Manual of Nearctic Diptera

39 Pages·2011·1.42 MB·English

539
The history of dipterology at the Canadian National
Collection of Insects, with special reference to the
ManualofNearcticDiptera
Jeffrey M. Cumming, Bradley J. Sinclair, Scott E. Brooks, James E. O’Hara,
Jeffrey H. Skevington
Abstract*ThehistoryofDipteraresearchatthe CanadianNationalCollectionofInsects is
briefly outlined. Short biographic sketches of the coordinators of the Manual of Nearctic
Diptera are given and the development of the Manual project is presented to provide
background on their achievements. Lists of publications by each of the coordinators and
of patronyms honouring them are provided. This Festschrift honours the remarkable
contributions of the coordinators, J. Frank McAlpine, Bobbie V. Peterson, Guy E. Shewell,
Herbert J.Teskey,J. RichardVockeroth,and D.Monty Wood.
Re´sume´*On de´crit brie`vementl’histoirede la rechercheen dipte`rea` la Collection nationale
canadienne d’insectes. On pre´sente de courtes biographies des coordonnateurs du Manuel de
dipte`res ne´arctiques, ainsi que le de´veloppement du projet du manuel pour fournir de
l’information sur leurs re´alisations. On fourni des listes de re´fe´rences publie´es par chaque
coordinateur et des noms patronymiques en leur honneur. Ce nume´ro est en l’honneur
des contributions remarquables des coordinateurs J. Frank McAlpine, Bobbie V. Peterson,
GuyE. Shewell, Herbert J.Teskey,J.RichardVockeroth, et D.Monty Wood.
Introduction been taken from personal accounts, archived
sources housed in the Diptera Unit, and
Thishistoricalreviewtreatsthedevelopment
publications on the history of systematic
of the Diptera collection at the Canadian
researchinCanada andpublicationsfrom the
National Collection of Insects, Arachnids
Research Branch of AAFC, including Gibson
and Nematodes (CNC) and the individuals
and McSwaine (1920), McDunnough (1926),
responsible for its growth and curation. The
Holland (1956), Spencer (1964), Vockeroth
establishmentoftheDipteraUnitbyCanada’s
(1981), Anstey (1986), Cody et al. (1986),
Department of Agriculture (now Agriculture
Dang (1992), Riegert (1999), and Huber and
and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)) in Ottawa
Cumming(2008).
led to numerous accomplishments, including
the conception, coordination, and publica-
tion of themonumental three-volume Manual
History of the Diptera Unit
of Nearctic Diptera (McAlpine et al. 1981a,
1987; McAlpine and Wood 1989) (Fig. 1), The CNC had its humble beginnings in
one of the most significant achievements in 1886 with the donation of a personal collec-
insect systematics during the last century. tion of insects and plants by James Fletcher,
The information contained in this review has thefirstDominionEntomologistandBotanist.
Received26January2011. Accepted 3 March 2011.
J.M. Cumming,1 S.E. Brooks, J.E. O’Hara, J.H. Skevington, Canadian National Collection of Insects,
Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, Central
Experimental Farm,960Carling Avenue,Ottawa,Ontario, CanadaKIAOC6
B.J. Sinclair, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, and Ottawa Plant
Laboratory(cid:2)Entomology,CanadianFoodInpectionAgency,K.W.NeatbyBuilding,CentralExperimental
Farm, 960CarlingAvenue, Ottawa,Ontario,CanadaKIAOC6
1Correspondingauthor(e-mail: [email protected]).
doi: 10.4039/n11-029
Can.Entomol.143:539(cid:2)577(2011) #2011EntomologicalSocietyofCanada
540 Can.Entomol. Vol. 143,2011
Fig. 1. Covers of Volumes 1(cid:2)3 oftheManual ofNearcticDiptera (photographbyJ.E. O’Hara).
Fig. 2. The K.W. Neatby Building on the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, home of the Canadian
National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes; the Diptera Unit is located on the third floor
(photograph by J.E. O’Hara).
