Jan Bechyně

Jan Karel Bechyně (19 September 1920 – 9 March 1973)[1] was a Czech entomologist and a leading authority on leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). He was the son of photographer Jan Bechyně and nephew of architect Stanislav Bechyně.

Jan Karel Bechyně
Born(1920-09-19)September 19, 1920
Přibyslav, Czechoslovakia
DiedMarch 9, 1973(1973-03-09) (aged 52)
Maracay, Venezuela
Academic work
DisciplineEntomology
Sub-disciplineColeopterist
InstitutionsUniversity of Maracay
Plaque of Jan Bechyné (bottom)

Career

Bechyně studied at the University of Prague, graduating in 1948 with a thesis titled "Příspěvek k poznání filogenese a zoogeography rodu Tymarcha Latr" (on the phylogeny and zoogeography of the genus Tymarcha Latr). He emigrated from the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) in 1948 and never subsequently returned.[2]

He worked in natural history museums in Munich and at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels before moving to Los Angeles and later South America, where he researched in Brazil, San Salvador, and Peru before gaining a professorial post at the University of Maracay in Venezuela.[3]

Bechyně was the first to propose combating the Colorado potato beetle with pests in Europe.[3]

His wife, Bohumila Špringlová, shared his interest in entomology and continued to represent Jan at entomological conferences after his death.[4]

Beetle Clinidium bechyneorum is named for Jan and B. Bechyne, noting that their "fine series of Clinidium have made the Rhysodine fauna of Venezuela the best known of any South American country."[5]

References
  1. "Biographies of the Entomologists of the World: Jan Bechyne". Senckenberg. 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  2. Milena Štráfeldová (2005-09-12). "PŘIBYSLAV SI PŘIPOMNĚLA SLAVNÉHO RODÁKA, EXILOVÉHO VĚDCE JANA BECHYNĚHO" (in Czech). Radio Praha. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  3. Rechcigl, Miloslav Jr. (2016). Encyclopedia of Bohemian and Czech-American Biography. Vol. 3. AuthorHouse. p. 254. ISBN 9781524619909.
  4. Pierre Jolivet (2015). "Together with 30 years of Symposia on Chrysomelidae! Memories and personal reflections on what we know more about leaf beetles". ZooKeys. 547: 35–61. doi:10.3897/zookeys.547.7181. PMC 4714332. PMID 26798313.
  5. Bell, Ross T. & Bell, Joyce R. (1985). "Rhysodini of the World. Part IV. Revisions of Rhyzodiastes Fairmaire and Clinidium Kirby, with new species in other genera (Coleoptera: Carabidae or Rhysodidae)". Quaestiones Entomologicae. 21 (1): 1–172.
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