Neal Evenhuis

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Neal Evenhuis
Born (1952-04-16) 16 April 1952 (age 72)
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Known for Zoological nomenclature
AwardsThomas Say Award
Scientific career
Fields Entomology
Institutions Bishop Museum
Author abbrev. (zoology) Evenhuis

Neal Luit Evenhuis (born Kornelus Luit Evenhuis on 16 April 1952 [1] ) is an American entomologist. He works at the Bishop Museum in Hawaii. Evenhuis has described over 500 species of insects since 1976, and is known both for his research and peculiar binomial names.

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Education and career

Evenhuis was born in Southern California to parents who had immigrated to California from the Netherlands in 1938. In 1974, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany and Entomology from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. In 1976, he started working as a scientific illustrator at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. [2] [3] Two years later, he graduated with a Master's degree in Biology. Within a few years, he embarked on his own research by studying the taxonomy of Pacific flies. In 1988, he received a Ph.D. degree in Entomology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and was soon promoted to full Entomologist. He has since described more than 500 new species of insects and authored more than 350 scientific publications, [3] specializing in the families Bombyliidae and Mythicomyiidae. In 1992, he received the Thomas Say Award for his research by the Entomological Society of America. [3] He is interested in the history of dipterology and nomenclature, and is a former president of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. [2] Evenhuis also campaigns for teaching school children to discern native species from alien species. [4]

Taxonomy humor

In the entomological community, Evenhuis is also known for his sense of humor, and binomial names coined by him have attracted attention. After discovering a new species of bombyliid from the genus Phthiria in 1985, he decided to name it Phthiria relativitae as a pun on theory of relativity. To ensure publication of the name in a scientific journal and thus its acceptance while avoiding criticism of English-speaking scientists, he had to submit it to a Polish journal. [5] In 2002, he named a genus of extinct mythicomyiids Carmenelectra in honour of the model Carmen Electra's "splendid" body. [6] The same year, he described Pieza kake ("piece of cake"), Pieza pi ("pizza pie"), Pieza rhea ("pizzeria"), and Pieza deresistans ("pièce de résistance"), as well as Reissa roni (named after Rice-A-Roni). In 2013, he named a new species of fly from French Polynesia as Campsicnemus popeye for its resemblance with the cartoon character Popeye in having swollen forearms. [7] [8]

Frisbee record

On 12 May 1980, he set a record for gridiron mini field goal distance in flying disc games, which he held for 20 years. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacques Marie Frangile Bigot</span> French naturalist and entomologist

Jacques Marie François Bigot was a French naturalist and entomologist most noted for his studies of Diptera. He was one of two sons of physician Jacques Bigot (1757-1842) and Marie Françoise Euphrosine Bigot (1791-1845). Bigot was born in Paris, France, where he lived all his life, though he had a property in Quincy-sous-Sénart near Brumoy acquired in 1874, and where he died after an attack of influenza. He became a member of the Entomological Society of France in 1844, and his first paper was published in its Annals in 1845, as was most of his later work. Bigot was a prolific author, describing more than 1,500 species of Diptera in more than 400 scientific publications and, like Francis Walker, his work was the subject of much later criticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauxaniidae</span> Family of flies

The Lauxaniidae are a family of acalyptrate flies. They generally are small flies with large compound eyes that often are brightly coloured in life, sometimes with characteristic horizontal stripes, such as in Cestrotus species. Many species have variegated patterns on their wings, but in contrast they generally do not have variegated bodies, except for genera such as Cestrotus, whose camouflage mimics lichens or the texture of granitic rocks.

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<i>Campsicnemus mirabilis</i> Extinct species of fly

Campsicnemus mirabilis is an extinct species of fly in family Dolichopodidae. It was endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

<i>Campsicnemus</i> Genus of flies

Campsicnemus is a genus of flies in family Dolichopodidae. There are more than 290 described species, made up of 34 Palearctic, 22 Nearctic, seven Afrotropic, 170 Australasian and Oceanian, and seven Indomalayan species. Some species endemic to the Hawaiian islands are characterized by their lack of wings. After the introduction of invasive ants and other alien species such as wild boar (Sus scrofa) to the islands, some of these flightless species are believed extinct.

Pieza is a genus of flies in the family Mythicomyiidae. Its species are found in North America, South America, and the West Indies. The genus was named by Neal Evenhuis in 2002. Evenhuis included the following eleven species, transferring four from Mythicomyia, in his initial circumscription:

Eurynogaster is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae, endemic to Hawaii. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera, which also includes the genera Adachia, Arciellia, Elmoia, Major, Sigmatineurum, Sweziella and Uropachys.

<i>Sciapus</i> Genus of flies

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Sigmatineurum is a genus of fly in the family Dolichopodidae. It is endemic to Hawaii, occurring on all the main islands in the archipelago. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera.

Ernest Gerald Gibbins was a British entomologist who worked on insects of medical importance. He described 26 new species. While researching tropical diseases in Uganda, he was speared to death by tribesmen who believed that he would use their blood samples for witchcraft.

Campsicnemus popeye is a species of carnivorous fly described in 2013. It was discovered from the Society Islands in French Polynesia. The species is named after the famous cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man because of the enlarged tibia. The species is in fact among a group of six new species described as "Popeye flies". The specimen was collected in 2006 during an expedition to Tahiti.

Abbé Octave Parent was a French entomologist who specialized in Diptera, mostly the family Dolichopodidae. He became director of the Biological Station, Ambleteuse.

<i>Brachyanax</i> Genus of flies

Brachyanax is a genus of bee fly in the subfamily Anthracinae. It was circumscribed by Neal Evenhuis in 1981. Thirteen species are recognized, and they are found in Asia and Australasia.

Major is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae, endemic to Hawaii. It contains only one species, Major minor. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera. The generic name is derived from the Latin major ("large"), referring to the extremely large tarsal claws of M. minor.

Adachia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae, endemic to Hawaii. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera. The genus is named in honor of Marian Kohn for her work on Hawaiian dolichopodids.

Elmoia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae, endemic to Hawaii. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera. The genus is named in honor of D. Elmo Hardy.

Uropachys is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae, endemic to Kauai of the Hawaiian Islands. It is part of the Eurynogaster complex of genera.

References

  1. "KORNELUS EVENHUIS". Mocavo. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Evenhuis, Neal Luit". Bishop Museum . Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "WFDF Official Rules of Flying Disc Sports". World Flying Disc Federation. Archived from the original on 24 November 2005. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  4. "Barefoot on Lava Newest Bishop Press Book Release; Hawai'i Naturalist R. C. L. Perkins Subject of Ten-year Research Project". Bishop Museum. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  5. "Stupid Science Word of the Month". Discover. 26 July 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  6. Leber, Jessica (4 March 2008). "The latest in newly discovered species: You pay for it, you get to name it". University of Columbia. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  7. Neal L. Evenhuis (2013). "The Campsicnemus popeye species group (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from French Polynesia". Zootaxa. 3694 (3): 271–279. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3694.3.7 . PMID   26312289.
  8. "New Fly Species Named After Popeye". TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
Professional and academic associations
Preceded by President of the
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

2001-2007
Succeeded by