diversity Article A Tribute to Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel (1918–2017) Rolf G. Oberprieler 1,*, Christopher H. C. Lyal 2 , Kimberi R. Pullen 1, Mario Elgueta 3, Richard A. B. Leschen 4 and Samuel D. J. Brown 5 1 CSIRO Australian National Insect Collection, G. P. O. Box 1700, Canberra A. C. T. 2601, Australia; [email protected] 2 The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; [email protected] 3 Área de Entomología, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Casilla 787, Santiago 8320000, Chile; [email protected] 4 New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; [email protected] 5 Plant & Food Research, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +612-6246-4271 Received: 10 August 2018; Accepted: 12 September 2018; Published: 14 September 2018 Abstract: This tribute commemorates the life and work of Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel, who made substantial contributions to the understanding of weevil systematics, evolution and biology. Willy was born in Chile in 1918 and studied philosophy, theology and biology. He became fascinated by weevils early on and completed his Ph.D. degree on South American Erirhinini. Subsequent employment by the University of Chile provided him with many opportunities to further his weevil research and undertake numerous collecting expeditions, including to remote and rugged locations such as the Juan Fernandez Islands and southern Chile. In 1963 he accepted a position at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in New Zealand, where he became Head of the Systematics Group in the Entomology Division. His emphasis on field work and collections led to the establishment of the New Zealand Arthropod Collection, which he guided through its greatest period of expansion. His retirement in 1983 offered him increased opportunities to pursue his weevil research. In 1988 he presented a new scheme of the higher classification of weevils, which ignited and inspired much subsequent research into weevil systematics. The breadth and quality of his research and his huge collecting efforts have left a legacy that will benefit future entomologists, especially weevil workers, for decades to come. This tribute presents a biography of Willy and accounts of his contributions to, and impact on, the systematics of weevils both regionally and globally. All of his publications and the genera and species named after him are listed in two appendices. Keywords: biography; obituary; weevils; systematics; publications Diversity 2018, 10, 101; doi:10.3390/d10030101 www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity Diversity 2018, 10, 101 2 of 33 Diversity 2018, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 30 Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel on his 65th birthday, 13 July 1983. Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel on his 65th birthday, 13 July 1983. 1. Introduction 1. IntroductionGuillermo (Willy) Kuschel was one of the outstanding and most influential weevil systematists of the past century. Over the course of his long life he amassed an immense knowledge of weevils, Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel was one of the outstanding and most influential weevil systematists particularly of those of the Southern Hemisphere, which gave him a unique insight into the diversity, of the pastmorphology century. and Over biology the of course this huge of his group long of life phytophagous he amassed beetles. an immense While he knowledge made numerous of weevils, particularlycontributions of those to ofthe the taxonomy Southern and Hemisphere, phylogeny of a which varietygave of weevil him groups, a unique his insightmost influential into the and diversity, morphologyenduring and achievement biology ofis the this new huge classification group of scheme phytophagous of weevil families beetles. and subfamilies While he that made he first numerous contributionsproposed to in the 1988 taxonomy at the XVIIIth and phylogenyInternational ofCo angress variety of Entomology of weevil groups, in Vancouver, his most BC, influentialCanada. and enduringThe achievement resulting paper is [1] the is one new of classificationthe most widely scheme cited works of weevil on weevils families of the andlast quarter subfamilies of a century that he first and has inspired several generations of subsequent workers to test it, refine it and build on it. Willy’s proposed in 1988 at the XVIIIth International Congress of Entomology in Vancouver, BC, Canada. contribution to weevil systematics and entomological science in general is, however, much greater The resultingand wider. paper He was [1] an is oneenergetic of the and most thorough widely field citedbiologist, works who onorganise weevilsd and of participated