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Cornell University Department of Entomology

James Liebherr


James K. Liebherr

Professor & Curator

University of California, Berkeley, 1983.
Systematics of Coleoptera especially Carabidae; speciation; biogeography; conservation biology.

2144 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-2601
Phone: 607.255.4507
Fax: 607.255.0939
Email: jkl5@cornell.edu
Website: http://www.cornell.edu/CUIC

Table of Contents

Professional Overview and Objectives

I study distributional patterns of species-level radiations in their phylogenetic context in order to deduce factors that influence diversification. In the past 5 years I have maintained two parallel research foci: 1, analyzing a radiation of some 130 species of aggregate Holarctic distribution, classified in the genus Agonum (Liebherr & Schmidt 2004). Agonum beetles occupy wetland habitats in the northern hemisphere, and based on my analysis, we have learned that species that are successful in agricultural habitats are drawn from a close set of phylogenetic relatives, all of whom can live on disturbed, alkaline soil. This was the first world-wide phylogenetic analysis including all known species for a group of this magnitude (>100 species).

Secondly I am studying native Hawaiian carabids in the genera Blackburnia (132 spp.) and Mecyclothorax (192 spp.). I have recorded date-locality data for over 42,000 specimens of Hawaiian Carabidae held in institutional collections and collected from 1832 until today. These data have been used to determine suites of species absent from recent sampling. These species’ associated absence suggests their extinction, or at least serious endangerment. I have in press my first paper describing new species in the Mecyclothorax radiation, with that manuscript comprising a first attempt at rapid publication of species descriptions using photo-micrography and database-driven distributional mapping. I have built my research group around graduate and undergraduate students. As at most 30% of insect diversity has been characterized (arguably only 20% to 10%), morphological systematists will be vital to worldwide biodiversity efforts that will occupy systematic entomology for the foreseeable future. Cornell is the major North American producer of highly trained and intellectually gifted Ph.D. insect systematists, and holds a major worldwide responsibility for continuation of this important entomological subdiscipline.

Education

Year Degree Institution
1983 Ph.D. University of California, Berkley
1974 M.S.
 Cornell University
1972 B.A. University of Wisconsin

Academic Ranks

Professor: 1997
Associate Professor: 1989
Assistant Professor: 1983

Courses Taught

Entom 655, Nomenclature Seminar (1 credit).
Biopl-Entom 453, Historical Biogeography (co-taught with M.A. Luckow; 3 credits with 1 discussion).

Publications

Refereed Scientific Publications

89. Hajek, A.E., J.J. Hannam, A.J. Bell, C. Nielsen & J.K. Liebherr. 2007. Distribution and abundance of Carabidae associated with soybean aphid, Aphis glycines L., populations in central New York. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 100: 876-886.

88 Liebherr, J.K. 2007. Taxonomic revision of the Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Psydrini) of Molokai, Hawaii and recognition of areas of endemism on Kamakou volcano. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 114: 179-281.

87. Short, A.E.Z. & J.K. Liebherr. 2007. Systematics and biology of the endemic water scavenger beetles of Hawaii (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Hydrophilini). Syst. Entomol. 32: 601-624.

86. Liebherr, J.K. [2006]2007. Recognition and description of Blackburnia kavanaughi, new species (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Kauai, Hawaii. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 114: 17-27.

85. Liebherr, J.K. & A.E.Z. Short. [2006]2007. Blackburnia riparia, new species (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Platynini): a novel element in the Hawaiian riparian insect fauna. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 114: 1-16.

84. Liebherr, J.K. & P.D. Krushelnycky. [2007]2006. Unfortunate encounters? Novel interactions of native Mecyclothorax, alien Trechus obtusus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) across a Hawaiian landscape (doi 10.1007/s10841-006-9019-8). J. Ins. Cons. 11: 61-73.

83. Liebherr, J.K. 2006. Hawaiian Blackburnia beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Platynini): patterns of specialization with implications for conservation. Mitt. Dtsch. Ges. Allg. Angew. Entomol. 15: 57-62.

