Pierre Basilewsky

Pierre Basilewsky (born August 21, 1913 in Saint Petersburg , † December 7, 1993 in Brussels ) was a Belgian entomologist of Russian origin. His research focus was the African entomofauna .

Life

Basilewsky was born in Russia but grew up in Belgium. In 1936 he obtained his diploma as a colonial agricultural engineer at the Institut agronomique de l'État in Gembloux , Belgium . In 1938 he obtained a further diploma as an agricultural engineer in the fields of water and forestry. Basilewsky's scientific career was without exception devoted to the entomology of Africa. In particular, the systematic research of the morphology , zoogeography and phylogenesis of African ground beetles (Carabidae) was his main focus. In this field he became a specialist in demand worldwide, often working with zoological institutions from Europe, Africa and America. Basilewsky's expeditions took him to East , Southeast and Central Africa and the South Atlantic island of St. Helena . He was head of the entomological department of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren and director of the museum from 1977 to 1978.

In 1970 Basilewsky became an associate member of the Department of Natural and Medical Sciences at the Koninklijke Academie voor Overzeese Wetenschappen (KAOW, Royal Academy of Belgium for Overseas Sciences), in 1980 he became an elected member and on May 18, 1983 he was made an honorary member.

Dedication names

The genera Basilewskyus , Basilewskyana and Basilewskya as well as the species Cicindela basilewskyana , Sophronica basilewskyana , Atheta basilewskyana and Dicranomyia basilewskyana are named after Basilewsky . He is also honored with the epithet basilewskyi on numerous insect species.

literature

• J.-J. Symoens: Rapport sur les activités de l'Académie (1993-1994) Koninklijke Academie voor Overzeese Wetenschappen Onder de Hoge Bescherming van de Koning Mededelingen der Zittingen Driemaandelijkse publikatie Nieuwe Reeks Nouvelle Série 40 (4) Année 1994- Académie d'outre desiences mer, p. 502 (Biographical entry about Pierre Basilewsky, PDF)

Web links

• Bibliographical list by Pierre Basilewsky in the Bibliographia Carabidarum (PDF)