New insect classification...

[TommyC]

If I were to turn up at a university science lab or other research laboratory with a specimen - alive or dead - of a previously undiscovered / unclassified insect, would I make any money out of it eventually, or get my name printed anywhere worthwhile...?

[WoWo]

I doubt you would make any more out of it. Of course if you discovered it then you would be entitled to name it and you could name it after yourself. Of course the idea of discovering such a think is seriously remote.

[medico]

Harrison Ford narrated a film for (I think) the Natural History Museum. To thank him, they named a new spider .......harrisonfordii!

[Elfin]

I used to think that WoWo, but the idea of finding such a thing is not nearly as remote as you think. There are new species (and sub-species) of insect being discovered all the time. There are so many insects and relatively few people studying them. My friend's dad has a few african butterflies named after him, because he discovered them. If you think you have something different, you should contact the head honcho at the Entomology Dept, Natural History Museum. They are always interested in potential new species. I could easily find out more about the process if you actually already have a specimen, if you want. As for money - no, I don't think so. You would definitely have your name in print though (in insect books, obviously) because you would certainly have it named after you, as the chap who discovered it. Just out of interest, if you have something already, what type of insect is it (moth, beetle, fly etc)?

[WoWo]

Don't seem to be doing to well with answers today :). I was going to qualify my first post with discovering something "in this country" is remote.

[TommyC]

Thanks to everyone for your very interesting answers.. Elfin, the insect I particularly asked about appears to hang around the little dry pile of wood and leaf litter near my compost heap, and I've never seen anything quite like it before. It's a shiny, wood-brown over-colour, with a black head and quite a startling silver crown towards the shoulders - and about the size of a large beetle or cockroach. There are several about, and they're very active, crawling madly across the woodpile and often jumping, twisting and scrabbling along on very long, ineffective-looking extended hind legs. I think it must be some unusual form of cockroach, but it's very different to other beetles and roaches that I've seen. And I'm not prepared to find out whether or not it bites..!! I'll check out a few Entomology websites and let you know if I find anything more.

[Elfin]

Cool TommyC. Just revisited this question so will have a look in a selection of insect books we have and will get back to you too. Sounds most interesting...!