Tag Archives: taxonomy

Open spaces: A new species of fly from the Yukon

Posted on February 5, 2016 by

There’s a little genus of small, rare flies that live in bird nests. They’re called Neossos, and a few years ago one of my former undergraduate students, Gregor Gilbert, pulled together what was known about the taxonomy and ecology of … Continue reading →

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Suburban biodiversity: surprising flies in the neighborhood

Posted on September 29, 2015 by

Christine Barrie, a grad student in the lab, found a fly she couldn’t put a name on. Other students in the lab had trouble too. So did I. It looked familiar, but it didn’t key out in the standard North … Continue reading →

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Why the Yukon? My love of northern entomology

Posted on June 28, 2015 by

I’m north of 60° again. Back in Whitehorse, Yukon for the fourth time in five years, and getting ready to head north. Beyond Dawson City, beyond the trees, up the Dempster Highway to the tundra. I’m going to collect insects. … Continue reading →

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Taxonomy matters. Here’s why.

Posted on March 19, 2015 by

March 19th is Taxonomist Appreciation Day. I don’t think any government has made official pronouncements on that. That’s OK, we’ve got something better — social media. Taxonomist Appreciation Day was the brainchild of Terry McGlynn, an ecologist who understands the … Continue reading →

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How many people does it take to describe a new species?

Posted on March 1, 2015 by

The Myth of the Solitary Taxonomist goes a bit like this: Solitary Taxonomist goes away to an exotic place, usually with at least one hazard to life and limb, usually land leeches. Collects a specimen. Recognizes it immediately as a … Continue reading →

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High fliers: a new paper on some new arctic flies

Posted on February 27, 2015 by

Many people see the arctic as a pretty barren place, with not much biological diversity. In fact, one of the most well-known patterns in ecology — the latitudinal diversity gradient — incorporates that idea. As you leave the tropics and … Continue reading →

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Who’s that fly and WHAT is it eating? A new paper from the lab

Posted on January 22, 2015 by

One of the most widely used products of taxonomy is the identification key. A key allows somebody who isn’t a specialist on a particular group to put a name on an unknown species. At least, that’s how it all works … Continue reading →

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