Sherborn: Thompson & Pape - Sherborn’s critical influence in getting information control over a megadiverse group

• 1. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Systema Dipterorum Sherborns critical influence in getting information control over a megadiverse group F. Christian Thompson Washington Thomas Pape Copenhagen 28 October 2011 London, England

2. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Diptera - Flies Beautiful Milesia Chrysotoxum Ocyptamus Spilomyia 3. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Diptera - Flies Upper Permian - 250 million years ago Permotipula Upper Triassic - 225 million years ago Limonidae (1) Bibionidae (1) Procramptonomyiidae (1) Crosaphididae (1) Eoptychopteridae (1) Ancient 4. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera The Numbers Count: Described species 158,453 (+1%) Estimate: Total Species 1,500,000 (- 66%) 5. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera 6. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Flies = Critical to all of us Today the issue of climate change and its effect on our World is debated. It is a complex issue that involves many factors, one of which is pollination and our plants. Unfortunately, flies are not properly recognized for their contributions. 7. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Diptera - Flies Important Aedes Disease transmission Drosophila - Genetics Allograpta - pollination BioControl Dacus - Plant Pests 8. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Knowledge Access is by NAMES Names are the Critical Key 9. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera USERS: People with a Name What does it Mean? People with a Specimen What is it? And then People with a Problem What is the cause? And then 10. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera What is it? What does it do? Where did it come from? Is it the next INVASIVE SPECIES All the answers come from knowing a NAME! 11. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Knowledge Growth of Access to Systematic / taxonomic Literature Bibliographies Indexes 12. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000 180000 200000 1758 1773 1784 1795 1806 1817 1828 1839 1850 1861 1872 1883 1894 1905 1916 1927 1938 1949 1960 1971 1982 1993 2004 names valid species 68 530 417 1720 969 1345 Growth in number of names and species through time 13. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Growth in number of authors through time Year of first published description 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 1758 1769 1780 1791 1802 1813 1824 1835 1846 1857 1868 1879 1890 1901 1912 1923 1934 1945 1956 1967 1978 1989 2000 14. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Knowledge As the universe of Knowledge grew, workers subdivide it into more manageable pieces By Group By Time By Geography By People 15. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Systematic / Taxonomic All Linnaeus Systema Naturae (1758- Gmelin Systema Naturae 13th ed (1790) Entomology Fabricius Systema Entomologica (1775) Diptera Fabricius Systema Antliatorum Regional, etc Meigen & Wiedemann (1800-1850) 16. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Systematic / Taxonomic Catalogs Regional Osten Sacken 1858 North America Dipterists 1965-1989 all 6 biotic regions World Kertesz (1902-1910) incomplete Systema Dipterorum (1984-Today) 17. The BioSystematic Database of World Diptera Bibliographies / Indexes Bibliographies Agassiz et alia: Zoology (1848-1854) Hagen: Entomology (1862-1863)