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Ryuichi Matsuda

Japanese entomologist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Ryuichi Matsuda (July 8, 1920 – June 19, 1986) was a Japanese entomologist and notable advocate of the extended evolutionary synthesis.[1][2]

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Biography

Matsuda obtained his PhD in entomology from Stanford University. He worked at the Biosystematics Research Institute of Canada (1968–1986).[3] He wrote several works on the comparative morphology of insects and is most well known for his controversial book Animal Evolution in Changing Environments (1987).[4][5][6]

He coined the term "pan-environmentalism" for an extended evolutionary synthesis which he saw as a fusion of Darwinism with neo-Lamarckism.[2] He held that heterochrony is a main mechanism for evolutionary change and that novelty in evolution can be generated by genetic assimilation.[2][7] His views were criticized by reviewers for being based on speculation.[7][8] Arthur M. Shapiro noted that "Matsuda himself accepts too much at face value and is prone to wish-fulfilling interpretation."[7] In contrast, John T. Polhemus positively reviewed the book, suggesting that it "should be on the shelf of anyone seriously interested in evolution theory".[9]

Interest in Matsuda's research was revived by Brian K. Hall, Gerd B. Müller and others in the volume Environment, Development, and Evolution: Toward a Synthesis (2004) which was a tribute to his ideas.[3]

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Selected publications

  • Morphology and Evolution of the Insect Head (1965)
  • Morphology and Evolution of the Insect Thorax (1970)
  • Morphology and Evolution of the Insect Abdomen, with Special Reference to Developmental Patterns and their Bearings on Systematics (1976)
  • Animal Evolution in Changing Environments: With Special Reference to Abnormal Metamorphosis (1987)[2]

References

Further reading

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