ON RESEARCH AND ENTOMOLOGICAL EDUCATION VI: FIREFLY SPECIES AND LISTS, OLD AND NOW

Abstract

Lists of insect species are useful for insect biologists and students in several fields, including taxonomy, behavioral ecology, conservation, and biological control, and they are useful to the teacher of classical entomology for the insight and drama they can provide to the history and biography of our science. Such lists can be viewed as cooperative projects that have combined the efforts and enthusiasms of naturalist/taxonomists along a time line, and as they evolve they can become ever better guides to observation and identification, and to new and interesting biotaxonomic problems. The list of NA fireflies recorded here gives the number and continental location of working species now recognized after long study of this taxon at the bench, in the library, and afield by many naturalists and taxonomists across more than two centuries, and makes status changes in a few species.