Fisher, Brian Lee

AUTHORS: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Fisher has committed his life to exploring the world of ants. The fact that ants are industrious, tenacious workers who live in colonies and obey a hierarchy of rulers is well known. In fact, it mirrors qualities found in humankind. But Fisher's studies go well beyond these characteristics. For the last twenty–three years, he has traveled the globe finding, collecting, identifying and naming ants, describing their behaviors, and cataloguing their traits. There are an estimated 22,000 ant species known to science. Fisher has personally discovered 1000 species of these. His love affair with ants was spontaneous. Born in Normal, Ill., the son of a college professor and a fifth grade teacher, Brian Fisher knew he wanted to work in the outdoors but not as a park forester in a park. Flying to Europe the day after his high school graduation, he spent two years bicycling the continent, learning French and carpentry before returning home. Once back, he enrolled at the University of Iowa, majoring in biology. “But I was itching to get to Latin America, learn Spanish and live the dream of a tropical plant collector,” he remembers. It was during a year in Panama that he worked part-time for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He also worked as an aspiring botanist, collecting specimens of tropical flora. It was during his stay in Panama that the love bug bit. “You go to the tropics and the sheer diversity of insects are literally raining down on you,” says Dr. Fisher. “At that point, I decided to switch from being a great botanical explorer to becoming an ant finder.”

Primary location of author's collection: California Academy of Sciences.

PUBLICATIONS

• Ben-Dov, Y. & Fisher, B.L. 2010. The mutualism of Melissotarsus ants and armoured scale insects in Africa and Madagascar: distribution, host plants and biology. Entomologia Hellenica 19:45-53.

• Blaimer, B. B.; Brady, S. G.; Schultz, T. R.; Lloyd, M. W.; Fisher, B. L.; Ward, P. S. 2015. Phylogenomic methods outperform traditional multi-locus approaches in resolving deep evolutionary history: a case study of formicine ants. BMC Evolutionary Biology 15:257.

• Blaimer, B.B., Fisher, B.L. 2013. Taxonomy of the Crematogaster degeeri-species-assemblage in the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 51: 1-64 (doi:10.5852/ejt.2013.51).

• BOLTON, B. & FISHER, B.L. 2008a. The Afrotropical ponerine ant genus Asphinctopone Santschi. Zootaxa 1827: 53-61.

• Bolton, B. and B. L. Fisher. 2008b. The Afrotropical ponerine ant genus Phrynoponera Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1892: 35-52.

• Bolton, B. and B. L. Fisher. 2008c. Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1929: 1-37.

• Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2011. Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi. Zootaxa 2843: 1-118.

• Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2012. Taxonomy of the cerapachyine ant genera Simopone Forel, Vicinopone gen. n. and Tanipone gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 3283, 1–101.

• Bolton, B.; Fisher, B. L. 2014. The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n. Zootaxa 3791(1):1-99. [2014-04-24] PDF 142580

• Bolton, B.; Fisher, B. L. 2016. [New genera attributed to B. Bolton and B. L. Fisher]. Pp: 274-276, 302-304 Fisher, B. L.; Bolton, B. 2016. Ants of Africa and Madagascar A Guide to the Genera. Berkeley: University of California Press, i-ix, 1-503.

• Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L., Schultz, T.R., Ward, P.S. 2014. The rise of army ants and their relatives: diversification of specialized predatory doryline ants. BMC Evolutionary Biology 2014 14:93, 14 pp. (doi:10.1186/1471-2148-14-93)

• Brady, S.G., Schultz, T.R., Fisher, B.L. & Ward, P.S. 2006. Evaluating alternative hypotheses for the early evolution and diversification of ants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 103: 18172-18177.

• Boudinot, B. E.; Fisher, B. L. 2013. A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males. Zootaxa 3635:301-339. [2013-03-28]

• Csösz, S. & Fisher, B.L. 2015. Diagnostic survey of Malagasy Nesomyrmex species-groups and revision of hafahafa group species via morphology based cluster delimitation protocol. ZooKeys 526: 19-59.

• Csősz, S.; Fisher, B. L. 2016a. Toward objective, morphology-based taxonomy: a case study on the Malagasy Nesomyrmex sikorai species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLoS ONE 11(4):e0152454.