This marked the inauguration of the national Department of Agriculture. In 1919, Hewitt,
biological collections in Ottawa. Fletcher was who now headed the Entomology Branch,
assisted by Arthur G. Gibson, starting in formed the Division of Systematic Entomol-
1899, and by the time he was succeeded as ogyandappointedJamesH.McDunnoughas
DominionEntomologistbyC.GordonHewitt the Division’s first Chief. During his 28 years
in1909, theentomologycollection hadgrown of service, McDunnough and his small staff
to approximately 200 drawers. The national began building one of the best insect collec-
insect collection continued to grow through tions in North America, along with a large
the acquisition of several private collections reference library. George P. Holland replaced
and the incorporation of the insect collection McDunnough as head of the Division in
of the Biological Division of the Geological 1948 and ushered in a lengthy period of
Survey of Canada. By 1917, 12 steel cabinets expansion in insect taxonomy. In 1949, under
with 600 drawers were formally transferred Holland’s direction, the entire collection
to the Entomology Branch of the national was moved to its current location in the
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Cummingetal. 541
K.W. Neatby Building on the Central Experi- Fig. 3. Charles Howard Curran, New York, circa
mentalFarminOttawa(Fig.2). 1955.
Through the early collection activities, a
considerable number of Diptera specimens
were amassed. In 1922, C. Howard Curran
(Fig.3)wasappointedasthefirsttaxonomistin
theSystematicEntomologyDivisiontospecia-
lizeontheorder.CecilR.Twinn,whostudied
black flies (Simuliidae) and mosquitoes (Culi-
cidae),alsojoinedtheDepartmentofAgricul-
ture in Ottawa in 1922. Curran published
prolifically, producing nearly 150 taxonomic
papersonnumerousfamiliesthroughoutDip-
terabeforeheleftin1928forapositionatthe
AmericanMuseumofNaturalHistoryinNew
York. He was not replaced until 1937, when
GuyE.Shewell(seebelow)(Figs.4,5,12)was
putinchargeofwhathasnowbecomeknown
astheDipteraUnit.Guyidentified allgroups
of Diptera and published on several families.
He retired in 1976, but remained in the Unit
for 20 more years as an Honorary Research
Associate. Arthur R. Brooks joined Guy in
1938 as a biting-fly specialist, although he
alsopublishedonTachinidae.In1948,Brooks Jim had already spent the summer of 1950
was transferred to Saskatchewan, his native in the Arctic at Chesterfield Inlet with Dick
province, where he specialized on various Vockeroth,collectingfliesandotherinsectsfor
prairie insect groups, particularly grasshop-
the Northern Insect Survey. It was in the
pers (Orthoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera).
Arctic, during several expeditions, that he
J. Richard Vockeroth (see below) (Figs. 5, 6,
developedakeeninterestinFanniidae,Musci-
8, 12, 13) officially joined the Diptera Unit in
dae, and Empididae. Chillcott led the Diptera
1949, collecting all groups of Diptera for the
Unit during much of the 1960s and initiated
extensive Northern Insect Survey (initiated
the project to revise Curran’s (1934) Families
in 1947) and later publishing on numerous
and Genera of North American Diptera, which
familiesthroughouthisproductivecareer.Dick
later developed into the Manual of Nearctic
retired in 1991, but contributed broadly
Diptera (McAlpine 1967; McAlpine et al.
to Diptera activities at the CNC as an Hono-
1981b).HealsoledaCanadianentomological
rary Research Associate until 2009. J. Frank
expedition to the Himalayas in 1967, where
McAlpine (see below) (Figs. 5, 7, 8, 12, 13,
tragically he died of a heart attack, ending
15,17)joinedtheDipteraUnitin1950aspart
hisshortbutproductivecareer(Shewell1967).
of a recruitment program associated with the
Some of the staff at Agriculture Canada’s
Northern Insect Survey. Frank published pri-
MedicalandVeterinaryEntomologyResearch
marily on families of acalyptrate Diptera and
on insect fossils in Canadian amber during Laboratory in Guelph were transferred
his prolific career. He retired in 1985 but to Ottawa starting in 1959. The first was
stayed on as an Honorary Research Asso- J.AntonyDownes(Fig.13),headoftheGuelph
ciate for a few years until the publication of laboratoryatthetime,whoformedtheExperi-
the last volume of the Manual of Nearctic mental Biology Section at the CNC. He
Diptera (McAlpine and Wood 1989). James published extensively on Diptera behaviour,
G. Chillcott (Figs. 5B, 9) joined the Diptera evolution, and ecology during his career, as
UnitayearafterFrank,in1951.Asastudent well as on the taxonomyof Ceratopogonidae.
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542 Can.Entomol. Vol. 143,2011
Fig. 4. Guy Shewell. (A) In Ottawa, circa 1955. (B) At the 3rd International Congress of Dipterology in
Guelph, Ontario,August1994.
