Die entomologischen Afrika‐Expeditionen des Museums für Naturkunde Berlin von 1992 bis 1995 als Grundlage für das Forschungsprojekt „Zur Biodiversität von Insekten in der afrotropischen Region”︁

Abstract

The Entomological Expeditions of the Museum of Natural History Berlin to Africa from 1992 to 1995 as a Basis for the Project “Biodiversity of Insects in the Afrotropical Region” The Museum of Natural History Berlin initiated the research project “Biodiversity of Insects in the Afrotropical Region” and organized eight entomological expeditions to southern Africa (Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia) in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. The paper summarizes the objectives of the research project and lists the investigated insect groups, the specialists from the Museum of Natural History Berlin as well as the national and international partners cooperating in the research project, the travel routes of the eight expeditions and its main localities (locality names, geographical synonyms, coordinates, and short characterizations). Furthermore, the authors intend to draw the attention of the international community of entomologists to the availability of newly collected insect material from important localities of the southern afrotropical region and to invite interested researchers to take part in the study of these specimens.

Review of Odontochrydium Brauns (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) with description of two species from the Palaearctic and Oriental regions

“…The occurrence of Odontochrydium in these new regions is still underestimated, because the behavior and autecology is poorly understood. Based on data acquired by F. Koch in Namibia and South Africa, during the BIOTA Project (Koch et al 1995(Koch et al , 2015, Odontochrydium irregulare prefers moist habitats with the rich vegetation typical of the Woodland Savanna Biome and the Thornbush Savanna Biome, where the humidity is at an optimum, as at Waterberg (Namibia) (Fig. 10).…”

Ecological niche modelling and first records from Namibia and Zimbabwe validate the amphi‐equatorial distribution of Byrsinus pseudosyriacus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae)

“…Deckert, lux, 1 female (ZMHU). In the paper on the entomological expedition to southern Africa (Koch et al, 1995) where all sampling localities were described, this locality was assigned to the site no. 40 and was characterised as the 'Galeriewald' [gallery forest], 'Trockenwald' [dry forest].…”

Notes on African Dieuches and related Rhyparochromini with description of one new species (Hemiptera, Lygaeoidea, Rhyparochromidae)

“…The greater part of the material was recently collected on several entomological expeditions of the Museum of Natural History, Berlin to Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa). For details of collecting places and data see Koch, Deckert & Uhlig (1995). Voucher specimens of species collected on these field trips have been passed to the Namibian National Insect Collection as well as to South African museums.…”