Laboratory of Insect Taxonomy — Department of dipterans

Department Website (In Russian)

Studies of dipterans, one of the largest insect orders uniting mosquitoes and flies, playing very significant role in different ecosystems were started in the Zoological Museum by academician F.D. Pleske (1858–1932), but creation of the Russian dipterological school is inseparably associated with the name of A.A. Schtakelberg (1897–1975), an outstanding scientist who had studied dipterans for more than 60 years. Later, for years the department was headed by V.F. Zaitsev and included a representative group dipterologists: V.A. Rikhter, K.B. Gorodkov, V.N. Tanasiichuk. At present, the department is headed by O.G. Ovchinnikova, and leading specialists on different groups of dipterans include E.P. Narchuk, I.V. Shamshev, and N.M. Paramonov. Representatives of St. Petersburg dipterological school participate in the largest international editions, such as “Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera”, “Manual of Palaearctic Diptera”, “Fauna Europea” , etc., and also in the work of international dipterological congresses. The basis of the large collection of the department was established by the collection of dipterans determined by I. Meigen, a classic of dipterology, bought in 1830-ies. At present, this collection comprises more than 3 million specimens, representing fauna of Eurasian dipterans and also dipterans from many other regions of Earth.

Staff

Olga G. Ovtshinnikova (Head of Department, Principal Researcher, Doctor of Biological Sciences)

Emilia P. Nartshuk (Principal Researcher, Doctor of Biological Sciences)

Galina M. Suleymanova (Senior Collection Keeper)

Taisiya A. Suleymanova (Senior Collection Keeper)

Igor V. Shamshev (Senior Researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences)