News Release

Asiagomphus reinhardti: A newly discovered insect is named after a TU Dresden researcher

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Technische Universität Dresden

<I>Asiagomphus reinhardti</I>

image: Asiagomphus reinhardti sp. nov. (Odonata, Gomphidae) from eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. view more 

Credit: Oleg Kosterin

The Russian insect researcher Oleg Kosterin and his Japanese colleague Naoto Yokoi have traced the dragonfly in a remote mountainous border region between Cambodia and Laos and named it "Asiagomphus reinhardti". They honour his merits and achievements for the promotion of the international dragonfly research. The dragonfly, about six centimetres long, lives close to mountain streams. So far, only male examples are known: a black body with yellow spots and green eyes. As a larva they live for numerous year dug in the mud bottom.

"Having a newly discovered animal or plant species named after oneself is one of the most beautiful awards for a biologist", says Klaus Reinhardt. "I am extraordinarily honoured, for sure, but there are a lot of other dragonfly researchers who would have deserved this award before me."

The scientific article entitled "Asiagomphus reinhardti sp. nov. (Odonata, Gomphidae) from eastern Cambodia and southern Laos" describing the new species has been published in the Zootaxa journal. The abstract is available here: http://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4103.1.3

###


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.