SMITH,JAMES,EDWARD - TAXONOMIC AUTHOR OF THE FALL ARMYWORM

Sir James Edward Smith (born 2 December 1759, died 17 March 1828) made many valuable contributions to the field of science, notably on taxon omy of plants and insects. Sir James is the sole taxonomic author of t he fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and numerous ot her American insects. Many 20th century and earlier writers have erron eously attributed the taxonomic authorship of the fall armyworm and ot her insects to Smith and Abbot because they are co-authors of a 1797 p ublication describing those insects. However, the preface of that publ ication, as well as notes by Abbot, indicates that Smith was responsib le for the systematic names therein. James Smith was the first preside nt of the Linnaean Society of London. During his long active life, Smi th published over 3,000 articles. The 1992 Fall Armyworm Symposium is dedicated to Sir James Edward Smith.