Hemiptera collection

Alongside the Thysanoptera, the Hemiptera collection is organised into 4 main units: Sternorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Cicadomorpha and Heteroptera. The general collection is completed by nominal collections (Bagnall, Bergevin, Cohic, Dlabola, Mamet, Goux, Noualhier, Puton, Ribaut, Sorin, etc.). This group is a highlight of the Muséum’s entomological collections, with over 7 million specimens including 7,000 holotypes. Depending on the taxonomic group, 30 to 70% of described 100,000 Hemiptera species are represented there, making it an unrivalled source of primary information. The Palearctic and Afrotropic regions are particularly well represented, as well as Madagascar, Réunion, New Caledonia, the Antilles and French Guiana. The specimens are preserved dry, in alcohol or on microscope slides.

The collections play an important role in high-level fundamental research in the fields of systematics, comparative morphology, taxonomy, ethoecology, phylogeny and molecular biology. They are also available for expert assessment activities in applied, medical and veterinary entomology, and are a valuable aid to the BarCode of Life project and other European or international projects (Catalogue of Life, GBIF). The management, maintenance and enrichment of the collections (2,500 specimens loaned and 50,000 new specimens per year) are the responsibility of the following researchers: A. Soulier-Perkins (Cicadomorpha except for Cicadoidea), J. Sueur (Cicadoidea), E. Guilbert (Heteroptera) and T. Bourgoin (Sternorrhyncha and Fulgoromorpha), with the help of a technician, L. Fauvre. The Hemiptera section welcomes doctoral students, post-doctoral students, guest researchers, permanent volunteer scientists (M. Boulard, D. Pluot-Sigwalt, D. Matile-Ferrero, I. Foldi and A. Matocq), many temporary foreign researchers and volunteer amateurs.

• Thierry Bourgoin : +33 1 40 79 33 96 - bourgoin [@] mnhn.fr
• Éric Guilbert : +33 1 40 79 34 11 - guilbert [@] mnhn.fr
• Adeline Soulier-Perkins : +33 1 40 79 31 57 - soulier [@] mnhn.fr
• Jérôme Sueur : +33 1 40 79 33 98 - sueur [@] mnhn.fr