Lygaeidae Of Florida

Lygaeidae of Florida is the second volume by Drs. Richard M. Baranowski and James A Slater on the Hemiptera of Florida, following Coreidae of Florida, which was published in 1986 in Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas._ It provides a reference useful both for field identification of most species and for the accurate identification in the laboratory of all species known to occur or which are likely to be found in Florida. Dr. W. S. Blatchley (1926) treated 29 genera and 105 species that have been recorded for Florida. This volume lists 47 genera and 105 species (plus 3 additional questionable species). An extensive list of plants with which Florida Lygaeidae have been associated and an extensive list of references are included. The keys, illustrations, distributional data, and discussions will be invaluable aids to all of those who are interested in the Lygaeidae.

The authors mention that the Heteroptera of Eastern North America by W. S. Blatchley still is the most important source of information on the fauna even though it was published in 1926. Unquestionably, the Lygaeidae of Florida will supplant Blatchley and become the baseline on which all further work on the Lygaeidae of the Eastern United States will be based. Whereas their work on other groups such as the Coreidae has resulted in handsome and important volumes, the Lygaeidae offered a challenge – by virtue of the size and diversity of the group – that goes well beyond what they have done heretofore.

Dr. James Alexander Slater, “Jim” to his many friends was born in Belvidere, Illinois, on 10 January 1920, son of Gladys Banks Slater and Ray Alvin Slater. He and Elizabeth Thackston were married on 20 February 1943, and they have 4 children: James Alexander II, Jacquelyn Rae, Samuel Thackston, and Lydia Ann. During 1943- 46, he served as an officer in the United States Navy; Deck Officer in the Mediterranean; Malaria Control Officer, North carolina and Okinawa. Jim received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942 from the University of Illinois, graduating with high honors. He received the Master of Science degree in 1947 from the University of Illinois and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1950 from Iowa State University with a major in entomology. He served as an Instructor, then Assistant Professor at Iowa State University during 1950-53. At the University of Connecticut he served as an Assistant Professor during 1953-56; Associate Profesxii sor, 1956-61; Professor, 1%1-date; Department Head: Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Section, Biological Sciences Group, 1970-80. During 1960-61 he was a Research Fellow at the British Museum (Natural History). He was State Ornithologist in Connecticut during 1962-81; a Research Associate of the National Insect Collection, Pretoria, South Africa, 1967-68; Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History, 1977- date, and Research Associate, Florida State Collection of Arthropods (1986-date). Academic and professional societies of which he is a member are: Entomological Society of America, New York Entomological Society, Kansas Entomological Society, Washington Entomological Society, Entomological Society of South Africa, Royal Entomological Society (London), Society of Systematic Zoology, Florida Entomological Society, Association for Tropical Biology, Connecticut Entomological Society, Connecticut Herpetological Society, Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, American Society of Zoologists, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Association for Gravestone Studies, and Natchaug Ornithological Society. His biography is included in American Men and Women of Science and in Who’s Who in the East. Dr. Slater received the University of Connecticut Faculty Research Award in 1972. He was the Eastern Branch Nominee for Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching, Entomological Society of America, in 1977. In 1982 he won the Harriett Merriefield Forbes Award of the Association for Gravestone Studies. He served on the Selection Committee of Phi Beta Kappa in 1979; President, Phi Beta Kappa, Connecticut Chapter, 1987. University of Connecticut Retirement Committee (Chairman, 1982-85), 1982-1989; Vice President of Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1980- date; Connecticut Non-Game Advisory Committee, 1981-1988; Friends of Trail Wood Committee (Edwin Way Teale Sanctuary), 1981- date. His professional activities include: Editor, Entomologica Americana, 1957-67; Editorial Board and Archives Board, Connecticut Entomological Society, 1974-81; Editorial Board, Revue Zoology Africaine, 1989-date; National Science Foundation Advisory Panel, Systematic Biology, 1963-65; University of Connecticut Research Foundation Advisory Board, 1964-67; Task Force on Establishment of an Environmental College, 1958-59; Commissioner, Connecticut Geological and Natural History Survey, 1963-73; State of Connecticut Commissioner, Accrediting Education, 1968-71; President, Connecticut Chapter of Sigma Xi, 1973-74; Alternate, International Institute of Ecology, 1970-74; U.S.D.A Review Panel; Department of Entomology, Texas A & M. University, March 1978; President-elect, 1979-81, and President, 1981-83, Society of Systematic Zoology; Chairman, Nominating Committee, Society of Systematic Zoology, 1984; Evaluation Committee, California Academy