Anselmo Pardo Alcaide (1913–1977) was a Spanish

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 ...

Career

Throughout his life he combined his work as a teacher with his entomological studies. He published his first scientific paper in 1936, at 23 years of age, in which he described his first species new to science, ''

Aphodius ambrosi ''Aphodius'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. In most species both the adults and larvae are coprophagous (dung feeding) although some species have herbivorous or saprophagous larvae. ''Aphodius'' species typically dominate dun ...

'' (

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

Scarabaeidae The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 30,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change in recent years. Several sub ...

) in northern Morocco. This article was followed by another 79, in which he described another 145 taxa, mostly Pardo Alcaide became a world authority in families and ''

Melyridae Melyridae (common name: soft-winged flower beetles) are a family of beetles of the superfamily Cleroidea. Description Most are elongate-oval, soft-bodied beetles 10 mm long or less. Many are brightly patterned in black and brown, yellow, ...

'' ''

Meloidae Blister beetles are beetles of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. About 7,500 species are known worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some are aposematically colored, announcing their ...

''- ''

Malachiinae Malachiinae is a subfamily of beetles of the family Melyridae and having a global distribution. Description Malachiinae have peculiar orange structures along the sides of the abdomen, which may be everted and saclike or withdrawn into the body ...

''. He made numerous scientific missions where he collected specimens for study that were particularly important in different regions of Morocco.

Recognition

In 1978 he received posthumously the degree of Commander of the

Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise The Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise ( es, Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio) is a Spanish civil order established in 1939, recognising activities in the fields of education, science, culture, higher education and research. The order was create ...

in recognition of his scientific achievements. In 1979 he gave his name to a new school opened in Melilla, the College of Education and Primary Anselmo Pardo.

References

Spanish entomologists 1913 births 1977 deaths People from Melilla 20th-century Spanish zoologists {{Spain-scientist-stub