Entomologie III

Terrestrial Zoology

Entomology III

Our section converges aquatic entomology and evolutionary biology. We aim to elucidate diversification, speciation, ecological adaptation and dispersal of mainly aquatic and semi-aquatic insects model organisms. To this end we perform comparative morphological and molecular genetic studies based on the diverse material available in our collection. The section of Entomology III at the Senckenberg Institution manages the collection of the insect order Hymenoptera, comprising about 300,000 specimens and of the order Trichoptera, containing about 14, 000 objects.

Our studies belong to the Senckenberg Research Field Biodiversity, Systematics and Evolution, Biodiversity and Environment  and Biodiversity and Climate, respectively.

We are an enthusiastic international team of students, technicians, PhD students and PostDocs studying aquatic insect evolution. We are always seeking highly motivated BSc, MSc, and PhD students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. Students interested in conducting their BSc and MSc research in our lab, please send an email to steffen.pauls@senckenberg.de

History

The division of Entomology of the Senckenberg Institution exists since 1822. Carl Georg von Heyden (1793-1866), Lukas von Heyden (1838-1915), Adalbert Seitz (1860-1938), and Elli Franz (1896-1983) were the former heads of the large insect collections. Albrecht Weis (1839-1914), chief of the Entomology division since 1894, was the first who engaged more intensively in the Hymenoptera (primarily bumble-bees).

The increase of the scientific staff allowed a reorganization of the division. In 1969 the division of Entomology was splitted into four independent sections (I-IV; relating to the recent structural reform the section Entomology IV is incorporated into the division of “Limnology and Conservation”. Dieter Stefan Peters was the first full-time curator of the section Entomology III. Jens-Peter Kopelke managed the section from 1980-2013. Steffen Pauls began managing the section in 2017.