Borys Ivanovych Balinsky (23 September 1905 – 1 September 1997) was a Ukrainian and South African

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

embryologist Embryology (from Greek ἔμβρυον, ''embryon'', "the unborn, embryo"; and -λογία, '' -logia'') is the branch of animal biology that studies the prenatal development of gametes (sex cells), fertilization, and development of embryos and ...

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

Kyiv University Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...

and

University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African Public university, public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( o ...

. Pioneer researcher in the field of experimental embryology,

electron microscopy An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a hi ...

and

developmental biology Developmental biology is the study of the process by which animals and plants grow and develop. Developmental biology also encompasses the biology of Regeneration (biology), regeneration, asexual reproduction, metamorphosis, and the growth and di ...

. He was author of popular textbook in embryology ''An Introduction to Embryology''. Balinsky was born 23 September 1905, in

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

(now

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

). He was a student of

Ivan Schmalhausen Ivan Ivanovich Schmalhausen (russian: Ива́н Ива́нович Шмальга́узен; April 23, 1884 – October 7, 1963) was a Ukrainian, Russian and later Soviet zoologist and evolutionary biologist of German descent. He developed the th ...

and one of the first to experimentally induce

organogenesis Organogenesis is the phase of embryonic development that starts at the end of gastrulation and continues until birth. During organogenesis, the three germ layers formed from gastrulation (the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm) form the internal orga ...

in amphibian embryos. Balinsky was a full university professor and the deputy director of the Institute of Biology in Kyiv (now

I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology The I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine ( uk, Інститут зоології ім. І. І. Шмальгаузена Національної академії наук України) is the leading ...

) at 28 years of age. He became a recognized expert in fish and amphibian development. Being a victim of

Soviet repressions Throughout the history of the Soviet Union, tens of millions of people suffered political repression, which was an instrument of the state since the October Revolution. It culminated during the History of the Soviet Union (1927–1953), Stalin era ...

, he remained under German occupation during World War II and fled to

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

and later

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Balinsky briefly worked in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Conrad Hal Waddington Conrad Hal Waddington (8 November 1905 – 26 September 1975) was a British developmental biologist, paleontologist, geneticist, embryologist and philosopher who laid the foundations for systems biology, epigenetics, and evolutionary developm ...

's laboratory on mice embryology. Finally, he went to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

to become one of the founders of South African experimental bioscience. Balinsky also worked in entomology and described new species of Plecoptera,

Odonata Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Members of the group first appeared during the Triassic, though members of their total group, Odonatoptera, first appeared in Late Carboniferous. The two comm ...

and moths from the family

Pyralidae The Pyralidae, commonly called pyralid moths, snout moths or grass moths, are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyrali ...

, mainly from

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...

and South Africa. He died in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

1 September 1997. He had a son John Balinsky who is also a scientist.

Insects described

Plecoptera

* '' Pontoperla teberdinica'' Balinsky, 1950 * '' Pontoperla katherinae'' Balinsky * '' Balinskycercella gudu'' Balinsky, 1956 * '' Balinskycercella tugelae'' Balinsky, 1956 * '' Balinskycercella fontium'' Balinsky, 1956

Dragonflies

* '' Agriocnemis pinheyi'' Balinsky, 1963 * '' Agriocnemis ruberrima'' Balinsky, 1961 * '' Ceratogomphus triceraticus'' Balinsky, 1963 * '' Chlorolestes draconicus'' Balinsky, 1956 * '' Orthetrum robustum'' Balinsky, 1965 * '' Pseudagrion helenae'' Balinsky, 1964 * '' Pseudagrion inopinatum'' Balinsky, 1971 * '' Pseudagrion vumbaense'' Balinsky, 1963 * '' Urothemis luciana'' Balinsky, 1961

Lepidoptera

New species

* '' Abachausia grisea'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Acrobasis africanella ''Acrobasis africanella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Acrobasis''. It was described by Boris Balinsky in 1994 and is found in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, s ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Afromyelois communis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Afromylea natalica'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Afropsipyla pictella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Afropsipyla similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ambetilia crucifera'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ancylosis aeola'' Balinsky, 1987 * '' Ancylosis eugraphella'' Balinsky, 1987 * '' Ancylosis eurhoda'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis glaphyria'' Balinsky, 1987 * '' Ancylosis melanophlebia'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis mimeugraphella'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis montana'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis namibiella'' Balinsky, 1987 * '' Ancylosis obscurella'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis perfervid'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Ancylosis similis'' Balinsky, 1987 * '' Apomyelois bicolorata'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Arsissa transvaalica'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Aspithroides minuta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Azanicola adspersa'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''

Bahiria defecta ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *'' Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria durbanica'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria latevalvata'' Balinsky, 199 ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Bahiria durbanica ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *''Bahiria defecta ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *'' Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' B ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Bahiria flavicosta ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *''Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *''Bahiria durbanica ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *''B ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Bahiria latevalvata ''Bahiria latevalvata'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Bahiria''. It was described by Boris Balinsky in 1994 and is found in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, south ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Bahiria macrognatha ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *''Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *''Bahiria durbanica'' Balinsky, 1994 *''Bahiria flavicosta ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Bahiria magna'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Bahiria similis ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *''Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *''Bahiria durbanica'' Balinsky, 1994 *''Bahiria flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria latevalvata'' Balinsky, 1994 * ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Bahiria ximenianata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Cabotella inconspicua'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Candiopella dukei'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Cantheleamima excisa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ceuthelea umtalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Cunibertoides nigripatagiata'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''

Emporia melanobasis ''Emporia melanobasis'' is a species of snout moth in the genus '' Emporia''. It was described by Boris Balinsky in 1991, and is known from South Africa. Jumping beans The larvae pupate inside fruit of ''Spirostachys africana''. Larvae develop ...

