Awarded Annually for the Best Published Paper based upon a Doctoral Dissertation

The Lacordaire Prize gives annual recognition to the finest work by young Coleopterists. In addition to a cash prize of $1,000 and a plaque, the Prize represents the attainment of the highest achievement for Ph.D. dissertation research based on the biology and evolution of beetles. Papers enter competition for the Prize grouped by the calendar year of publication. Nominations from the scientific community at-large and a distinguished panel of world leaders of the coleopterist community are judged by a Selection Committee of top researchers.

Award Details:

Awards are presented at the annual meeting of the Coleopterists Society, in the year following the competition period (e.g., December 2006 for papers published during 2005).

Each year, the Lacordaire Prize will be awarded to the author of the best paper dealing with the systematics or biology of Coleoptera based upon a doctoral dissertation published in the preceding calendar year. Nominations are solicited, and the Prize will be awarded, according to the following procedures and criteria: Nominations are open to papers whose primary subject is some aspect of Coleoptera systematics or biology, published in a widely distributed, ICZN-compliant publication available by subscription (journal) or sale (book). Publications in any language using the Latin alphabet are acceptable. The only papers that are eligible are papers where the student was the lead (first) author. When multi-authored papers are considered the prize will be awarded only to the former student and not to any of the other authors.

Nominations consist of a letter of nomination, including the name and citation of the publication, the name and current address of the author, a letter from the major professor attesting to the fact that the paper is based on a doctoral dissertation, and a PDF of the work. The letter from the major professor should include a breakdown of each author’s contribution for multi-authored papers (demonstrating that the student did the bulk of the work). No further documentation is required. If available, a photograph of the author is requested for publicity purposes. Self-nominations are not accepted.

For further information or to make a nomination, contact:

Dr. Darren A. Pollock, Chair
Department of Biology
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, NM 88130, USA
Darren.Pollock(AT)enmu.edu

Deadline for RECEIPT of Nominations 1 March of the year following the publication of the nominated paper.

Previous winners:

  • 2021 WINNER. Jennifer C. Girón (for the paper: Girón JC, Short AEZ (2021) The Acidocerinae (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae): taxonomy, classification, and catalog of species. ZooKeys 1045: 1–236. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1045.63810)
  • 2020 WINNER. Frank Etzler (for the paper: Etzler, F. E. 2020. A revision of the genus Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839 (Coleop- tera: Elateridae) of the New World, with comments on global classification. The Coleopterists Society Monograph Number 18: 1–126. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-74.mo18.1)
  • 2019WINNER. Gavin Martin (for the paper Martin, G.J., K.R. Stanger-Hall, M.A. Branham, L.F.L. da Silveira, S.E. Lower, D.W. Hall, X.-Y. Li, A.R. Lemmon, E.M. Lemmon, & S.M. Bybee. 2019. Higher-level phylogeny and reclassification of Lampyridae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea). Insect Systematics and Diversity, 3(6): 11, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixz024.
  • 2018 WINNER. Juan Pablo Botero-Rodriguez (for the paper Botero, J.P. & Monné, M.L. 2018. Cladistic analysis of the tribe Eburiini Blanchard, 1845 and revalidation of the tribe Dychophyiini Gistel, 1848 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 20: 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zly065)
  • 2017 WINNER. Grey T. Gustafson (for the paper Gustafson, G.T. and Miller, K.B. 2017. Systematics and evolution of the whirligig beetle tribe Dineutini (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae: Gyrininae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181(1): 118–150. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw014)
  • 2016 WINNER. Caio Antunes de Carvalho (for the paper Antunes-Carvalho, C. and Gnaspini, P., 2016. Pretarsus and distal margin of the terminal tarsomere as an unexplored character system for higher‐level classification in Cholevinae (Coleoptera, Leiodidae). Systematic Entomology, 41(2), pp.392-415. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12161)
  • 2015 WINNER. Marcin Kamiński (for the paper Kamiński, Marcin J. 2015. Phylogenetic reassessment and biogeography of the Ectateus generic group (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Platynotina). Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society 175: 73-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12263)
  • 2014 WINNER. Sarah M. Smith (for the paper Smith, S. M., and A. I. Cognato. 2014. A taxonomic monograph of Nearctic Scolytus Geoffroy (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae). ZooKeys 450: 1-182. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.450.7452)
  • 2013 WINNER. Matt Gimmel (for the paper Gimmel, M. L. 2013. Genus level revision of the family Phalacridae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Zootaxa 3605: 1-147. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3605.1.1)
  • 2012 WINNER. Edilson Caron (for the paper Caron, E. , Ribeiro-Costa, C. S. and Newton, A. F. 2012. Cladistic analysis and revision of Piestus Gravenhorst with remarks on related genera (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Piestinae). Invertebrate Systematics 25(6) [2011]: 490-585. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS10016)
  • 2011 WINNER. David Clarke (for the paper Clarke, D. 2011. Testing the phylogenetic utility of morphological character systems, with a revision of Creophilus Leach (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae).” Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 163: 723-812. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00725.x)
  • 2010 WINNER. Matthew J. Paulsen for his paper entitled “The Stag Beetles of Southern South America (Coleoptera: Lucanidae).” Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 24: iv + 148 pp.
  • 2009 WINNER. Maxi Polihronakis Richmond for her paper entitled “Hierarchical comparative analysis of genetic and genitalic geographic structure: testing divergence patterns of genitalia in the scarab beetle Phyllophaga hirticula (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae),” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 96(1): 135-149.
  • 2008 WINNER. Andrew Cline for his paper entitled: Revision of the sap beetle genus Pocadius Erichson, 1843 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae). Zootaxa, 1799: 1-120.
  • 2006 WINNER. Nico Franz. Towards a phylogenetic system of derelomine flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Systematic Entomology, 31:220-287.
  • 2005 no award.
  • 2004 WINNER. Stylianos Chatzimanolis. A revision of the Neotropical rove beetle genus Nordus Blackwelder (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Xanthopygina). Entomologische Abhandlungen 62:3-64.
  • 2003 WINNER. Andrew B.T. Smith. A Monographic Revision of the Genus Platycoelia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 15:1-202.
  • 2002 WINNER. Kipling Will. Revision of the New World abariform genera Neotalus n. gen. and Abaris Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichini). Annals of Carnegie Museum 71(3):143-213.
  • 1999-2001 no award.
  • 1998 WINNER. Steven W. Lingafelter. The genera of Elaphidiini Thomson 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington 20:1-118.
  • 1998 HONORABLE MENTION. Mary Liz Jameson. Phylogenetic analysis of the subtribe Rutelina and revision of the Rutela generic groups. Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 14:1-184.
  • 1997 no award.
  • 1996 WINNER. Richard B. Leschen. Phylogeny and revision of the genera of Cryptophagidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). The University of Kansas Science Bulletin 55(15):549-634.
  • 1995 WINNER. Darren A. Pollock. Classification, reconstructed phylogeny and geographic history of genera of Pilipalpinae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Pyrochroidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 9:563-708.
  • 1994 WINNER. Dilma Solange Napp. Phylogenetic relationships among subfamilies of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera – Chrysomeloidea). Revista Brasileira de Entomología 38(2):265-419.
  • 1994 HONORABLE MENTION. Masahiro Ôhara. A revision of the superfamily Histeroidea of Japan (Coleoptera). Insecta Matsumurana (New Series) 51:1-283.