Monthly Archives: October 2013

BotW: Thinopinus pictus

Posted on 30 October 2013 by David Maddison

In honor of Margaret Thayer and Al Newton’s visit to the PNW this week, the Beetle of the Week is a staphylinid.  It’s Thinopinus pictus, a large rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) that lives on the sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beetle of the Week | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Examining name-bearers at the USNM

Posted on 27 October 2013 by David Maddison

I’m at the Smithsonian Institution for the next three days, working in the United States Museum of Natural History (the “USNM”).  My main goal is to look at type specimens, especially Casey types, so that I can figure out what … Continue reading →

Posted in Revising Bembidiina, Taxonomic Process | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lindrochthus at Mount Tamalpais

Posted on 22 October 2013 by David Maddison

In an earlier post, I wrote about how the distinctive subgenus Lindrochthus, viewed in the literature as consisting of the single species Bembidion wickhami, was actually at least two species.  And those two species live together at Mount Tamalpais, just … Continue reading →

Posted in Fieldwork, Revising Bembidiina, Taxonomic Process | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

It was fifty years ago today…

Posted on 18 October 2013 by David Maddison

Fifty years ago today, Carl Hildebrand Lindroth’s revision of the Bembidion of Canada and Alaska was published; this was part 3 of his opus on the ground beetles of Canada and Alaska. This work is the basis of all that … Continue reading →

Posted in Revising Bembidiina, Scientific Illustrations, Taxonomic Process | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Zephyr

Posted on 13 October 2013 by David Maddison

A zephyr is a soft, gentle breeze, derived from the Greek “zephuros”, meaning god of the west wind.  It is one of my favorite words, in part because I find the word “zephyr”  beautifully shaped, in part because it reminds … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Leave a comment

Shutting down Lionepha lummi

Posted on 11 October 2013 by David Maddison

I am quite sure that this is the habitat of Lionepha lummi.  The picture below shows American Camp, on San Juan Island, not far from Friday Harbor, in Washington state.  And I think tomorrow would be a perfect day to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fieldwork, Revising Bembidiina | Tagged , | 2 Comments

BotW: Andinodontis

Posted on 3 October 2013 by David Maddison

Andinodontis is a genus of small ground beetles that lives in the Andes of South America. Here’s Andinodontis muellermotzfeldi from near Baeza, Ecuador; it’s a bit less than 2.5 mm in length.  These beetles are part of an enigmatic lineage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Beetle of the Week | 2 Comments