<html><head><title>Re: [Syrphidae] FW: Question regarding old syrphidae specimens-Scaeva lithuanica</title>
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<span style=" font-family:'Courier New'; font-size: 9pt;"> Mikael,<br>
<br>
Stanislaw Batys Gorski seems a very probable candidate! We have around 200 or so old diptera specimens that might have belonged to his collection, <br>
some having rather long descriptions in latin pinned underneath. As his '<span style=" font-family:'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Analecta ad entomographiam ..' </i><span style=" font-family:'courier new'; font-size: 9pt;">is available from Biodiversitylibrary.org I will try to find <br>
any specimens that are mentioned in that book and that are still in our collection. <br>
The search becomes even more interesting!<br>
<br>
Andrius<br>
<br>
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<td width=3584><span style=" font-family:'tahoma'; font-size: 10pt;"><b>From:</b> Mikael Sörensson [mailto:Mikael.Sorensson@cob.lu.se] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> 21 October 2010 10:58<br>
<b>To:</b> syrphidae@lists.nottingham.ac.uk<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Syrphidae] re: FW: Question regarding old syrphidae specimens- Scaeva lithuanica<br>
<span style=" font-family:'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> <br>
<span style=" font-family:'arial';">I would suggest Stanislaw Batys Górski<span style=" font-family:'times new roman';">(1802-64), Bielorussian entomologist and professor in Vilnius. He described some Diptera in his '<i>Analecta ad entomographiam...</i>.(1852)], including the fabulous <i>Sphecomyia vespiformis</i> (Gorski, 1852) [olim <i>Typenhauzia vespiformis</i> Gorski] which he collected in the surroundings of Vilnius on the 24th of May 1846 and also on the 6th of June the same year. Thus, it is certain that he made collecting of Diptera in Lithuania. The time period suggested below also supports this hypothesis. Unfortunately, it seems like Gorski's collection was lost (officially]. Single specimens or smaller amounts of his insects may, however, very well have survived or might have been incorporated into other collections. <br>
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//Mikael S. in Lund<br>
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On 10/21/10 10:56 AM, Andrius wrote: <br>
<span style=" font-family:'courier new'; font-size: 10pt;"> Dear Paul, André and Kumar,<br>
<br>
As Paul has correctly pointed out, my initial intention is to find<br>
the original description of that Scaeva lithuanica, if one exists at<br>
all.<br>
As the meaning of "mihi" in latin was clear to me and there are<br>
rather few creatures with a name "lithuanica", I thought this could<br>
ease the finding of the very person who identified this specimen, so<br>
most probably other old specimens of howerflies and other flies in our<br>
collection.<br>
André, the first picture with Chrysotoxum illustrates the similarity<br>
of the labels, possibly written by the same person at the same time<br>
period of 1840-1844.<br>
<br>
Thanks everyone for suggestions!<br>
<br>
Scaeva lithuanica author (??). You will need to check Sack's or<br>
Rotheray & Thompson's Palaearctic work or Thomspon's World database<br>
to see if this species is listed (indexed ?) there at least as a synonym.<br>
"Mihi" meanbs 'mine' in Latin and refers to the author who has<br>
written the label. The specimens ar not properly visible to give a genus name at least.<br>
<br>
Dr Kumar Ghorpade, B.Sc.(Agri.), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Entomol.).<br>
<br>
<br>
Andre, in those days 'mihi' was added to denote 'mine', or 'by me'.<br>
Inconvenient if you do not know who the specimen was identified by, so it is<br>
now hoped someone will recognise the writing or know of a manuscript or even<br>
publication containing the name. Your 'You will have to find his<br>
description.'was the exact intention of the initial post, I think. ;)<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
Andrius<br>
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<span style=" font-family:'Courier New'; font-size: 9pt;"> <br>
<br>
Andrius <br>
<a href="mailto:andrius@gamtoj.com">mailto:andrius@gamtoj.com</a></body>