the last quarter in of a centuryexpeditions and has to remote inspired regions several and islands generations throughout of subsequentthe Southern Hemisphere. workers to His test collecting it, refine and it and build oncuration it. Willy’s efforts, coupled contribution with his to distribution weevil systematics of specimens and to colleagues entomological around sciencethe world, in have general is, however,significantly much greater advancedand our wider. understanding He was an of energeticparticularly and the thoroughinsect faunas field of southern biologist, islands who and organised and participatedarchipelagoes in and expeditions of specific toplant remote groups, regions such as and conifers islands and Nothofagus throughout. the Southern Hemisphere. Willy’s contributions to weevil systematics were honoured at a symposium entitled Phylogeny His collecting and curation efforts, coupled with his distribution of specimens to colleagues around and Evolution of Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea): A Symposium in Honor of Dr. Guillermo “Willy” the world,Kuschel have, held significantly in 2016 during advanced the XXVth our International understanding Congress of particularlyof Entomology the in insectOrlando, faunas FL, U.S.A., of southern islandsand and at archipelagoes a subsequent andInternational of specific Weevil plant Meeting groups, that such built as coniferson the topics and Nothofagusand content. of the Willy’ssymposium contributions [2]. Due toto weevilhis age systematicsand frail health, were Willy honoured was unfortunately at a symposium unable entitled to attendPhylogeny this and Evolutionsymposium of Weevils and (Coleoptera: meeting in Curculionoidea):person, but he sent A Symposiumhis thanks and in Honorbest wishes of Dr. to Guillermothe participants. “Willy” He Kuschel , held inpassed 2016 during away the the following XXVth Internationalyear, shortly after Congress his 99thof birthday. Entomology As no proceedings in Orlando, of FL, the U.S.A., Orlando and at a weevil symposium and meeting were issued, Willy’s colleagues around the world thought it subsequent International Weevil Meeting that built on the topics and content of the symposium [2]. appropriate to commemorate his manifold contributions to weevil systematics with a special journal Due toissue his age that and brings frail together health, Willya number was unfortunatelyof papers on weevil unable taxonomy, to attend systematics, this symposium biology and and meeting in person,evolution. but he sent his thanks and best wishes to the participants. He passed away the following year, shortly afterAn his obituary 99th birthday.of Willy Kuschel As no proceedingswas published oflast the year, Orlando including weevil an abbreviated symposium list andof his meeting were issued,scientific Willy’s publications colleagues [3]. aroundIn this thetribute world we thought pay greater it appropriate homage to to commemorateWilly’s entomological his manifold contributionsachievements to weevil and systematicsthe impact he with has had a special on weev journalil systematics issue that throughout brings together the world. anumber This paper of papers features a more detailed biography of Willy, a complete list of his publications (Appendix A) and a on weevil taxonomy, systematics, biology and evolution. list of all the taxa named after him, which stretches far beyond just weevils (Appendix B). An obituary of Willy Kuschel was published last year, including an abbreviated list of his scientific publications [3]. In this tribute we pay greater homage to Willy’s entomological achievements and the impact he has had on weevil systematics throughout the world. This paper features a more detailed biography of Willy, a complete list of his publications (AppendixA) and a list of all the taxa named after him, which stretches far beyond just weevils (AppendixB). Diversity 2018, 10, 101 3 of 33 2. A Biography of Willy Kuschel Guillermo Kuschel Gerdes was born on 13 July 1918 in Frutillar, southern Chile, where his great-grandfather, Heinrich Kuschel (1823–1873), had settled in 1855 after emigrating from Silesia, then Germany [4]. Willy was the sixth of 11 children born to Germán Pedro Kuschel Kruse (8 June 1887–5 April 1973) (Figure1a), as the last child of Germ án’s first wife, Clara Augusta Gerdes Heise (9 August 1891–1918), who died soon after Willy’s birth. Germán and Clara were married in 1908 in Puerto Varas. On 14 February 1920 Germán married again, Clara Neumann Wittwer (21 November 1891–19 May 1974), also in Puerto Varas. Willy grew up on the family farm in a bilingual family, speaking German and Spanish fluently. He left home at the age of eight to attend boarding school, first in Puerto Varas and later in Santiago. After completing his high-school