• Csősz, S.; Fisher, B. L. 2016b. Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Nesomyrmex madecassus species-group using a quantitative morphometric approach. ZooKeys 603:105-130.

• Csősz, S. & Fisher, B.L. 2016c. Taxonomy of Malagasy Nesomyrmex brevicornis species-group using conventional morphology-based approach. ZooKeys 616: 125–159 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.616.9532).

• Csősz, S., Loss, A. C., Fisher, B. L. 2023. Exploring the diversity of the Malagasy Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna via integrative taxonomy. Organisms Diversity & Evolution (doi:10.1007/s13127-023-00610-1).

• Fischer, G.; Azorsa, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2014. The ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): synonymisation of Pheidologeton Mayr under Carebara, establishment and revision of the C. polita species group. ZooKeys 438:57-112.

• Fisher, B.L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar. Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302. [ii.1997.]

• Fisher, B.L. 2000. The Malagasy fauna of Strumigenys. Pp. 612-696: in Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65: 1028 pp.

• Fisher, B.L. 2005. A new species of Discothyrea Roger from Mauritius and a new species of Proceratium from Madagascar. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 56: 657-667.

• Fisher, B.L. 2006. Boloponera vicans gen. n. and sp. n. and two new species of the Plectroctena genus group. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 111-118.

• Fisher, B.L. 2007. A new species of Probolomyrmex from Madagascar (pp. 146-152). In Snelling, R.R., Fisher, B.L. & Ward, P.S. (eds). Advances in ant systematics: homage to E.O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 690 pp.

• Fisher, B.L. 2009. Two new dolichoderine ant genera from Madagascar: Aptinoma gen. n. and Ravavy gen. n. Zootaxa 2118: 37-52.

• Fisher, B. L. and B. Bolton. 2007. The ant genus Pseudaphomomyrmex Wheeler, 1920 a junior synonym of Tapinoma Foerster, 1850. Zootaxa 1427: 65-68.

• Fisher, B. L.; Bolton, B. 2016. Ants of Africa and Madagascar, a guide to the genus. University of California Press. 503pp.

• Fisher, B.L. & Cover, S.P. 2007. Ants of North America. A Guide to the Genera: 194 pp. University of California Press.

• Fisher, B.L. & Robertson, H.G. 1999. Silk production by adult workers of the ant Melissotarsus emeryi in South African fynbos. Insectes Sociaux 46: 78-83.

• Fisher, B. L.; Smith, M. A. 2008. A revision of Malagasy species of Anochetus Mayr and Odontomachus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLoS ONE 3(5): (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001787):e1787.

• Hita Garcia, F. & Fischer, G. 2014d. Additions to the taxonomy of the Afrotropical Tetramorium weitzeckeri species complex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae), with the description of a new species from Kenya. European Journal of Taxonomy 90: 1–16.

• Hita Garcia F, Fischer G, Liu C, Audisio TL, Alpert GD, Fisher BL, et al. (2017) X-Ray microtomography for ant taxonomy: An exploration and case study with two new Terataner (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) species from Madagascar. PLoS ONE 12(3).

• Hita Garcia, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2011. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—introduction, definition of species groups, and revision of the T. bicarinatum, T. obesum, T. sericeiventre and T. tosii species groups. Zootaxa 3039:1-72. [2011-09-22]

• Hita Garcia, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2012a. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups. Zootaxa 3365:1-123. [2012-07-04] PDF

• Hita Garcia, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2012b. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomic revision of the T. kelleri and T. tortuosum species groups. Zootaxa 3592:1-85. [2012-12-19] PDF

• Hita Garcia, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2014a. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Afrotropical region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae): synonymisation of Decamorium Forel under Tetramorium, and taxonomic revision of the T. decem species group. ZooKeys 411:67-103. [2014-05-28]

• Hita Garcia, F.; Fisher, B. L. 2014b. Taxonomic revision of the cryptic ant genus Probolomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Proceratiinae) in Madagascar. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 61:65-76. [2014-05-30]

• Hita Garcia, F. & Fisher, B.L. 2014c. The hyper-diverse ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Malagasy region ‑ taxonomic revision of the T. naganum, T. plesiarum, T. schaufussii, and T. severini species groups. ZooKeys 413, 1–170 (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.413.7172).

