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Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs

Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs

Senior Curator in Charge, Diptera + Siphonaptera

Department: Life Sciences
Division: LS Insects Division

Summary

Ashley Kirk-Spriggs took up the position of Senior Curator in Charge of Diptera and Siphonaptera at the beginning of March 2019. Ashley was born in Cambridgeshire and was educated at St. Ivo Comprehensive School, where he developed an interest in entomology at a young age. He obtained a Post-graduate Diploma in Applied Insect Taxonomy (with distinction, 1984) and a Master of Philosophy (1994) degree both from University of Wales College of Cardiff and a PhD from Rhodes University, South Africa (2012). While still a student, he participated in the Project Wallace Expedition to Sulawesi in 1985 and has travelled an collected widely in South-east Asia, Europe and throughout Africa. He was previously employed at the National Museum of Wales, where he completed a Royal Entomological Society of London handbook to British Pollen Beetles, the National Museum of Namibia (with VSO), the Albany Museum, South Africa and the National Museum, South Africa. He was Chair of the 9th International Congress of Dipterology, held in Namibia in November 2018 and is Secretary/Treasurer of the International Congresses of Dipterology.

He was Editor of Cimbebasia (scientific in-house journal of the National Museum of Namibia (1997-2003) and is currently Coordinator and Editor-in-chief of the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera project. He has published over 100 scientific and popular articles and 30 species have been named in his honour.

In addition to his duties as Senior Curator in Charge, Ashley’s is responsible for enquires related to the Acalyptratae and his main research interests include the taxonomy and systematics of Afrotropical Curtonotidae (Diptera), the immature stages of Acalyptratae and biogeography. He is currently engaged in the re-curation of the world collection of Milichiidae, Carnidae and Drosophilidae.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • PhD, Rhodes University, Grahamstown
  • MPhil, University of Wales, Cardiff
  • Post-graduate Diploma, University of Wales, Cardiff

Publications

Jordaens K, Goergen G, Kirk-Spriggs A, Vokaer A, Smitz N, Backeljau T, De Meyer M (2015) DNA barcoding identifies an introduced hover fly species (Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphinae) in the Afrotropics. GENOME 58 (5) : 234 - 234.

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2010) A Revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo Flies (Diptera: Curtonotidae: Schizophora). Part I - the GenusAxinotavan der Wulp, with the Description of Three New Species. African Entomology, 18 (1) : 99 - 126. doi: 10.4001/003.018.0110

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2010) A Revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo Flies (Diptera: Curtonotidae: Schizophora). Part II — The East African Afromontane GenusTigrisomyiagen. n., with Descriptions of Four New Species. African Entomology, 18 (1) : 127 - 146. doi: 10.4001/003.018.0111

Kirk-Spriggs AH, Barraclough DA (2009) The Puparium of anAfrodiniaSpecies (Diptera: Odiniidae) from South Africa, with a Review of the Known Immature Stages of Odiniidae and Notes on Biology and Functional Morphology. African Entomology, 17 (2) : 161 - 169. doi: 10.4001/003.017.0206

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2008) A qualitative assessment of intra- and interspecific variability in spermathecal form in the Curtonotum cuthbertsoni complex (Diptera: Ephydroidea: Curtonotidae) and an assessment of their value as species-level characters. African Entomology, 16 (2) : 244 - 252. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.2.244

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2008) A contribution to the knowledge of the immature stages of Curtonotum (Diptera: Curtonotidae), from Africa and the Middle East, with a discussion of relationships to other known Ephydroidea larvae. African Entomology, 16 (2) : 226 - 243. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.2.226

Kirk-Spriggs AH, Evenhuis NL (2008) A new species of Psiloderoides Hesse (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae) from the Brandberg Massif, Namibia. African Entomology, 16 (1) : 122 - 126. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.1.122

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2007) Description of the biology and immature stages of Eutropha lindneri Sabrosky (Diptera: Chloropidae: Chloropinae), based on survey material from the Namibian coast. African Entomology, 15 (2) : 319 - 327. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-15.2.319

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2007) Third instar larva and puparium of Archicollinella penteseta (Richards) (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) from Namibian guano islands, with notes on the species' biology and introduction to the Scilly Isles of Great Britain. African Entomology, 15 (1) : 141 - 151. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-15.1.141

Kurahashi H, Kirk SAH (2001) The blow flies collection preserved in National Museum of Namibia (Diptera : Calliphoridae). Medical Entomology and Zoology, 52 (2) : 149.

