Macquart, Pierre Justin Marie

P. J. M. Macquart was born at Hazebrouck, France, in 1776. Much of the family was interested in natural history, so it is not surprising that Macquart became interested in insects. He served in the military starting at the age of 21, visiting Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, which provided an opportunity to collect specimens and books. Upon his return home in 1798 he devoted himself to his studies, and came to know the great French entomologist Latreille. He came to specialize in Diptera, publishing “Diptères du nord de la France” (1828–1833). He then was invited by Latreille to participate in a group effort, with Macquart handling the Diptera, which became known as “Histoire naturelle des Insectes Diptères.” (1834, 1935). Macquart acquired the holdings of Meigen, and tackled the job of describing all the new species acquired by French naturalists from around the globe. In this monumental effort, he described 1,800 new species. He continued to publish updates of his work until his...