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The flies of western North America
JOURNAL
OF
INVERTEBRATE
PATHOLOGY
15, 463
BOOK The
Flies
of Western North America. FRANK R. with the collaboration of EVERT I. SCHLINGER. University of California Press, Berkeley, California 94720. 1970. xi + 693 pp. Price $25.00. This monographic study of the Diptera of western North America, according to F. R. Cole, was begun in 1927 under the sponsorship of Stanford University and the California Academy of Sciences. It was completed as an “Annotated List of West Coast Diptera” in 1932 but, due to lack of funds during the Depression, was never published. Fortunately for those with an interest in the flies, the author continued to work on the expansion of his manuscript and after 1957, when he became a consultant in Entomology at the University of California, Berkeley, was joined by E. I. S&linger of the Riverside campus who became his collaborator. The present volume, consequently, is more than a checklist. It is a comprehensive taxonomic treatise of the Diptera represented in that region of North Amerca extending from the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico, northward to Alaska and eastward to the 100th meridian. The volume begins with an introductory section (pp. l-16) dealing with the physical features (mountains, forests, rainfall, lakes, deserts) of the area studied and a general account of its flora, fauna, and biogeography. This is followed by a brief account of the geologic history (pp. 16-21) and a section devoted to the general anatomy of the Diptera (pp. 21-39). The next section (pp. 39-50) is comprised of taxonomic keys to the 23 families of the Nematocera, 19 families of the Orthorrhapha and true Brachycera, and the 75 families of the Cyclorrhapha considered. The remainder of the book consists of a detailed, annotated account of each dipteran species that has been retarded from the designated region, including collection records. Intermingled with these are keys to genera and, where applicable, to subgenera. Having started out my career as a taxonomist like many biologists of my generation and am willing to admit it, I have “earned the right,” as a former colleague used to tell me, to state that I have always found it amusing when reviewers of taxonomic treatises take exception with the interpretation of the status of some taxon by authors and devote pages, at least paragraph to criticizing the arrangement as if they alone had COLE,
REVIEW the last word relative to phylogenetic relationships. As I see it, each competent systematist has just as much right to “split,” “lump,” or rearrange, based on his experiences. Consequently, no attempt is made here to point out differences of opinion as related to the taxonomic interpretations included in this volume. Furthermore, as to whether the keys provided are adequate will depend on their usefulness to subsequent workers. Obviously, these cannot be tested until applied to actual specimens in hand. All that I can state at this time is that there is no doubt in my mind that this is a monumental and scholarly treatise that reflects years of tedious labor. It will certainly be useful to not only taxonomic entomologists but insect pathologists, physiologists, and ecologists who will have occasion to try to identify flies from western North America. Furthermore, it will undoubtedly be useful as a reference to medical entomologists and other subcategories of parasitologists interested in myiasis and other related problems. From the aesthetic viewpoint, this volume is handsomely produced and for the most part the illustrations, all in the form of line drawings except for the colored frontispiece, are well executed. Exceptions, unfortunately, exist. As examples, one wonders why the author, who is noted for his artistic ability, did not take more time with such Figures as 75, 107, 153, 158, 164, and 244, to cite a few. Furthermore, it is to be regretted that in some instances, such as in Figures 49, 54, 60, 158, 170, and others, some type of lettering device was not employed in place of the rough, freehand lettering. Both the glossary and taxonomic index given at the end of the volume are useful. As one would expect of a treatise of this nature, the price is high and may prevent individuals from purchasing personal copies. However, in my opinion, this volume should be a part of all research libraries. Finally, the author and his collaborator are to be admired and thanked for their labor. All too often in this era of chemical and ultrastructural biology, inadequate appreciation is given for the tedious and exacting type of scholarship necessary to produce a monograph of this type. C. CHENG Department of Biology Lehigh University Bethlehelm, Pennsyluaniu THOMAS
18015
OF
INVERTEBRATE
PATHOLOGY
15, 463
BOOK The
Flies
of Western North America. FRANK R. with the collaboration of EVERT I. SCHLINGER. University of California Press, Berkeley, California 94720. 1970. xi + 693 pp. Price $25.00. This monographic study of the Diptera of western North America, according to F. R. Cole, was begun in 1927 under the sponsorship of Stanford University and the California Academy of Sciences. It was completed as an “Annotated List of West Coast Diptera” in 1932 but, due to lack of funds during the Depression, was never published. Fortunately for those with an interest in the flies, the author continued to work on the expansion of his manuscript and after 1957, when he became a consultant in Entomology at the University of California, Berkeley, was joined by E. I. S&linger of the Riverside campus who became his collaborator. The present volume, consequently, is more than a checklist. It is a comprehensive taxonomic treatise of the Diptera represented in that region of North Amerca extending from the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico, northward to Alaska and eastward to the 100th meridian. The volume begins with an introductory section (pp. l-16) dealing with the physical features (mountains, forests, rainfall, lakes, deserts) of the area studied and a general account of its flora, fauna, and biogeography. This is followed by a brief account of the geologic history (pp. 16-21) and a section devoted to the general anatomy of the Diptera (pp. 21-39). The next section (pp. 39-50) is comprised of taxonomic keys to the 23 families of the Nematocera, 19 families of the Orthorrhapha and true Brachycera, and the 75 families of the Cyclorrhapha considered. The remainder of the book consists of a detailed, annotated account of each dipteran species that has been retarded from the designated region, including collection records. Intermingled with these are keys to genera and, where applicable, to subgenera. Having started out my career as a taxonomist like many biologists of my generation and am willing to admit it, I have “earned the right,” as a former colleague used to tell me, to state that I have always found it amusing when reviewers of taxonomic treatises take exception with the interpretation of the status of some taxon by authors and devote pages, at least paragraph to criticizing the arrangement as if they alone had COLE,
REVIEW the last word relative to phylogenetic relationships. As I see it, each competent systematist has just as much right to “split,” “lump,” or rearrange, based on his experiences. Consequently, no attempt is made here to point out differences of opinion as related to the taxonomic interpretations included in this volume. Furthermore, as to whether the keys provided are adequate will depend on their usefulness to subsequent workers. Obviously, these cannot be tested until applied to actual specimens in hand. All that I can state at this time is that there is no doubt in my mind that this is a monumental and scholarly treatise that reflects years of tedious labor. It will certainly be useful to not only taxonomic entomologists but insect pathologists, physiologists, and ecologists who will have occasion to try to identify flies from western North America. Furthermore, it will undoubtedly be useful as a reference to medical entomologists and other subcategories of parasitologists interested in myiasis and other related problems. From the aesthetic viewpoint, this volume is handsomely produced and for the most part the illustrations, all in the form of line drawings except for the colored frontispiece, are well executed. Exceptions, unfortunately, exist. As examples, one wonders why the author, who is noted for his artistic ability, did not take more time with such Figures as 75, 107, 153, 158, 164, and 244, to cite a few. Furthermore, it is to be regretted that in some instances, such as in Figures 49, 54, 60, 158, 170, and others, some type of lettering device was not employed in place of the rough, freehand lettering. Both the glossary and taxonomic index given at the end of the volume are useful. As one would expect of a treatise of this nature, the price is high and may prevent individuals from purchasing personal copies. However, in my opinion, this volume should be a part of all research libraries. Finally, the author and his collaborator are to be admired and thanked for their labor. All too often in this era of chemical and ultrastructural biology, inadequate appreciation is given for the tedious and exacting type of scholarship necessary to produce a monograph of this type. C. CHENG Department of Biology Lehigh University Bethlehelm, Pennsyluaniu THOMAS
18015