• LaPolla, J.S. & Fisher, B.L. 2005. A remarkable new species of Acropyga from Gabon, with a key to the Afrotropical species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (4) 56: 601-605.

• LaPolla, J. S.; Fisher, B. L. 2014a. Then there were five: a reexamination of the ant genus Paratrechina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 422:35-48.

• LaPolla, J.S. & Fisher, B.L. 2014b. Two new Paraparatrechina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) species from the Seychelles, with notes on the hypogaeic weissi species-group. ZooKeys 414, 139–155 (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.414.7542) PDF

• LaPolla, J.S., Cheng, C.H. & Fisher, B.L. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the ant genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Zootaxa 2387: 1-27.

• LaPolla, J.S., Hawkes, P.G. & Fisher, B.L. (2011) Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part I: Nylanderia in the Afrotropics. Zootaxa 3110: 10–36.

• Ouellette, G.D., Fisher, B.L. & Girman, D.J. 2006. Molecular sytematics of basal subfamilies of ants using 28S rRNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40: 359-369.

• Overson, R.; Fisher, B. L. 2015. Taxonomic revision of the genus Prionopelta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Malagasy region. ZooKeys 507:115–150.

• Rakotonirina JC, Csősz S, and BL Fisher. 2016. Revision of the Malagasy Camponotus edmondi species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae): integrating qualitative morphology and multivariate morphometric analysis. ZooKeys. 572:81-154. doi:10.3897/zookeys.572.7177

• Rakotonirina, J. C.; Fisher, B. L. 2013a. Revision of the Pachycondyla wasmannii-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Malagasy region. Zootaxa 3609:101-141. [2013-01-29]

• Rakotonirina, J. C.; Fisher, B. L. 2013b. Revision of the Pachycondyla sikorae species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Madagascar. Zootaxa 3683:447-485.

• Rakotonirina, J.C. & Fisher, B.L. 2014. Revision of the Malagasy ponerine ants of the genus Leptogenys Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3836, 1-163.

• Saux, C.; Fisher, B. L.; Spicer, G. S. 2004. Dracula ant phylogeny as inferred by nuclear 28S rDNA sequences and implications for ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyoponinae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol 33: 457-468.

• Ward, P.S., Blaimer, B.B., Fisher, B.L. 2016. A revised phylogenetic classification of the ant subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with resurrection of the genera Colobopsis and Dinomyrmex. Zootaxa 4072 (3): 343–357 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4072.3.4).

• Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L. & Schultz, T.R. 2010. Phylogeny and biogeography of Dolichoderinae ants: effects of data partitioning and relict taxa on historical inference. Systematic Biology 59: 342-362.

• Ward, P. S., S. G. Brady, B. L. Fisher, and T. R. Schultz. 2015. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology. 40:61-81.

• Ward, P.S. & Fisher, B.L. 2016. Tales of dracula ants: the evolutionary history of the ant subfamily Amblyoponinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology, 41, 683–693 (doi:10.1111/syen.12186).

• Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. 2007. A revision of male ants of the Malagasy region: key to subfamilies and treatment of the genera of Ponerinae. Zootaxa 1654: 21-40.

• Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. 2009. A revision of the male ants of the Malagasy region: key to genera of the subfamily Proceratiinae. Zootaxa 2216: 1-21.

• Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. 2011. A revision of the male ants of the Malagasy region: key to genera of the subfamily Dolichoderinae. Zootaxa 2794: 1-34.

• Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. 2012a. A revision of male ants of the Malagasy Amblyoponinae, with resurrections of the genera Stigmatomma and Xymmer. PloS ONE 7(3): 23 pp. e33325. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone 0033325.

• Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. 2012b. A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Adetomyrma. Zootaxa 3341: 1-31.

• Yoshimura, M.; Fisher, B. L. 2014. A revision of the ant genus Mystrium in the Malagasy region with description of six new species and remarks on Amblyopone and Stigmatomma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Amblyoponinae). ZooKeys 394:1-99.

AUTHORS: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z