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IN MEMORIAM
Dr. Yin-Chi Hsu
The standard reference on mayfly biology remains the 1935 classic Biology of Mayflies by J. G. Needham, J. R Traver, and Yin-Chi Hsu, originally published by Comstock Publishing of Ithaca, New York. Needham and Traver are familiar names, but the third author is somewhat of an enigma to North American entomologists. Many are surprised to learn that Hsu continued his research for more than 50 years and, in addition to his role in North American entomology, Hsu was the founder of Ephemeroptera study in China, as well as being that country’s leading human parasitologist. I was fortunate to have met him when he visited Florida A&M University in 1983, and I am happy to have the opportunity to submit this tribute, prepared by colleagues in Nanjing, to one historic American mayfly scientist.
William L. Peters, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
OUR TUTOR DR. XU YINQI (HSU YIN-CHI)
(SEPT. 9, 1905ÐJAN. 29, 1986)
Prof. Xu Yinqi commanded the highest respect in China as a prominent entomologist, parasitologist, and educator. A member of an educated family, he was a highly intelligent and dedicated student, and earned a BS in Biology from Soochow University in 1926, with honorary titles of Beta Beta Beta and Phi Tau Phi. In 1927, he entered Yenching University, Peking, and graduated with an MS in Zoology in 1929; his MS dissertation was entitled "Gryllidae in China." Because of his outstanding work at Yenching, he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship to Cornell University, completing there his PhD degree, with honors, in 1932. He was also offered the Prize of Scientific Research under auspices of China’s Cultural Fund and later received the Sino-American Service Professor Fellowship at the University of Minnesota. In 1932, he was elected a member of Sigma Xi; also in 1932, he attended the Vth International Congress of Entomology in Paris, France.
Early in his professional career, Prof. Xu Yinqi was devotedly engaged in research on Ephemeroptera taxonomy and morphology. After coauthoring (with J. G. Needham and J. R. Traver) the Biology of Mayflies, published in 1935, a universally acknowledged classic in Ephemeroptera research, he (1936-1938) published a monograph on The Mayflies of China. This work presented a comprehensive survey and summary of all previous Ephemeroptera in China and added many descriptions of new species of China. Prof. Xu Yinqi, considered the founder of Ephemeroptera research in China, enjoyed international renown.
In the early 1950s, he turned his studies to Parasitology and Acarology, investigating serious problems of mite typhus in China. He and his assistants began a systematic probe into the classification, ecotype, and fauna of chigger mites and their role in transmission of communicable diseases. His forty-odd pieces of published academic treatises on the subject have been frequently quoted, and provide a foundation for this field of medical acarology.
In the latter part of the 1970’s, he and his research team studied interrelationships between Demodicidae and demodicidosis-dermatopathy. He conducted clinical case analyses and pathological studies on the morphological structure, classification, and distribution of Demodicidae on folliculitus, rosacea, etc. as well as treatments for these conditions, publishing extensively on the subject. Prof. Xu Yinqi constantly promoted Chinese science and published numerous treatises, monographs and textbooks.
Prof. Xu Yinqi dedicated his life to teaching in the biological sciences. He served as a professor in, sequentially, Soochow University, Yenching University, St. John’s University, Shanghai First Medical College (with a long term as Dean of the Biology Department), Soochow University (1938-1952), and Professor-in-Charge of the Board of Studies of Parasitology, Shanghai First Medical College (1952-1984). He was on the Committee of Experts, Shanghai Medical University from 1984 until 1986. For 59 years, he taught courses on Invertebrate Zoology, Comparative Anatomy, Human Parasitology, Entomology, Medical Entomology, Entomological Taxonomy, Medical Acarology, Histology, Embryology, etc. He was an erudite scholar, an animated lecturer, and an indefatigable teacher who was loved and esteemed by his students. His publication, How to Deliver Successfully a Lecture in Class, elevated and elucidated the importance of instruction for younger faculty members. Numbered among his students are academicians of the Academy of Sciences of China, presidents of institutions of higher learning, professors, and doctors, all playing important roles in biological, medical, and educational circles in China.
Prof. Xu Yinqi, one of the sponsors of the Zoology Society of China and Entomology Society of China, served long terms on the Boards of Directors of both societies, as well as acting as Deputy Director-General of the Shanghai Parasitology Society and as academic advisor to the Shanghai Museum of Natural Science. Concurrently, he was Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease and a member of the Editorial Board of Acta Entomologica Sinica, Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, Acta Academiae Medicinae Primae Shanghai, Lexicon (section on medicine), English-Chinese Dictionary of Agricultural Entomology, Glossary and Nomenclature of Acarology, and others.
Professor Xu Yinqi adopted a vigorous scientific approach in his academic work and was always well respected by his colleagues. As a professor, he was direct, decent, enthusiastic and encouraging. He will be long remembered for his outstanding contributions to Chinese education and scientific research.
Publications on Ephemeroptera by Xu Yinqi [Hsu Yin-Chi]
1. Hsu, Yin-Chi. 1931. Two new species of mayflies from China. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 6(2):39-41.
2. — 1932. Morphology, anatomy, and ecology of genus Heptagenia. Ph.D. Diss., Cornell Univ. Graduate School, Dep. Entomol.
3. — 1933. Some new morphological findings in Ephemeroptera. 5th Int. Congr. Entomol., Paris, 1932, 2:361-368. 2 pls.
4. — 1935. New Chinese mayflies from Kiangsi Province. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 10(40):319-326.
5. Needham, J. G., J. R. Traver and Y.-C. Hsu. 1935. The Biology of Mayflies with a Systematic Account of North American Species. Comstock Publ., Ithaca, New York. xi + 759 pp., 168 figs., plates I-XL.
6. Hsu, Y.-C. 1936. Mayflies of Hong Kong with description of two new species (Ephemeroptera). Hong Kong Nat. 7:233-238.
7. — 1936-1937. The Mayflies of China I. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 11:129-148.
8. — 1936-1937. The Mayflies of China II. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 11:287-296.
9. — 1936-1937. The Mayflies of China III. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 11:433-440.
10. — 1937-1938. The Mayflies of China IV. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 12:53-56.
11. — 1937-1938. The Mayflies of China V. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 12:123-126.
12. — 1937-1938. The Mayflies of China VI. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull. 12:221-224.
13. You Da-Shou, Wu Tian, Gui Hong and Hsu Yin-Chi. 1980. A new species of the genus Choroterpes from Nanjing (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 5(4):388-391.
14. Xu Jia-zhu, You Da-shou, Su Cui-rong and Xu Yin-qi. 1980. Two new species of genus Ephemerella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). J. Nanjing Teacher’s College 1980(2):60-63.
15. You Da-shou, Wu Tian, Gui Hong and Hsu Yin-Chi. 1981. Two new species and diagnostic characters of genus Cinygmina (Ephemeroptera; Ecdyoneuridae). J. Nanjing Teacher’s College 1981(3):26-32.
16. You Da-shou, Wu Tian, Gui Hong and Hsu Yin-Chi. 1982. Genus Potamanthodes and two new species (Ephemeroptera: Potamanthidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 7(4):410-415.
17. You Da-shou, Sui Cui-rong and Hsu Yin-chi. 1982. A new species of the genus Afronurus from Fujian Province (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). J. Nanjing Teacher’s College, 1982(4):61-65.
18. Xu Jiazhu, You Da-shou and Hsu Yin-Chi. 1984. A new species of Ephemerella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 9(4):413-415.
Gui Hong
Zhang Jun
Department of Biology
Nanjing Normal
University