Nationalism was Re: Fwd: RE: MIAMI BLUE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION PROJECT

[Chris J. Durden]

Note that Texas has been exploited for its Lepidoptera since before Godman 
& Salvin, the biggest collections of Texan butterflies have ended up in the 
museums of PA, DC, NY, Fl and IL., and types are scattered from Washington 
to Berlin.
   What has this to do with science? The specimens go where science is 
supported. That is the place that, like the Elgin Marbles, they will most 
likely be well looked after for posterity. I have not heard that Texas is 
moving towards negotiations for repatriation of voucher specimens or even 
type specimens of its fauna, but if others do, we could.
    I do think it is a good idea to deposit types of new taxa in the 
country of origin, if there is a well established and endowed repository 
with prospects of long term survival. I am not sure that Texas yet 
qualifies. Systematics is just not yet taken seriously here.
...................Chris Durden

At 10:43 PM 2/1/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>>  Mexico has been exploited for its
>>Lepidoptera since before Godman & Salvin; the biggest collections of
>>Mexican butteflies have ended up in the US museums.
>
>I would be interested for an elaboration on this point about Mexico being 
>"exploited" for its
>Lepidoptera. Is the term "exploited' being used in reference to Mexico in 
>a way that the
>term would not be applicable to the US?
>
>John Grehan
>
>
>
>>Material taken by
>>commercial collectors from overseas is rarely used in faunal or systematic
>>studies.  Less than 1% of the types of endemic Mexican butterfly species
>>are in Mexican collections.
>>I am confident that if any of you
>>approached the curators of a Mexican collection with a donation of Mexican
>>specimens, they would not even ask if they were collected under the
>>authority of a permit- they would just be happy to have the material.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>Andy



 
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