Antony retired from the CNC in 1978 but Chironomidae untilhisretirement in1995. D.
continuedworking as a Research Associate at Monty Wood (see below) (Figs. 12, 13, 14)
the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa joined the Diptera Unit in 1964. Monty
untilhisdeathin2003attheageof89.Bobbie studied many groups of Diptera throughout
V. Peterson (Figs. 10, 12, 13) and Herbert his productive career with AAFC, but specia-
J.Teskey(Figs.11,12)werealsotransferredto lized primarily on Simuliidae and Tachinidae.
Ottawa in the early 1960s, after the Medical He retired in 1986, but continues an active
andVeterinaryEntomologyResearchLabora- research program in the Diptera Unit as an
tory in Guelph closed. Bobbie (see below) Honorary Research Associate. After a pro-
joined the Diptera Unit in 1963, continuing longed absence of hiring, Art Borkent was
primarilywithhisresearchonblackflies,until recruited in 1982 to study systematics of
1983, when he accepted a position in the Cecidomyiidae and Ceratopogonidae. He left
United States Department of Agriculture at theUnitin1989torelocateinBritishColumbia,
the National Museum of Natural History where he continues to conduct independent
in Washington, D.C. Herb (see below) trans- research on Diptera. Other scientists formally
ferredayearlater,in1964,publishingprimar- associated with the Unit as Research Associ-
ily on Tabanidae and immature Diptera until ates or contractors were Hugh C. Huckett
hisretirementin1987. (1958(cid:2)1965),whoworkedonnorthernMusci-
Lewis Davies, who worked on the ecology dae (Fig. 5A), William R. Thompson (1959(cid:2)
andtaxonomyofblackflies,joinedtheExperi- 1965), who worked on the Tachinidae of
mental Biology Section at the CNC in 1959. Trinidad, and Kenneth A. Spencer (1967),
Afterpublishing afewpapersonsimuliids,he who worked on the Agromyzidae of Canada
leftin1960tocontinuehisresearchinBritain. andAlaska.FenjaBrodo,aresearchassociate
Don R. Oliver (Fig. 13) joined the CNC in with the Canadian Museum of Nature in
1962 and published extensively on the taxo- Ottawa, hasworked as the de facto curatorof
nomy and ecology of adult and immature TipulidaeattheCNCsincetheearly1970s.
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Cummingetal. 543
Fig.5. CNCdipteristsandcolleagues.(A)InFebruary1958;lefttoright:FrankMcAlpine,GuyShewell,
Hugh Huckett (Department of Agriculture Research Associate and expert on Muscidae), and Dick
Vockeroth.(B)InSeptember1963;back,lefttoright:DickVockeroth,FrankMcAlpine,andGuyShewell;
front,lefttoright:GeorgeC.Varley(influentialinsectecologistvisitingfromtheUniversityofOxford)and
Jim Chillcott.
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544 Can.Entomol. Vol. 143,2011
Fig. 6. Dick Vockeroth. (A) Collecting flies during the Northern Insect Survey in Churchill, Manitoba,
1950. (B) On a field trip in Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, in 2006, following the 6th International
CongressofDipterologyinFukuoka (photograph by T. Saigusa).
assistants, most notably (in chronological or-
Fig. 7. FrankMcAlpine, Ottawa,1965.
der)LeoForster,Mary(Roussel)Dillon,Harold
Walther, Bruce Cooper, Barbara (Bissett)
Eamer, and Doug Kritsch. In addition, the
Unitwasextremelyfortunatetohaveemployed
the artistic talents of Ralph Idema (Figs. 13,
15) and Barry Flahey (Fig. 16). Ralph pre-
paredmostofthe3987figurespublishedinthe
Manual of Nearctic Diptera. His drawings
profoundlyincreasedtheimpactandinfluence
of the Manual, and they remain among the
finest scientific illustrations of insects ever
published. Ralph’s figures have also been
extensivelyreproducedinvariouspublications,
including the Manual of Central American
Diptera (Brown et al. 2009, 2010). Barry
contributed over 150 illustrations to Volumes
2and3oftheManualofNearcticDiptera,and
continues to illustrate Diptera and other
arthropodsforresearchersattheCNC.
Currently (2011) the Diptera collection is
considered one of the strongest elements of
the CNC and is one of the largest Diptera
collections in the world, reflecting a history
of keen fieldwork and curation by the staff.
Approximately 2.5 million fly specimens are
housed in over 5000 drawers, several alcohol
TheDipteraUnitwassupportedovermuch cabinets,andabout30slidecabinets(housinga
oftheperiodreviewedaboveandintotheearly totalofapproximately20000slides).Although
part of the 21st century by several research mostspecimensarefromtheNearcticRegion,
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Cummingetal. 545
Fig.8. FrankMcAlpine(centre)andDickVockeroth(right)withvisitingWashington,D.C.,dipteristCurt
Sabrosky (left),April1963.
coverage is worldwide, with impressive hold- s.l.,Lauxaniidae,Lonchaeidae,Muscidae,Myce-
ingsfromtheNeotropicalRegion(particularly tophilidae s.l., Pipunculidae, Sarcophagidae,
Chile, southern Brazil, and Costa Rica) and Scathophagidae, Sciomyzidae, Simuliidae, Stra-
thePalaearcticRegion(especiallyScandinavia, tiomyidae, Syrphidae, Tabanidae, and Tachin-
Great Britain, Austria, and Spain), as well as idae. The collection also contains the most
Nepal and Uganda. In addition, the Nearctic extensiveholdingsofimmatureDipterainthe
materialcontainsalargenumberofspecimens world and several hundred Upper Cretaceous
collectedfromthefarnorth,includingGreen- fossil flies in Canadian amber. In addition,
land (Pearyland), during the Northern Insect over 4600 primary types reside in the Diptera
Survey (1947(cid:2)1961; for list of localities see collection (catalogued online at http://www.
Riegert 1999) and the Arctic Insect Program nadsdiptera.org/Catalogs/CNCtypes/CNChome.
(1962(cid:2)1969). Approximately 65% of the Dip- htm), in part through the acquisition of the
teracollectioniscuratedtothelevelofspecies Mesnil,Reinhard,Hull,W.R.Thompson,and
or species group, and more than 80% of the Garrettcollections.
collection is curated to genus level. In total Current (2011) staff in the Diptera Unit
nearly27000describedspeciesarerepresented consists of (in order of appointment) Jeffrey
inthecollection,withhalfofthesebeingfrom Cumming(1986),JamesO’Hara(1989),Jeffrey
the Nearctic Region (an inventory is available Skevington(2003),andBradleySinclair(2007),
onlineathttp://www.canacoll.org/Diptera/Main/ assisted by Scott Brooks (2004), Shannon
diptera.htm).FamiliesofDipterathatareparti- Henderson (2006), and Scott Kelso (2006).
cularlywellrepresented includeAgromyzidae, Owen Lonsdale (2009), Collection Manager
Anthomyiidae, Calliphoridae, Ceratopogoni- of the CNC, is also a Diptera specialist, and
dae, Chamaemyiidae, Chironomidae, Cono- Monty Wood is an Honorary Research Asso-
pidae, Culicidae, Dolichopodidae, Empididae ciate (see the Laboratory profile in the
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546 Can.Entomol. Vol. 143,2011
Fig. 9. Jim Chillcott, Ottawa,1965. Fig. 10. BobbiePeterson,Ottawa,1963.
of the Diptera Unit at the time, initiated the
project and had it formally authorized by the
Department of Agriculture in 1966. In all, 53
2008 Bulletin of the Entomological Society of authorscontributedtotheManual(McAlpine
Canada,Volume40,pp.62(cid:2)65). et al. 1981b; McAlpine 1987), with each of
the coordinators authoring or co-authoring
multiple chapters.
The coordinators of the Manualof
After Chillcott’s death the project was
NearcticDiptera led successively by Shewell (1967(cid:2)1969),
McAlpine (1969(cid:2)1975), Peterson (1975(cid:2)1978),
One of the most remarkable accomplish-
and Wood (1978(cid:2)1981). Frank McAlpine was
mentsoftheDipteraUnitwastheconception
appointed scientific editor of the Manual pro-
and completion of the three volumes of the
Manual of Nearctic Diptera (McAlpine et al. ject in 1979 and took on many of the lead
1981a, 1987; McAlpine and Wood 1989) duties necessary for the completion and pub-
(now available online at http://www.esc-sec. lication of each volume (Fig. 15). The listing
ca/aafcmono.html). The idea, first expressed of the coordinators for the first two volumes
by Guy Shewell in the early 1960s, was to was alphabetical and not based on individual
update Curran’s (1934) Families and Genera contribution, although McAlpine would have
of North American Diptera by collaborating beenlistedfirstin anyevent.The coordinators
with, and coordinating contributions from, all had a broad understanding of Diptera
the leading dipterists of the day. The project (each having studied numerous families) and
was initially driven by the need to provide a strong desire to ensure an excellent product.
a more authoritative basis for identification. Preparationsincludedinvitingesteemeddipter-
ThepublicationofACatalogoftheDipteraof ist Willi Hennig from Stuttgart, Germany,
America North of Mexico (Stone et al. 1965) to Ottawa for 3 months in the fall of 1967
provided further impetus. Jim Chillcott, head (Fig. 12) to help lay the foundations for the
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Cummingetal. 547
Fig.11. HerbTeskey.(A)Collectingfliesasastudentin1950inChurchill,Manitoba,duringtheNorthern
Insect Survey. (B) At the Biting Fly Conference in Ottawain 1979, with Verne Pechuman on the left and
John Burgeron the right. (C) At the Biting Fly Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1986, with Sandy
Fairchildonthe leftand DickRoberts inthe centre.
