Norman Johnson

Research Interests:

Research in our lab is focused on two general areas. The first is the systematics of the Platygastroidea, an economically important and biologically fascinating group of parasitic wasps. Our work involves biodiversity discovery and description, phylogenetic analysis, and exploration of the evolution of chemoreceptors and their role in speciation.

Our second area of interest is biodiversity informatics, the collection, storage, management, analysis, and dissemination of data on the distribution of species around the world. Part of this effort involves the databasing of our collections, both C.A. Triplehorn Insect Collection. Currently, two major efforts are underway to database the collection's holdings of (1) tenebrionid and carabid beetles, and (2) Lepidoptera. Both of these are supported by funds from the National Science Foundation.

Lab Members: Luciana Musetti, Huayan Chen, Zach Lahey, Kendall King, Sarah Hemley, Heather Hrivnak

Publications, last 5 years

1. Chen, H., Lahey, Z., Talamas, E.J., Valerio, A.A., Popovici, O.A., Musetti, L., Klompen, H., Polaszek, A., Masner, L., Austin, A.D., Johnson, N.F. 2021. An integrated phylogenetic reassessment of the parasitoid superfamily Platygastroidea (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupomorpha) results in a revised familial classification. Systematic Entomology, 46(4), 1088-1113. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12511

2. Vasiliţi, C., O.A Popovici, E. Talamas, N. Johnson, L. Masnerr, F. Tortorici and L. Fusu. Molecular analysis reveals Latonius planus Kononova to be a derived species of Trissolcus Ashmead. Submitted for publication to the Journal of Hymenoptera Research.

3. Souza, J., I. Fernandes, D. Agosti, and N.F. Johnson. Looking back through 120 years to assess the stability of genus as higher taxon of ant species. Submitted for publication in Conservation Biology.

4. Johnson, N.F. and A. Polaszek. How deep the sea: discovery and description of insect diversity. In, C. Anelli and S.W. Fisher, eds., Cultural History of Entomology, in press.

5. Lahey, Z., L Musetti, L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. Revision of Phoenoteleia Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae, Scelioninae). Submitted for publication in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research.

6. Lahey, Z., E. Talamas, L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. Revision of the Australian genus Alfredella Masner & Huggert (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Sceliotrachelinae). Submitted for publication in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research.

7. Noronha, A.C. da S., D. Garcia Blanco, V.A. Costa, R.B.Q. da Silva, D.G. de Araújo, and N.F. Johnson. 2020. Egg parasitoids of the cassava hornworm (Erinnyis spp.) associated to cassava in the Pará State, Brasil. EntomoBrasilis 13: e932. doi:10.12741/ebrasilis.v13.e932

8. Chen, H., Z. Lahey, E.J. Talamas and N.F. Johnson. 2020. Identification and expression of chemosensory receptor genes in the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology – Part D: Genomics and Proteomics 37: 100758 doi:10.1016/j.cbd.2020.100758

9. Mo, W.-H., H.-Y. Chen, N.F. Johnson, H. Pang, L. Ma and J.-X. Liu. 2020. Revision of the genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) from China. Zootaxa 4816: 251–310. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4816.3.1

10. Matsuo, K., Y. Hirose and N.F. Johnson. 2020. Description of a new species of Trissolcus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) parasitic on eggs of Megymenum gracilicorne Dallas (Hemiptera: Dinodoridae). Japanese Journal of Systematic Entomology 26: 19–20.

11. Lahey, Z., L. Masner, N.F. Johnson and A. Polaszek. 2019. Revision of Aleyroctonus (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Sceliotrachelinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 73: 73–93. doi:10.3897/jhr.73.38383

12. Johnson, N.F., L. Musetti and L. Masner. 2019. Systematics of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea): new synonymy, distribution, and species. ZooKeys 879: 23–31. doi:10.3897/zookeys.879.38788

13. Lahey, Z., S. van Noort, A. Polaszek, L. Masner and N. Johnson. 2019. Revision of the Afrotropical genus Pulchrisolia Szabó (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae: Sceliotrachelinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 73: 39–71. doi:10.3897/jhr.73.33876

14. Musetti, L., N. Molotievskiy and N.F. Johnson. 2019. Beetle heritage: cataloguing the primary types of Coleoptera in the C.A. Triplehorn Insect Collection. The Coleopterists Bulletin 830: 561–590.

15. Talamas, E.J., N.F. Johnson, C. Shih and D. Ren. 2019. Proterosceliopsidae: a new family of Platygastroidea from Cretaceous amber. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 73: 3–38. doi:10.3897/jhr.73.32256

16. Silva, G.S., S.M. Jahnke and N.F. Johnson. 2019. Riparian forest fragments in rice fields under different management: differences on hymenopteran parasitoids diversity. Brazilian Journal of Biology doi:10.1590/1519-6984.194760

17. Lahey, Z., L. Masner and N. Johnson. 2019 Calixomeria, a new genus of Sceliotrachelinae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) from Australia. ZooKeys 830: 63–73. doi:10.3897/zookeys.830.32463

18. Johnson, N.F., H. Chen and B.A. Huber. 2018. New species of Idris Förster (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea) from southeast Asia, parasitoids of the eggs of pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae). ZooKeys 811: 65–80.

