberish.”

18. How are species named? Some interesting names: Abracadabra– a fossil mollusk Agra vation– carabid beetle Agra culture – carabid beetle Ah ha – an Australian wasp Castniaincadincadu– a castniid Cephisenuspecez– a skipper Eubetiabigaulae– a tortricid moth Piezakake–fly Pieza pi - fly Piera rhea - fly

19. How are species named? Some interesting generic names: Phrygonidia– oak moth Dyaria– pyralid moth Batman – a fish Jerapowellia– tortricid moth Doa– moth Oops – a beetle (x2) Polychisme, Dolichisme, Peggichisme – true bugs Sayonara – a fish

20. Do theses names pass the test? International Code of Zoological Nomenclature Recommendation 25C: Responsibility of Authors forming new names. Authors should exercise reasonable care and consideration in forming new names to ensure that they are chosen with their subsequent users in mind and that, as far as possible, they are appropriate, compact, euphonious, memorable , and do not cause offence.

21. CONCLUSIONS Collect a lot of Lepidoptera Prepare them well Label then accurately Make the available to experts POSSIBLE RESULTS Legs for DNA Data for monographic revision Document a new host/range extension/invasive Get a patronym!