162 



liivi'ilebrales — Our Lniiifi Rtwaiines 



Robber fly (Dio^inires svm- 

 machus). 



Spurge hawkriioth {Hylcs iiiplinr- 

 biae). 



1976) have been intensively surveyed for 

 insects but none of the surveys approaches 

 completion. A constant problem has been the 

 inability to identify all the numerous taxa. 



Sampling for taxa, except for aquatics, is 

 based mainly on adults; results are highly vari- 

 able, depending on the competency of the sam- 

 plers, knowledge of habits of organisms, weath- 

 er during sampling periods, and phases of the 

 moon and wavelength of light (for those species 

 attracted to light). With exceptions (aquatic 

 insects; Merritt et al. 1984), sampling tech- 

 niques to estimate species diversity within an 

 area have not been developed or are preliminary 

 for limited taxa. 



Identification of adults within large orders 

 depends on highly trained, experienced taxono- 

 mists who have access to good collections and 

 libraries; very few taxonomists exist relative to 

 the number of taxa. Identifications in collec- 

 tions must be held suspect unless the taxa have 

 been revised in contemporary terms and the 

 specimens studied and vouchered by the levisor 

 (Hodges 1976) or other specialist. 



Individuals capable and willing to provide 

 authoritative identifications are becoming fewer 

 each year. Many have retired or could retire. 

 There has been a significant redirection of sys- 

 tematists from basic revisionary work to other 

 research areas. Nearly 30% fewer persons are 

 entering the field because the likelihood of 

 obtaining a position upon completion of train- 

 ing is extremely poor (Lutz 1994). Technical 

 and monetary support for systematists and cura- 

 tors always has been limited and is becoming 

 more restricted. 



Collections vary in size from small private 

 collections to the 30-i- million specimens in the 

 National Insect Collection in the National 

 Museum of Natural History. Many state univer- 

 sities, particularly in the Midwest and on the 

 West Coast, have collections of \+ million spec- 

 imens, as do several private and public institu- 

 tions. Despite this large number, many species 

 are represented by few specimens and almost 

 none with comprehensive representation by 

 county and by state. 



Surveys of many taxa are possible but 

 require individuals to initiate them; sufficient 

 taxonomic literature and research to enable 

 recognition of taxa; curatorial support for 

 preparing, sorting, and identifying specimens 

 and potential supervision of the surveys; and 

 adequate collection and library facilities for 

 species recognition and permanent storage of 

 voucher specimens. 



These comments are meant to provide per- 

 spective on the status of systematic entomology 

 and thus the role insects may have in the work 

 of the National Bioloeical Service. 



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