of Sciences, May 1982; Evaluation Committee, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, April 1984-85. Service on national committees includes: Entomological Society of America: Undergraduate Scholarship Committee, 1980; Nominating Committee, Section A, 1980; Committee to Investigate Formation of a Federation of Systematics, 1980-84; Thomas Say Foundation Publication Committee, 1977-80 (Chairman, 1979-80); Convenor and Chairman: Symposium “Present and Future Trends in Hemipteran Systematics”, International Congress of Entomology, Washington, D.C., 1976. Workshops attended include the Danforth Foundation Workshop on Educational Innovation, Colorado Springs, Colorado, June-July 1966; National Science Foundation Workshop on “Basic Systematic Biology: Future Trends”, 11-13 June 1980, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Field experience has included work in South Africa, and Mauritius Island (1967- 68, 1970), Australia (1970-71), Costa Rica (1965), Panama (1974), Trinidad (1965, 1973, 1982), and the West Indies (1969, 1972, 1973, 1982). Dr. Slater’s field of specialization is Systematic Entomology, including research interests in systematics, biogeography, speciation, plant and animal interrelationships, and faunistics. He is author of a 2- volume catalogue of the Lygaeidae of the world published in 1964 and senior author with Dr. Baranowski of a 1978 Pictured Key Nature Series volume, How to know the true bugs. He is author of 6 reviews, coauthor of 1 conference proceedings, and author or coauthor of 228 publications in scientific journals, with 15 additional manuscripts m press. Jim collects milk glass as a hobby. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Richard Matthew Baranowski, or “Dick” as he is generally called, was born in Utica, New York on 1 March 1928, son of Agnes and Walter Baranowski. On 16 June 1951 he married Helen B. Venn. They have 3 children: Gena, Alison, and Lisa. Dick was educated in the public schools of Utica, New York. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951 from Utica College of Syracuse University with a major in biology. In 1953 he received the Master of Science degree and in 1959 the Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from the University of Connecticut with a major in entomology. He served as a Graduate Research Assistant during 1952-54 and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant during 1954-56 at the University of Connecticut. In 1956 Dick joined the staff of the University of Florida’s Agricultural Research and Education Center at Homestead (for many years known as the Subtropical Experiment Station) where he served as an Assistant Entomologist until 1963, as an Associate Entomologist from 1963-67, as an Entomologist and Professor from 1967-84. In 1984 he became the Center Director of the University of Florida Center at Homestead, which is now known as the Tropical Research and Education Center, and he continues to serve in this capacity. He also served (half time) during 1979-81 as United States Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Quarantine Technical Advisor, National Biological Control Program. Dr. Baranowski has been a Research Associate of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods since 1969. He is a member of several academic and professional societies: Florida Entomological Society (President, 1975), Entomological Society of America, International Organization for Biological Control (Secretary/Treasurer, 1980-84; President, 1984-85), Florida State Horticultural Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council on Agricultural Science and …. Technology, Sigma Xi, and Gamma Sigma Delta. xiii His biography is included in American Men and Women of Science. In 1971 he was selected as Outstanding Research Faculty Member at AREC Homestead, and in 1973 he received the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Award of Eminence. He has been the recipient of more than $1,000,000 in research grants pertaining to the biology, ecology, mass rearing procedures, biological control, and detection of fruit flies; US/Latin American Cooperative Science Program; study of phenological relationships between broad mites, rust mites, and lime trees and between mirids, avocado trees, and alternate hosts; and other investigations. He is the author of a 1964 volume titled Insects in The Golden Bookshelf of Natural History series published by Golden Press, coauthor with Dr. J. A Slater of How to know the Hemiptera published in 1978, and author or coauthor of more than 80 other scientific publications,. with 3 manuscripts in press. His primary current research areas are the management of subtropical fruit pests including fruit flies and the biology and systematics of the Hemiptera of Florida and the Caribbean. His discipline-oriented work has taken him to Antigua, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, England, France, Guadeloupe, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vinxiv cent, Saba, South Africa and Switzerland. Consultative missions have involved work in Bolivia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago. He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Homestead, Florida. His hobbies include photography and woodworking.

Howard V. Weems, Jr.
Editor
Bureau of Entomology
Division of Plant Industry
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
30 April 1990