82. Liebherr, J.K. 2006. Hawaiian Blackburnia beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Platynini): patterns of specialization with implications for conservation. Mitt. Dtsch. Ges. Allg. Angew. Entomol. 15: 57-62.

81. Liebherr, J.K. [2005]2006. New species of Mecyclothorax (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Psydrini) from Polipoli, Maui define an area of endemism on Haleakala Volcano, Hawaii. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 113: 97-128.

80. Schmidt, J. & J.K. Liebherr. 2006. Agonum (s. str.) dorsostriatum Fairmaire, 1888 und Agonum (s. str.) humerosum (Semenov, 1889) aus den Gebirgen West-Chinas: redeskriptionen, infraspezifische Variation une neue Daten zur Verbreitung (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Platynini). Mitt. Münchener Entomol. Ges. 95: 67-74.

79. Liebherr, J.K., J. Schmidt & W. Lorenz. 2005. Nomenclatural Correction to Liebherr and Schmidt’s “Phylogeny and biogeography of the Laurasian genus Agonum Bonelli (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini).” Mitt. Mus. Nat.kd. Berl., Deutsche Entomol. Z. 52: 291.

78. Liebherr, J.K. 2005. Vanuatu Platynini (Coleoptera: Carabidae): Miocene diversification on the Melanesian Arc. Invert. Syst. 19: 263-295.

77. Krushelnycky, P.D., R.G. Gillespie, L.L. Loope & J.K. Liebherr. 2005. Rediscovery and uncertain future of high-elevation Haleakalā carabid beetles (Coleoptera). Pac. Sci. 59: 399-410.

76. Will, K.W., J.K. Liebherr, D.R. Maddison & J. Galian. 2005. Absence asymmetry: the evolution of monorchid ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). J. Morphol. 264: 75-93.

75. Liebherr, J.K. 2004. Patterns of endangerment or pathways to enlightenment? Reconstructing the Fauna Hawaiiensis. Syst. & Biodiv. 2: 175-189.

74. Liebherr, J.K. & J. Schmidt. 2004. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Laurasian genus Agonum Bonelli (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini). Mitt. Mus. Nat. Kd. Berl. Deutsche Entomol. Z. 51: 151-206.

73. Hajek, A.E., R. Curtiss & J.K. Liebherr. 2004. Characters differentiating male from female Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 106: 928-931.

72. Liebherr, J.K., G.M. Nishida, E.C. Zimmerman & Y. Bousquet. 2004. Metromenus Sharp, 1884 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae): proposed designation of Dyscolus palmae Blackburn, 1877 [currently Blackburnia palmae] as the type species. Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 61: 1-2.

71. Liebherr, J.K. & W.B. Godwin. 2004. Giant Platynus beetle from Panama (Coleoptera: Carabidae) overturns circum-Caribbean vicariance hypothesis. Carib. J. Sci. 40: 41-51.

70. Liebherr, J.K., N.B. Nikitsky & J. Schmidt. 2003. Dolichodes geniculatus Motschulsky is a junior synonym of Euleptus ooderus Chaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini). Coleopts. Bull. 57:457-458.

69. Liebherr, J.K. 2003. Blackburnia lata sp. n. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Kauai: morphological transformation in the arboreal microhabitat. Insect Syst. Evol. 34:41-52.

68. Polhemus, D.A., C.P. Ewing, R. Kaholoa`a & J.K. Liebherr. 2003. Rediscovery of Blackburnia anomala (Blackburn) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in East Maui, Hawaii after a 107-year hiatus. Pac. Sci. 57:161-165.

67. Liebherr, J.K. & R. Takumi. 2002. Introduction and distributional expansion of Trechus obtusus Erichson (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Maui, Hawaii. Pac. Sci. 56:365-375.

66. Liebherr, J.K. & H. Song. 2002. Distinct ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages within a New York state wetland complex. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 110:127-141.

