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Topic: some assembly required | Author: Jshuey | Replies: 2 | Views: 12
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Trehopr1
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Re: some assembly required

by Trehopr1 » Wed Nov 06, 2024 5:08 pm

Wow, that is indeed a VERY admirable effort on such a fine specimen.

Well worthy of its status as being a large female from a country not represented in your collection.

My "hats off to you" truly John for such a fine job ! 👏🎉☺️
Topic: some assembly required | Author: Jshuey | Replies: 2 | Views: 12
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some assembly required

by Jshuey » Wed Nov 06, 2024 4:03 pm

Too often, big skippers rot in the tropics if they are not property preserved. They simply fall into pieces after you relax them, and I almost always throw them away. But every now and then, an important bug (at least for me) comes in, and I try and piece them back together. Here is an example of one - a female Jemadia gnetus from Columbia. It would be then only specimen I have from Columbia, but also just the second female in the collection. So I re-assembled the bug as best I could.

First, I gently pinned it and spread the forewings. These were almost falling off, so I used BioQuip insect adhesive to secure them to the thorax (and the thorax to the pin as well). If you look closely at the left-hand photos, you will see that I lost the very basal FW blue band reflectance next to the thorax because of this glue - but acceptable. I used white glue to attach the head to the thorax, and then back to the BioQuip adhesive to attach the antennae. I flattened out the hindwings and let everything dry for a couple of weeks.

Then I carefully slid the hindwings into place, and again used the adhesive to secure them. After a couple of days, I moved her to her new habitat in the collection. You can see that she is noticeably larger than my only other female (just above and to the right). But she is also noticeably a paler blue and she has much expansive hyaline areas on the forewings. I think that she is happy in her new home!

John

Image
Topic: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail | Author: Chuck | Replies: 59 | Views: 4852
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Re: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail

by bobw » Wed Nov 06, 2024 3:42 pm

Yes, of course there is nothing in The Code about label colours, but the convention is red for holotypes, dark blue for lectotypes, pale blue for syntypes and yellow for paratypes and paralectotypes; if people start using blue for paratypes it will only cause confusion. I don't have a problem with people using red for all types as long as the type category is clearly stated, this has been done many times, and how many different coloured sheets of paper do people want lying around?
Topic: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail | Author: Chuck | Replies: 59 | Views: 4852
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Re: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail

by adamcotton » Wed Nov 06, 2024 1:54 pm

Of course the colour of labels is by convention, not even recommended under the ICZN Code, and most people use red labels for paratypes despite that technically being the colour for holotype labels. I suppose the reason is that red stands out more clearly than yellow.

Adam.
Topic: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail | Author: Chuck | Replies: 59 | Views: 4852
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Re: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail

by bobw » Wed Nov 06, 2024 11:28 am

Why use a blue label for the paratype (allotype in this case)? Paratype labels are supposed to be yellow, blue labels are for syntypes. This could make things very confused!
Topic: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail | Author: Chuck | Replies: 59 | Views: 4852
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Re: Papilio bjorkae (Pavulaan, 2024) Tiger Swallowtail

by adamcotton » Wed Nov 06, 2024 11:14 am

The name bjorkae Pavulaan, 2024 finally became a validly published available name according to the ICZN Code on 2 November 2024 when Pavulaan published an addendum (available here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14031815) which just about satisfied article 10.1 (all Code provisions complied with).

The name was unavailable from the original paper because it did not comply with article 16.4.2 (no stated location of the holotype), and although the text technically does not satisfy article 16.1
Every new name published after 1999, including new replacement names (nomina nova), must be explicitly indicated as intentionally new.
the addendum subject mentions the word 'new', which can be interpreted as sufficient to satisfy this requirement.

An example of a failed attempt to satisfy these articles is all but one of the new names published in Ek-Amnuay, P. [2007]. Butterflies of Thailand. In this publication Ek-Amnuay did not even designate holotypes for his new taxa; except for one Hesperiid, which had already previously been described and thus is a junior synonym. In the second edition, published in 2012, he tried to solve the problem by designating holotypes alongside the descriptions but did not state the names were new from 2012, thus not complying with article 16.1. There were no statements of 'ssp. nov.' or similar, and instead dated the names from the first edition.

Adam.
Topic: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested | Author: Trehopr1 | Replies: 9 | Views: 767
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Re: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested

by Trehopr1 » Tue Nov 05, 2024 7:58 pm

Sorry for the delay Cabintom in getting those
underside pictures. Finally, made time to take them !

A.
Image

B.
Image

C.
Image

Note: this is all that is present on the underside
of the label. Topside: Adam deciphered as Thursday
3.May.2007

D.
Image

Note: this specimen comes from Abidjan, Ivory Coast
as deciphered by Adam.

