Entomology
Cryptotermes
dudleyi
photo
credit: © Paul Eggleton, NHM
Drywood
termites, where abundant, can cause great economic losses, with
costs for control and repair of their damage rivaling that of subterranean
termites. The West Indian termite Cryptotermes brevis is
considered the world's most destructive drywood termite. Another
economically important termite, Cryptotermes dudleyi,
has the potential to cause economic losses comparable to that currently
caused by C. brevis. The name C. dudleyi has
been used universally and extensively in biological systematic
and pest control literature. However this name is a junior synonym
of the now disused older name C. jacobsoni. The Commission
has conserved the widely used younger name by suppressing C.
jacobsoni. [2004]
Jewel
beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles of the family Buprestidae
known for their spectacular bright, iridescent or metallic colours,
are one of the most visible and attractive of all the insects and
are highly prized by collectors. The family is among the largest
of the beetle families, with some 15,000 species known in 450 genera.
The Commission has ruled on numerous cases involving species of
these beetles including many from the genus Buprestis (type
genus of the jewel beetle family). Recently the Commission conserved
30 species names that had been in use for buprestid beetles for
many years. These names when originally published in combination
with Buprestis were junior homonyms and so could not be
used as valid names. [2002]
Anthidium
manicatum
photo
credit: © Andrew Polaszek, NHM
Hymenopterans
include a large number of beneficial species such as biological
control agents, being parasitoids and predators (wasps and ants),
and pollinators (bees). The economically important parasitoid genus Encarsia contains
over 200 species worldwide. It includes some of the most successful
biological control agents ever used, all being parasitic on whiteflies
and scale insects that are major pests in horticulture and agriculture.
The Commission ruled to stabilise the nomenclature of this genus
and its type species Encarsia tricolor and has dealt with
numerous other cases involving beneficial hymenopterans including:
the family name Formicidae (ants); the generic names Aphidius (parasitoids)
and Bombus (bumblebees); the specific names Anthidium
manicatum (the Carder bee), Blastophaga appendiculata (a
fig wasp), and many specific names within the genus Apis.
[1954-2000]