65. Will, K.W. & J.K. Liebherr. 2002. A new tribal placement for Glyptolenus mirabilis (Straneo) (Coleoptera: Carabidae), comb. n., and description of G. straneoi, sp. n. from Ecuador. Stud. Neotrop. Fauna Environm. 37:59-64.

64. Liebherr, J.K. 2002. Polynesian collections of platynine Carabidae (Coleoptera) from the voyage of the Danish corvette Galathea, 1845-1847. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 69:27-29.

63. Cryan, J.R., J.K. Liebherr, J.W. Fetzner, Jr. & M.F. Whiting. 2001. Evaluation of relationships within the endemic Hawaiian Platynini (Coleoptera: Carabidae) based on molecular and morphological evidence. Molec. Phyl. Evol. 19:72-85.

62. Liebherr, J.K. 2001. Blackburnia gastrellariformis sp. n. (Coleoptera: Carabidae), from Molokai: successful prediction of a new taxon by reconciled tree analysis. Insect Syst. Evol. 32:133-141.

61. Liebherr, J.K. & E.C. Zimmerman. 2000. Hawaiian Carabidae (Coleoptera), Part 1: Introduction and Tribe Platynini. Insects of Hawaii 16:v + 494 pp. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.

60. Hajek, A.E., L. Butler, J.K. Liebherr & M.M. Wheeler. 2000. Risk of infection by the fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga among Lepidoptera on the forest floor. Environm. Entomol. 29:645-650.

59. Liebherr, J.K. 2000. The unity of characters: ecological and morphological specialization in larvae of Hawaiian platynine Carabidae (Coleoptera). Invert. Taxon. 14:931-940.

58. Marshall, C.J. & J.K. Liebherr. 2000. Cladistic biogeography of the Mexican transition zone. J. Biogeogr. 27:203-216.

57. Liebherr, J.K. & K.W. Will. 1998. Inferring phylogenetic relationships within Carabidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) from characters of the female reproductive tract, pp. 107-170. In: Phylogeny and classification of Caraboidea (Coleoptera: Adephaga). G. E. Ball, A. Casale & A. Vigna Taglianti (eds.) Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino.

56. Liebherr, J.K. 1998. On Rembus (Colpodes) brunneus MacLeay (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Platynini): redescription and relationships. J. Nat. Hist. 32:987-1000.

55. Liebherr, J.K. & E.C. Zimmerman. 1998. Cladistic analysis, phylogeny, and biogeography of Hawaiian Platynini (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Syst. Entomol. 23:137-172.

Contributed Book Chapters

5. Liebherr, J.K. & J.V. McHugh. 2003. Coleoptera (beetles, weevils, fireflies), pp. 209-230. In: V.H. Resh & R.T Cardé (eds.), Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

4. Liebherr, J.K. 2001. Preface to the reissue. Insects of Hawaii 1:v-xv. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.

Notes, Book Reviews and Websites

15. Anonymous. 2005. Terrestrial Invertebrates, Beetles, Order Coleoptera [fact sheet for State of Hawaii Strategic Plan for Wildlife Conservation, 2 pp.]. State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Honolulu, HI.

14. Liebherr, J.K. 2003. Of Moths and Men: The Untold Story of Science and the Peppered Moth, by Judith Hooper (book review). J. New York Entomol. Soc. 111:165-166.

13. Liebherr, J.K. 2003. Mecyclothorax of Polipoli Springs, Maui. Lucid internet identification key: http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Faculty Staff/Liebherr/Polipoli/Introkey.htm

12. Liebherr, J.K.2002. Fauna of New Zealand (Ko te Aitanga Pepeke o Aotearoa) No. 43, Carabidae: catalogue, by A. Larochelle and M.-C. Larivière (book review). J. New York Entomol. Soc. 110:260-262.

11. Liebherr, J.K. 2000. Appendix, Insects of Hawaii 16 (CD-ROM of phylogenetic, geographic, and taxonomic data). An Oddyssey Production, Ithaca, New York (available from the author).