Manual through discussions on morpho- and a rationalized family-level classifica-
logy, phylogenetic relationships, and higher tion for the order. Numerous complimentary
classification of Diptera. These discussions reviews of the volumes have been published,
encouraged the group in Ottawa to investigate and in 1989 the Entomological Society of
homologous features across the order and America presented Frank McAlpine (Fig. 17)
establishauniformmorphologicalterminology and the other coordinators with the presti-
attheoutset.Thebroadestablishmentofthese gous Thomas Say Award for ‘‘Excellence
homologiesnaturallycontributedtothephylo- in Systematics, Morphology or Evolution’’ in
genetic interpretation of Diptera relationships recognitionoftheir‘‘magnificentsynthesis’’of
published in Volume 3. theDiptera(Fig.18).
Submitted chapters were edited by one or In addition to their contributions to the
more of the coordinators, as well as the Manual, each coordinator published exten-
technical editor,Sharon Rudnitski ofAAFC’s sively on Diptera and occasionally on other
Research Program Service. All figures were orders (for a complete list of references for
drawn, labelled, and organized into plates in eachcoordinatorseeAppendixA).Therespect
the Diptera Unit to ensure consistency. To- commanded by the coordinators within the
gether the volumes provided awell-illustrated entomological community is reflected in part
andeasilyinterpretableidentificationguideto by the large number of patronyms published
thefamiliesandgeneraofDipteraofAmerica in honour of their scientific achievements. A
north of Mexico, using a uniform morpho- total of 164 species and genera have been
logicalterminologyforadultandlarvalstages, named after the coordinators prior to this
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548 Can.Entomol. Vol. 143,2011
Fig.12. TheManualofNearcticDipteracoordinatorswithGermandipteristWilliHennigduringhisvisit
totheDipteraUnitinthefallof1967.Back,lefttoright:FrankMcAlpine,HerbTeskey,andGuyShewell;
front, leftto right:Monty Wood,DickVockeroth, BobbiePeterson, andWilli Hennig.
Festschrift (see Appendix B; this number Manual, Frank essentially became the leader
would increase by 35 if names honouring of the project just prior to publication of
Jim Chillcott were included). Short biogra- the first volume. He wrote two of the im-
phic accounts of all coordinators follow, in portantintroductorychapters,onecomprising
alphabeticalorder. a family key to adults (McAlpine 1981b) and
the other reviewing adult morphology and
J. Frank McAlpine. Frank was born on terminology(McAlpine1981a).Themorphol-
25 September 1922 in Maynooth, Ontario. ogy chapter became the standard adopted by
He obtained his B.S.A. from the Ontario virtually all dipterists worldwide because it
Agriculture College in Guelph in 1950 and provided a uniform homology-based termi-
then joined the Diptera Unit later the same nology for Diptera that was clearly laid out
year. In 1954 he obtained his M.Sc. from the and consistent with that for the rest of
University of Illinois in Urbana and in 1962 the insect orders. In total he published
received a Ph.D. from the same university for 251 new Diptera taxa (7 family-group names,
research on the evolution and phylogeny of 9 genus-group names, and 235 species-group
Lonchaeidae. After Frank joined the Diptera names) (Pape and Thompson 2010). Frank
Unit, he began working on the classification culminated his career with the publication of
and evolution of higher Diptera, particularly his phylogenetic synthesis of Cyclorrhapha
offamilies in Acalyptratae. He also published (as Muscomorpha) in the last volume of the
several well-received papers on insect fossils Manual(McAlpine1989),inwhichhecladist-
in Canadian amber. Frank authored or co- ically analyzed the classification of this huge
authored 84 scientific publications, including lineage. He retired in 1985, and except for a
18 chapters in the Manual of Nearctic Diptera fewprojectsthathecontinuedintoretirement,
(Appendix A). As scientific editor of the did not further pursue research on Diptera.
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