- Max Barclay
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Maxwell V. L. Barclay Nationality British Fields Entomology Institutions The Natural History Museum, London Maxwell V L Barclay, usually known as Max Barclay, is a British entomologist, and Curator and Collections Manager of Coleoptera and Hemiptera at the Natural History Museum in London.[1] He is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society,[2] and a member of the Editorial Board of The Coleopterist journal.[3] He has been described as ‘one of Britain’s leading entomologists’ [4]
Barclay is one of one of the four virtual ‘Scientist Guides’ of the Natural History Museum’s new Darwin Centre and was among the group that showed the building to Prince William at its 2009 opening. He is a frequent public speaker and media spokesman for entomology and for the Museum, most notably appearing in three of the six episodes of the 2010 BBC Series 'Museum of Life' [5] presented by Jimmy Doherty. He believes that public speaking is important ‘to enthuse the next generation of scientists and naturalists, and to legitimise what we do in the eyes of the public”.[6] In 2008 he was involved in the identification of a species of bug new to Britain in the Museum’s garden which led to a great deal of media interest.[7][8]
In the scientific world, Barclay is best known for his work on beetles (Coleoptera), and is author of numerous scientific papers and co-editor of a text book on the subject.[9] A lifelong entomologist, He worked as a volunteer in the Department of Entomology for several years before being offered the post of Curator in 2001.[10] The collection of the Natural History Museum that he manages includes more than 20,000 drawers of beetles, including specimens collected by Joseph Banks, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.[11] He has travelled extensively in search of specimens, including to Bolivia, Peru, Taiwan and Thailand,[12] and has discovered numerous new species. More than 20 beetles have been named in his honour by fellow scientists, including:
Carabidae
- Platynus barclayi Schmidt, 2009
- Ixorida (Pseudomecinonota) barclayi Legrand, 2008
- Clinterocera barclayi Legrand & Chew, 2010
- Copris (Sinocopris) barclayi Ochi, 2010
Cantharidae
- Themus (Haplothemus) barclayi Svihla, 2006
- Tropicus maxwelli Skalicky, 2010
Limnichidae
- Phalacrichus max Ribera & Hernando, 2001
Psephenidae
- Falsodrupeus barclayi Lee, 2011[13]
- Sulabanus barclayi Dvorak, M. & Bocak, 2007
Nitidulidae
- Pocadius barclayi Cline, 2005
- Tomoderus barclayi Telnov, 2005
Ischaliidae
- Ischalia barclayi Young, 2011
Tenebrionidae
- Tauroceras barclayi Ferrer, Soldati & Delatour, 2005
- Hexarhopalus (Leprocaulus) barclayi Purchart, 2010
- Othryoneus barclayi Ferrer, 2010
- Pseudopodhomala barclayi Medvedev, 2004
- Enicmosoma barclayi Ferrer, 2005
- Laena barclayi Schawaller, 2009
- Goniadera barclayi Ferrer, 2007
- Phymatosoma barclayi Masumoto & Akita, 2010
- Phylan barclayi Ferrer, 2010
Cerambycidae
- Trypogeus barclayi Vives, 2007
- Melanesiandra barclayi Santos-Silva, 2011
- Stereodermus barclayi Mantilleri, 2004
- Rubroinvolvulus barclayi Legalov, 2009
- Heisonyx barclayi Borovec, Colonelli & Osella, 2009
- Pachycerus barclayi Meregalli, 2009
Personal life
Barclay is married with children.[14] As a teenager he worked as a volunteer at the Durrell Wildlife Trust[15] and he cites Gerald Durrell as a significant influence.
References
- ^ http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/staff-directory/entomology/m-barclay/index.html
- ^ http://www.royensoc.co.uk/onlineforum/member.php?action=profile&uid=16
- ^ http://www.coleopterist.org.uk/
- ^ http://shop.amentsoc.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=187
- ^ IMDB Page for Max Barclay accessed April 2011: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3348926/
- ^ http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/staff-directory/entomology/m-barclay/index.html
- ^ http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1822936,00.html
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSupmiNlaY&playnext=1&list=PLD83F21642C3F38BE
- ^ Cooter J. & Barclay M.V.L. (eds.) (2006) A Coleopterist’s Handbook. Amateur Entomological Society. 439 pages. ISBN 0-900054-70-0
- ^ http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article5030038.ece
- ^ http://blogs.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/about/dr-max-barclay/
- ^ Barkham, P. 2010. Meet The Beetles. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/18/beetles-natural-history-museum
- ^ Lee, Chi-Feng, 2011. Aquatic Insects 33: 165-169
- ^ Crewe, C. 2008. How an obsession can become a career. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article5030038.ece
- ^ http://blogs.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/about/dr-max-barclay/
External links
Categories:- Living people
- British entomologists
- Employees of the Natural History Museum
- Coleopterists
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