Royal Ontario Museum

Collections & Research Staff

Christopher Darling
Senior Curator

B.Sc., Queen’s University, 1974
M.Sc., University of Utah, 1978
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1983

Christopher Darling is a Senior Curator of Entomology in the Department of Natural History at the ROM.

Chris conducts collection-based research on the systematics and biology of parasitic Hymenoptera. He is a world authority on the taxonomy of the Perilampidae, a small family of wasps that occurs on all continents except Antarctica. His research is based on comparative morphology and taxonomic revisions and has as its goal a comprehensive understanding of the diversity and evolutionary relationships of these wasps. He is also interested in the historical biogeography and the evolution of host associations in parasitic Hymenoptera; that is, where they are found and why, as well as what they are doing. This has resulted in extensive field work throughout Southeast Asia, including India, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. He is currently coordinating the field work activities in Gunung Mulu National Park for the Platygastroidea Planetary Biotic Inventory Project which is funded by NSF (USA). Chris also conducts fieldwork in Ontario and has studied the interaction of bluebirds and blowflies, goldenrods and their gallmakers, and a variety of wood-infesting beetles and their natural enemies.

Chris is actively involved in the growth and curation of the ROM’s insect collection and in the Museum’s public programs and exhibitions. He is a strong advocate of the importance of natural history and conducts research on insect-plant interactions in the tropics. He is enthusiastic about promoting the fascinating world of insects—and their importance in human affairs—to a variety of audiences. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Toronto Entomologists’ Association and is a member of the Entomological Society of Ontario and the Entomological Society of Canada. Chris is also a professor in the Department of Zoology, University of Toronto and teaches undergraduate courses in entomology and conservation biology, supervises undergraduate and graduate students, and teaches field courses in the New World and Old World tropics.

Recent Publications

2008
Johnson, N.F., L. Masner, L. Musetti, S. van Noort, K. Rajmojana, D.C. Darling, A. Guidotti and A. Polaszek. "Revision of world species of the genus Heptascelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)." Zootaxa, 1776: 1-51.

2007
Heraty, J.M. and D.C. Darling. "A new genus and species of Perilampidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) with uncertain placement in the family." Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 138: 33-47.

2007
Darling, D.C. "Holey Aroids: Circular trenching behaviour by a leaf beetle in Vietnam." Biotropica, 39(4): 555-558.

2005
Darling, D.C. and S. Cardinal. "The world species-groups of Leucospis (Hymenoptera: Leucospidae) -- 30 years later." Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 69: 49-64.

2003
Darling, D.C. "Morphology and behaviour of the larva of Calindoea trifascialis (Lepidoptera: Thyrididae), a chemically-defended retreat-building caterpillar from Vietnam." Zootaxa, 225: 1-16.

2001
Darling, D.C., F.C. Schroder, J. Meinwald, M. Eisner, and T. Eisner. "Production of a cyanogenic secretion by a thyridid caterpillar (Calindoea trifascialis, Thyrididae, Lepidoptera)." Naturwissenschaften, 88: 306-309.

Research Projects
Systematics and Biology of Parasitic Hymenoptera.
Insect-plant interactions

Galleries
Patrick and Barbara Keenan Family Hands-on Biodiversity Gallery
Schad Gallery of Biodiversity

ROM Images
Insects

Other Links
Entomological Society of Ontario
University of Toronto Faculty Page
Planetary Biotic Inventory Project

Contact Information
Royal Ontario Museum
Department of Natural History
100 Queen's Park
Toronto, ON
M5S 2C6

Tel: 416.586.5533
Fax: 416.586.5553
E-mail: Chris Darling

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2008	Johnson, N.F., L. Masner, L. Musetti, S. van Noort, K. Rajmojana, D.C. Darling, A. Guidotti and A. Polaszek. "Revision of world species of the genus Heptascelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)." Zootaxa, 1776: 1-51.
2007	Heraty, J.M. and D.C. Darling. "A new genus and species of Perilampidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) with uncertain placement in the family." Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 138: 33-47.
2007	Darling, D.C. "Holey Aroids: Circular trenching behaviour by a leaf beetle in Vietnam." Biotropica, 39(4): 555-558.
2005	Darling, D.C. and S. Cardinal. "The world species-groups of Leucospis (Hymenoptera: Leucospidae) -- 30 years later." Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 69: 49-64.
2003	Darling, D.C. "Morphology and behaviour of the larva of Calindoea trifascialis (Lepidoptera: Thyrididae), a chemically-defended retreat-building caterpillar from Vietnam." Zootaxa, 225: 1-16.
2001	Darling, D.C., F.C. Schroder, J. Meinwald, M. Eisner, and T. Eisner. "Production of a cyanogenic secretion by a thyridid caterpillar (Calindoea trifascialis, Thyrididae, Lepidoptera)." Naturwissenschaften, 88: 306-309.