I very much appreciate anything that you can do with
these Cabintom. Many thanks to Adam for his "deciphering"
skills of the handwritten (limited) data on each of these !
Topic: large insect found in florida | Author: svs | Replies: 3 | Views: 60
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Re: large insect found in florida

by livingplanet3 » Tue Nov 05, 2024 6:46 pm

Topic: large insect found in florida | Author: svs | Replies: 3 | Views: 60
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Re: large insect found in florida

by kevinkk » Tue Nov 05, 2024 4:47 pm

An Arachnid actually. Looks like a Vinagaroon, aka Whip Scorpion. Harmless to humans, physically at least.
Topic: large insect found in florida | Author: svs | Replies: 3 | Views: 60
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large insect found in florida

by svs » Tue Nov 05, 2024 3:01 pm

Florida bug reduced.jpg
Florida bug reduced.jpg (68.92 KiB) Viewed 60 times
Help identifying large insect found in florida
Topic: WSJ Article re African Leps | Author: biscuit153 | Replies: 8 | Views: 271
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Re: WSJ Article re African Leps

by Mygos » Mon Nov 04, 2024 3:56 pm

Some other discussions on this ABRI collection here : https://www.facebook.com/groups/5287309 ... 647974951/
Topic: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested | Author: Trehopr1 | Replies: 9 | Views: 767
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Re: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested

by bobw » Mon Nov 04, 2024 3:47 pm

adamcotton wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2024 3:43 pm One way to take good ventral photos is to use a blob of children's 'plasticine' clay which will hold the pin by its head.

Of course the blob must be secured to the background, as I suspect that it will not stick to foam.

Adam.
I use Blu tack.
Topic: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested | Author: Trehopr1 | Replies: 9 | Views: 767
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Re: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested

by adamcotton » Mon Nov 04, 2024 3:43 pm

One way to take good ventral photos is to use a blob of children's 'plasticine' clay which will hold the pin by its head.

Of course the blob must be secured to the background, as I suspect that it will not stick to foam.

Adam.
Topic: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested | Author: Trehopr1 | Replies: 9 | Views: 767
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Re: Euphaedra sp. (I.D.) requested

by Cabintom » Mon Nov 04, 2024 3:05 pm

Trehopr, I was being serious. Post the ventral surfaces and I'll do what I can to ID these.
The 3rd specimen could do with more data than just a date though. Is there something written on the back of that slip of paper?
Topic: WSJ Article re African Leps | Author: biscuit153 | Replies: 8 | Views: 271
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Re: WSJ Article re African Leps

by Mygos » Mon Nov 04, 2024 8:36 am

Interesting article indeed. My friend Steve, whom I’ve known for 40 years and to whom I entrusted my Cymothoe collection in 2004, has been tirelessly seeking a future buyer for his incredible collection. The main condition was that the collection be accessible to all scientists and students. Unfortunately, several leads have fallen through, and I am crossing my fingers that the world of entomologists will be able to discover this fabulous treasure—it truly has to be seen to be believed !
Topic: WSJ Article re African Leps | Author: biscuit153 | Replies: 8 | Views: 271
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Re: WSJ Article re African Leps

by Cabintom » Mon Nov 04, 2024 4:33 am

Chuck wrote: Mon Nov 04, 2024 12:19 am God knows what important future discoveries they'd leave behind.
Exactly. The collection contains a surprising number of undescribed species. Steve's also been actively trying to recruit folks to take interest in describing the things.
Topic: WSJ Article re African Leps | Author: biscuit153 | Replies: 8 | Views: 271
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Re: WSJ Article re African Leps

by Chuck » Mon Nov 04, 2024 12:19 am

Stupid that no institution wants to pay to ship the entire collection. They want to cherry pick; God knows what important future discoveries they'd leave behind. I wonder if any institutional collections managers have an eye for the actually undiscovered.
Topic: WSJ Article re African Leps | Author: biscuit153 | Replies: 8 | Views: 271
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Re: WSJ Article re African Leps

by Cabintom » Sun Nov 03, 2024 3:21 pm

Steve's research collection is likely the most comprehensive collection of African butterflies in the world. It contains many holotypes and many examples of species only found in his collection and one or two others. His library is also excellent. His (and the collection's) contributions to scientific publications are innumerable. He's opened his doors to many researchers (and amateurs like myself) over the years and granted them free access to pour over the hundreds of boxes. I really do hope an appropriate custodian is found, lining up with his desire for the specimens to always be available for students and researchers alike.
Topic: Tiny white bugs in my teak cabinet | Author: sgbuyer | Replies: 4 | Views: 179
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Re: Tiny white bugs in my teak cabinet

by adamcotton » Sun Nov 03, 2024 6:02 am

If they are Psocids (but they don't look quite like those) then they would certainly be associated with mould and damp, since they eat fungal mycelia and cannot tolerate dry conditions.

Adam.
Topic: Tiny white bugs in my teak cabinet | Author: sgbuyer | Replies: 4 | Views: 179
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Re: Tiny white bugs in my teak cabinet

by sgbuyer » Sun Nov 03, 2024 3:56 am

Borearctia wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:38 am Looks like a mite infestation
The first thing I would do is check the food supplies in the kitchen.
Good luck!
Thank you! I read this is something to do with moulds or dampness?