Discussion on \u27A.R. Wallace in the Light of Historical Method\u27 by John van Whye

The recent article by historian John van Wyhe purports to identify seventeen ‘myths’ concerning the life and work of naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. Here we briefly describe what we feel is wrong with them, and refer to published literature that extend these arguments. Our objections do not extend to the ‘historical method’ van Wyhe adopts, but instead to the way he has ignored the criticisms of peers to the extent of not even acknowledging their scholarly articles

Natural Selection and Beyond: The Intellectual Legacy of Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823 - 1913) was one of the late nineteenth century\u27s most potent intellectual forces. His link to Darwin as co-discoverer of the principle of natural selection alone would have secured him a place in history, but he went on to complete work entitling him to recognition as the \u27father\u27 of modern biogeographical studies, as a pioneer in the field of astrobiology, and as an important contributor to subjects as far-ranging as glaciology, land reform, anthropology and ethnography, and epidemiology. Beyond this, many are coming to regard Wallace as the pre-eminent field biologist, collector, and naturalist of tropical regions. Add to that the fact that he was a vocal supporter of spiritualism, socialism, and the rights of the ordinary person, and it quickly becomes apparent that Wallace was a man of extraordinary breadth of attention. Yet his work in many of these areas is still not well known, and still less recognized is his relevance to current day research almost 100 years after his death. This rich collection of writings by more than twenty historians and scientists reviews and reflects on the work that made Wallace a famous man in his own time, and a figure of extraordinary influence and continuing interest today.https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlps_book/1006/thumbnail.jp

Revision of the Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Euconchophorini), with description of Malagasopus gen. nov.

Ünal, Mustafa, Beccaloni, George W. (2017): Revision of the Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Euconchophorini), with description of Malagasopus gen. nov. Zootaxa 4341 (2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4341.2.

Another species of European Ectobiinae travelling north - the new genus Planuncus and its relatives (Insecta: Blattodea: Ectobiinae)

A new genus of Ectobiinae is described, Planuncus with the three new subgenera, Planuncus, Margundatus and Margintorus, containing species formerly belonging to the genera Phyllodromica (second subg.) and Ectobius (other subg.). New combinations: Pl. (Pl.) tingitanus (Bolívar, 1914), Pl. (Pl.) finoti (Chopard, 1943), Pl. (Pl.) vinzi (Maurel, 2012); Pl. (Margundatus) baeticus (Bolívar, 1884), Pl. (Margundatus) agenjoi (Harz, 1971), Pl. (Margundatus) erythrurus (Bohn, 1992), Pl. (Margundatus) intermedius (Bohn, 1992), Pl. (Margundatus) krausei (Bohn, 1992), Pl. (Margundatus) maculosus (Bohn, 1992), Pl. (Margundatus) paludicolus (Bohn, 1992), Pl. (Margundatus) princisi (Fernandes, 1962), Pl. (Margundatus) striolatus (Bohn, 1992); Pl. (Margintorus) nicaeensis (Brisout de Barneville, 1852). A new Ectobius species from Morocco is described: E. hipposiderus. The new genus and its subgenera are compared with the Ectobiinae genus Capraiellus and the newly described E. hipposiderus. The morphological phylogenetic analysis suggests the following relationships: E. hipposiderus + (Capraiellus + (Margintorus + (Margundatus + Planuncus))). The appearence of a new cockroach species belonging to the subgenus Planuncus in Germany and Great Britain is reported; the hitherto known distribution of the subgenus encompasses Algeria, Morocco, southern Spain, and France. Species affiliation and provenance of the immigrant remain doubtful due to difficulties to separate the three known species. The possible reasons for the recent areal expansion of the species are discussed

FIGURES 109 – 111. Maps. 109 in Revision of the Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Euconchophorini), with description of Malagasopus gen. nov.

FIGURES 109 – 111. Maps. 109 map of Madagascar, 110 distributions of Oncodopus spp., 111 distributions of Malagasopus spp. and Colossopus spp