19. Chen, H., E.J. Talamas, A.A. Valerio, L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. 2018. Revision of the world species of the genus Chromoteleia Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Scelioninae). ZooKeys 778: 1–95. doi:10.3897/zookeys.778.25775

20. Thomson, S.A., R.L. Pyle et al. 2018. Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation. PLoS Biology 16(3): 32005075. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2005075

21. Chen, H., E.J. Talamas, L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. 2018. Revision of the world species of the genus Habroteleia Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Scelioninae). ZooKeys 730: 87–122. doi:10.3897/zookeys.730.21846

22. Johnson, N.F. 2017. Chapter 18. Insect biodiversity informatics. Pages 802–817, in R.G. Footit and P.H. Adler, eds., Insect biodiversity: science and society. Vol. 1. Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ. 1134 pp.

23. Talamas, E.J., J. Thompson, A. Cutler, S.F. Schoenberger, A. Cuminale, T. Jung, N.F. Johnson, A.A. Valerio, A.B. Smith, V. Haltermann, E. Alvarez, C. Schwantes, C. Blewer, C. Bodenreider, A. Salzberg, P. Luo, D. Meislin and M.L. Buffington. 2017. An online photographic catalog of primary types of Platyastroidea (Hymenoptera) in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 56: 187–224. doi:10.3897/jhr.56.10774

24. Talamas, E.J., N.F. Johnson, M.L. Buffington and D. Ren. 2017. Archaeoteleia Masner in the Cretaceous and a new species of Proteroscelio Brues (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 56: 241–261. doi:10.3897/jhr.56.10388

25. Nesheim, K.C., L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. 2017. The Phanuromyia galeata species group (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Telenominae): shining a lantern into an unexplored corner of Neotropical diversity. ZooKeys 663: 71–105. doi:10.3897/zookeys.663.11554

26. Popovici, O.A., L. Vilhelmsen, L. Masner, I. Mikó and N. Johnson. 2017. Maxillolabial complex in scelionids (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea): morphology and phylogenetic implications. Insect Systematics & Evolution 48: 315–439. doi:10.1163/1876312X-48022156

27. Seltmann, K.C., N.S. Cobb, L.F. Gall, C.R. Bartlett, M.A. Basham, I. Betancourt, C. Bills, B. Brandt, R.L. Brown, C. Bundy, M.S. Caterino, C. Chapman, A. Cognato, J. Colby, S.P. Cook, K.M. Daly, L.A. Dyer, N.M. Franz, J.K. Gelhaus, C.C. Grinter, C.E. Harp, R.L. Hawkins, S.L. Heydon, G.M. Hill, S. Huber, N. Johnson, A.Y. Kawahara, L.S. Kimsey, B.C. Kondratieff, F.-T. Krell, L. Leblanc, S. Lee, C.J. Marshall, L.M. McCabe, J.V. McHugh, K.L. Menard, P.A. Opler, N. Palffy-Muhoray, N. Pardikes, M.A. Peterson, N.E. Pierce, A. Premski, D.S. Sikes, J.D. Weintrab, D. Wikle, J.M. Zaspel and G. Zolnerowich. 2017. LepNet: The Lepidoptera of North America Network. Zootaxa 4247: 73–77. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4247.1.10

28. Chen, H.-Y., L. Masner and N.F. Johnson. 2017. New World species of the genus Calliscelio Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Scelioninae). ZooKeys 648: 1–136. doi:10.3897/zookeys.648.10935

29. Burks, R.A., L. Masner, N.F. Johnson and A.D. Austin. 2016. Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s.l.), part III: African fauna. ZooKeys 565: 29–71.

Key Publications:

Seltman, K.C., M.J. Yoder, I. Mikó, M. Forshage, M.A. Bertone, D. Agosti, A.D. Austin, J.P. Balhoff, M.L. Borowiec, S.G. Brady, G.R. Broad, D.J. Brothers, R.A. Burks, M.L. Buffington, H.M. Campbell, K.J. Dew, A.F. Ernst, J.L. Fernández-Triana, M.W. Gates, G.A.P. Gibson, J.T. Jennings, N.F. Johnson, D. Karlsson, R. Kawada, L. Krogmann, R.R. Kula, P.L. Mullins, M. Ohl, C. Rasmussen, F. Ronquist, S. Schulmeister, M.J. Sharkey, E. Talamas, E. Tucker, L. Vilhelmsen, P.S. Ward, R.A. Wharton and A.R. Deans. 2012. A hymenopterist’s guide to the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology: utility, clarification, and future directions. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 27: 67–88.

Johnson, N.F. and L. Musetti. 2012. Genera of the parasitoid wasp family Monomachidae (Hymenoptera: Diaprioidea). Zootaxa 3188: 31–41.

Johnson, N.F. 2012. A collaborative, integrated and electronic future for taxonomy. Invertebrate Systematics 25: 471–475.

Mao, M., A. Valerio, A.D. Austin, M. Dowton and N.F. Johnson. 2012. The first mitochondrial genome for the wasp superfamily Platygastroidea: the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis Genome 55: 194-204.

Johnson, N. F. 2007. Biodiversity informatics. Annual Review of Entomology 52: 421-438.

Austin, A. D., N. F. Johnson, and M. Dowton. 2005. Systematics, evolution and biology of scelionid and platygastrid wasps. Annual Review of Entomology 50:553-582.

Triplehorn, C. A. and N. F. Johnson. 2004. Borror and DeLong's ntroduction to the study of insects. Seventh edition. Thomson Brooks/Cole, Belmont CA. 846 pp.