'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Encryphodes ethiopella'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Epicrocis abbreviata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis ancylosiformis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis arcana'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis brevipalpata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis complicata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis coriacelloides'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis crassa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis furcilinea'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis gracilis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis imitans'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis insolita'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis intermedia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis noncapillata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis ornata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis ornatella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis picta'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Epicrocis plumbifasciata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis punctata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis sacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Epicrocis vansoni'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Eucarphia anomala'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Eurhodope nyctosia ''Eurhodope nyctosia'' is a species of Pyralidae, snout moth in the genus ''Eurhodope''. It was described by Boris Balinsky in 1991 and is known from South Africa. References

Endemic moths of South Africa Moths described in 1991 Phycitin ...

'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Euzophera crassignatha'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Euzophera crinita'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Euzophera cullinanensis'' (Balinsky, 1991) * '' Euzophera minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Euzophera termivelata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Euzopherodes capicola'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria dubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria fusca'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria ignicephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria minuscula'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria nonceracanthia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria onigra'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Faveria poliostrota'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Flabellobasis montana'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Gaana minima'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Gaana quatra'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Getulia maculosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Hobohmia paradoxa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Homoeosoma masaiensis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Joannisia heterotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Joannisia jansei'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Joannisia poliopasta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Joannisia semiales'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Kivia longisacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia affinis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia glaucocephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia grisella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia homotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia hortensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia inermis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia injucunda'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia karkloofensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia lugubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia nigerrima'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia nonplagella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia pulchra'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia salisburyensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia sarniensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia spissa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia squamata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Laodamia zoetendalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Leviantenna ferox'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Macrovalva quadrielevata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Magiriamorpha superpalpia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Miliberta gnathilata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Nakurubia sacculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Namibicola simplex'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Namibicola splendida'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Namibiopsis punctata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Nonphycita lineata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Nyctegretis cullinanensis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Oncocera affinis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera cenochreella'' Ragonot, 1888 * '' Oncocera dubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera glaucocephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera grisella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera homotypa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera horrens'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera hortensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera ignicephalis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera inermis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera injucunda'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera karkloofensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera lugubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera nigerrima'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera nonplagella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera pulchra'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera salisburyensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera sarniensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera similis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera spissa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera squamata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Oncocera zoetendalensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ortholepis polyodonta'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Ortholepis pyrobasis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Ortholepis unguinata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia haploa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia angustata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia fraudulenta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia modesta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia pretoriensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia serrata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia subligaculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia transvaalica'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita attenuata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita exaggerata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita ligubris'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita randensis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita singularis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita spiculata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita spissoterminata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycita suppenditata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycitophila obscurita'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycitopsis insulata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Pretoria nigribasis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Proancylosis argenticostata'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Pseudogetulia luminosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Pseudographis dermatina'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Pseudographis mesosema'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Psorosa africana'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Pylamorpha albida'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Pylamorpha cristata'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Quasiexuperius rhodesianus'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ramosignathos inconspicuella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Samaria inconspicuella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Sematoneura africana'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Shebania grandis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Shebania maculata'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Spatulipalpia monstrosa'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Staudingeria mimeugraphella'' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Trachypteryx victoriola'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Ulophora flavinia'' Balinsky, 1994

New genera

* '' Abachausia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Afromyelois'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Afromylea'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Afropsipyla'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ambetilia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Aspithroides'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Azanicola'' Balinsky, 1991 * ''

Bahiria ''Bahiria'' is a genus of snout moths. It was erected by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Species *'' Bahiria defecta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria durbanica'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria flavicosta'' Balinsky, 1994 *'' Bahiria latevalvata'' Balinsky, 199 ...

'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Cabotella'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Candiopella'' Balinsky, 1994 * ''

Cantheleamima ''Cantheleamima'' is a monotypic snout moth genus described by Boris Balinsky in 1994. Its only species, ''Cantheleamima excisa'', described in the same publication, is found in South AfricaCeuthelea'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Cunibertoides'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Flabellobasis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Hobohmia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Joannisia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Kivia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Leviantenna'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Macrovalva'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Magiriamorpha'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Miliberta'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Nakurubia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Namibicola'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Namibiopsis'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Nonphycita'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Paralaodamia'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Phycitophila'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Proancylosis'' Balinsky, 1991 * '' Pseudogetulia'' Balinsky, 1994 * ' Balinsky, 1989 * '' Pylamorpha'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Quasiexuperius'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Ramosignathos'' Balinsky, 1994 * '' Shebania'' Balinsky, 1991

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Balinsky, Boris 1905 births 1997 deaths Scientists from Kyiv People from Kievsky Uyezd Ukrainian biologists South African biologists Soviet emigrants to South Africa 20th-century biologists