Organized by the Virginia Natural History Society and the Virginia Museum of Natural History
with support from the Virginia Herpetological Society and Patrick Henry Community College
Hosted by the Virginia Museum of Natural History
21 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, Virginia 24112
Dr. Richard L. Hoffman is a native Virginian who has
devoted most of his life to the study and documentation of the natural history
of Virginia and the southern Appalachians, while also earning an international
reputation as a leading scholar of the world’s milliped fauna.
The first of his
many hundred papers and books, published in 1944 while he was still a teenager,
documented his discovery of a lizard species new to the state’s fauna. Richard
staunchly supported the concept of a Virginia Museum of Natural History for many
years prior to its existence, and has served as the Curator of Recent
Invertebrates at that institution since it became a state agency in 1988,
amassing a substantial collection of preserved specimens (>1.5 million) in less
than two decades. He was a cofounder of Banisteria and the Virginia
Natural History Society, serving for nearly a decade as one of the original
coeditors of the journal (and suggested its name) and is currently an honorary
councilor and the only life member of the society. In recognition of Richard
Hoffman’s many contributions to the study of millipeds and the natural history
of Virginia, it was fitting to convene an honorary symposium on the occasion of
his 80th birthday (September 25, 2007).
A number of Richard’s colleagues, coworkers,
former students, and friends gave brief presentations on millipeds or
various aspects of natural history (e.g., insects, millipeds, spiders, mollusks,
crustaceans, amphibians and reptiles, biogeography, taxonomy, conservation,
education, etc.) in Virginia, with particular emphasis on discussing the
breadth, depth, and significance of Richard’s contributions. They also
discussed current or past collaborative projects with Richard, explaining how his
collections, publications or knowledge have contributed to their own research, or gave a presentation of their own choosing of
some relevance to Richard’s career.
At the end of the formal program, there was an opportunity for other attendees to give brief testimonials on the impact that Richard has made on their careers, education, etc. or relate interesting or memorable experiences they have shared with him.
Steve Roble, Virginia Natural History Society
Joe Mitchell, Virginia Natural History Society
Nick Fraser, Virginia Museum of Natural History
Opening remarks
Nick Fraser, Virginia Museum of Natural History
Steve Roble, Virginia Natural History Society
Joe Mitchell, Virginia Natural History Society
Frances Moore, Patrick Henry Community College
Jason Gibson, Virginia Herpetological Society
Steve Roble – “Richard Hoffman: A Biography and Review of his Contributions to Virginia’s Natural History”
Joe Mitchell – “Richard Hoffman’s Contributions to Herpetology”
Richard Highton – “The Discovery of Plethodon hoffmani and Why Richard Hoffman Became a Myriapodologist”
Bill Shear – “Richard Hoffman’s Contributions to Myriapodology”
Janet Reid – “Copepod Crustacean Diversity in Virginia”
Wayne and Diane Mathis – “Biodiversity of Shore Flies (Diptera: Ephydridae) from an Upper Coastal Plain Site in Virginia”
Kurt Buhlmann – “Life History of the Chicken Turtle, Deirochelys reticularia”
Jerry McDonald and Larry Freeman – “The Giant Pleistocene Beaver, Castoroides, in Virginia, with Emphasis on a Pathological Specimen from Saltville Locality SV-2”
Doug Ogle – “Land Surface and Weather: Interactions that Position Rare Communities”
Jerry Lewis – “Blame it on Richard: The Unholy Union of Caecidotea with Pseudotremia”
Rowland Shelley – “Way Down South: The Milliped Family Parajulidae (Julida) in Central America”
Petra Sierwald – “Planetary Biodiversity Inventory of the Class Diplopoda: Cataloging All the Species”
Kevin Pitz – “Insights into Relationships within the Order Spirobolida (Diplopoda: Helminthomorpha)”
Chris McAllister – “Distribution of the Milliped, Aniulus garius (Parajulidae): First Records for IN, MN, NY, SD, UT, VA, WI, and WY”
Bruce Snyder – “Interactions of Earthworms and Millipedes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: A Beginning in Diplopodology”
Paul Marek and Jason Bond – “A Molecular Phylogenetic Approach to Genus Delimitation within the Xystodesmid Tribe Apheloriini (Polydesmida)”
James Murray – “Cepaea nemoralis in Virginia: Some Answers, Many Questions”
James Arnold – “Considerations of Calymmaria virginica and C. persica in the Virginias (Araneae, Hahniidae)”
Lynn Ferguson – “Dr. Richard Hoffman - Biospeleologist: Apterygote Hexapods”
Richard Hoffman also made a presentation about millipeds and myriapodologists.
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Banquet Speakers Jim Beard – Master of Ceremonies Lawrence Hoffman Carl Hoffman Rick Boland – “The Next 20 Years of Richard’s Career” Melody Cartwright – “Snake Handlers and Other Surprises Along the Way” Trina Apple-Stevens – “Of Hercules, Robbers and Assassins” Sonya Wolen Bob Hogan Judy Winston Steve Roble Joe Mitchell Boris Kondratieff John Pagels Ralph Eckerlin Doug Coleman Nick Fraser Richard Hoffman |
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Photos from the Event (Click to enlarge)
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Nick Fraser |
Jason Gibson made Dr. Hoffman a handcarved walking stick and presented to him on behalf of the Virginia Herpetological Society
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Doug Ogle & Frank Tobey
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Joe Mitchell presented Dr. Hoffman with this beautiful marbled salamander photo on behalf of the Virginia Natural History Society.
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An array of gifts |
Kurt Buhlmann & Nick Fraser
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Graduate students from East Carolina University presented Dr. Hoffman with a milliped poster. |
Petra Sierwald, Nick, Fraser, Steve Roble & Lynn Ferguson |
Richard Hoffman & Rick Boland |
Paul Marek, Richard Highton & Joe Mitchell
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Lourdes & Rowland Shelley
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Jim Arnold & Lynn Ferguson
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Symposium Audience |
Symposium Audience |
Symposium Audience |
Lunch Break |
Steve Roble, Ralph Lutts & Doug Coleman |
Banquet |
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Joe Mitchell |
Richard Hoffman |
Richard Highton |
Richard Hoffman |
Frank Tobey & Jerry McDonald |
Frank Tobey, Barry Knisley, Boris Kondratieff & Bob Hogan |
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| Richard Hoffman & Jim Beard | Nancy Moncrief & Ralph Eckerlin | Petra Sierwald & Kevin Pitz | Jerry Lewis | Wayne Mathis & Janet Reid | Bill Shear |
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Richard Hoffman with millipede students |
Bill Shear, Richard Hoffman & Rowland Shelley |
Bruce Snyder & Bill Shear |
Boris Kondratieff & Charlie Staines |
Lawrence & Carl Hoffman |
Bess Murray, Petra Sierwald, Bill Shear & Jim Murray |
