Clearwing moths
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:13 am
My species account on the tiny clearwing moth Synanthedon sapygaeformis newly reported to occur in the state of Louisiana, USA. Link to 9-page pdf https://independent.academia.edu/VernonAntoineBrouJr This article appeared in print December 29-2023.
I have made a special effort to capture clearwing moths in the state of Louisiana, USA. Earlier sesiidae literature is scant for my state of Louisiana, but very little exists since 6 species were listed by Ludwig von Reizenstein (a German emigrant) in a publication in the year 1863. It is difficult to work on this group of moths in North America because the scientific literature in the past half century is replete with false information and a great number of misidentifications. Some of the great number of published studies by persons at universities e.g. those employees and students that are required to publish their research in order to keep their employment or students that have to complete their projects in order to pass their courses. These meaningless studies often get published and now clog our scientific literature everywhere, and eventually are referenced by others as legitimate findings.
This is a group of moths that only a small number of persons become interested in over their lifetimes. I have published many species accounts regarding the species found in my state of Louisiana. What makes it difficult to work on this group taxonomically in North America is that I have discovered ~60 species in my state over the past 56 years, ~35 of the species are named in scientific literature, and ~25 of the species appear to be new to science.
This brings us to the actual roadblocks concerning this family of moths is that the official taxonomical literature is seriously flawed. This situation has exploded in recent decades due to the appearance of easily obtainable personal computers by anyone. And the literature concerning this family in North America has been dominated over the past 70 years by one person. size]
I have made a special effort to capture clearwing moths in the state of Louisiana, USA. Earlier sesiidae literature is scant for my state of Louisiana, but very little exists since 6 species were listed by Ludwig von Reizenstein (a German emigrant) in a publication in the year 1863. It is difficult to work on this group of moths in North America because the scientific literature in the past half century is replete with false information and a great number of misidentifications. Some of the great number of published studies by persons at universities e.g. those employees and students that are required to publish their research in order to keep their employment or students that have to complete their projects in order to pass their courses. These meaningless studies often get published and now clog our scientific literature everywhere, and eventually are referenced by others as legitimate findings.
This is a group of moths that only a small number of persons become interested in over their lifetimes. I have published many species accounts regarding the species found in my state of Louisiana. What makes it difficult to work on this group taxonomically in North America is that I have discovered ~60 species in my state over the past 56 years, ~35 of the species are named in scientific literature, and ~25 of the species appear to be new to science.
This brings us to the actual roadblocks concerning this family of moths is that the official taxonomical literature is seriously flawed. This situation has exploded in recent decades due to the appearance of easily obtainable personal computers by anyone. And the literature concerning this family in North America has been dominated over the past 70 years by one person. size]