Broad G, Huertas B, Kirk-Spriggs A, Telnov D (null) Interesting Insects. Natural History Museum :

Introduction

Summary

Ashley Kirk-Spriggs took up the position of Senior Curator in Charge of Diptera and Siphonaptera at the beginning of March 2019. Ashley was born in Cambridgeshire and was educated at St. Ivo Comprehensive School, where he developed an interest in entomology at a young age. He obtained a Post-graduate Diploma in Applied Insect Taxonomy (with distinction, 1984) and a Master of Philosophy (1994) degree both from University of Wales College of Cardiff and a PhD from Rhodes University, South Africa (2012). While still a student, he participated in the Project Wallace Expedition to Sulawesi in 1985 and has travelled an collected widely in South-east Asia, Europe and throughout Africa. He was previously employed at the National Museum of Wales, where he completed a Royal Entomological Society of London handbook to British Pollen Beetles, the National Museum of Namibia (with VSO), the Albany Museum, South Africa and the National Museum, South Africa. He was Chair of the 9th International Congress of Dipterology, held in Namibia in November 2018 and is Secretary/Treasurer of the International Congresses of Dipterology.

He was Editor of Cimbebasia (scientific in-house journal of the National Museum of Namibia (1997-2003) and is currently Coordinator and Editor-in-chief of the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera project. He has published over 100 scientific and popular articles and 30 species have been named in his honour.

In addition to his duties as Senior Curator in Charge, Ashley’s is responsible for enquires related to the Acalyptratae and his main research interests include the taxonomy and systematics of Afrotropical Curtonotidae (Diptera), the immature stages of Acalyptratae and biogeography. He is currently engaged in the re-curation of the world collection of Milichiidae, Carnidae and Drosophilidae.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • PhD, Rhodes University, Grahamstown
  • MPhil, University of Wales, Cardiff
  • Post-graduate Diploma, University of Wales, Cardiff
Publications

Publications

Jordaens K, Goergen G, Kirk-Spriggs A, Vokaer A, Smitz N, Backeljau T, De Meyer M (2015) DNA barcoding identifies an introduced hover fly species (Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphinae) in the Afrotropics. GENOME 58 (5) : 234 - 234.

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2010) A Revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo Flies (Diptera: Curtonotidae: Schizophora). Part I - the GenusAxinotavan der Wulp, with the Description of Three New Species. African Entomology, 18 (1) : 99 - 126. doi: 10.4001/003.018.0110

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2010) A Revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo Flies (Diptera: Curtonotidae: Schizophora). Part II — The East African Afromontane GenusTigrisomyiagen. n., with Descriptions of Four New Species. African Entomology, 18 (1) : 127 - 146. doi: 10.4001/003.018.0111

Kirk-Spriggs AH, Barraclough DA (2009) The Puparium of anAfrodiniaSpecies (Diptera: Odiniidae) from South Africa, with a Review of the Known Immature Stages of Odiniidae and Notes on Biology and Functional Morphology. African Entomology, 17 (2) : 161 - 169. doi: 10.4001/003.017.0206

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2008) A qualitative assessment of intra- and interspecific variability in spermathecal form in the Curtonotum cuthbertsoni complex (Diptera: Ephydroidea: Curtonotidae) and an assessment of their value as species-level characters. African Entomology, 16 (2) : 244 - 252. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.2.244

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2008) A contribution to the knowledge of the immature stages of Curtonotum (Diptera: Curtonotidae), from Africa and the Middle East, with a discussion of relationships to other known Ephydroidea larvae. African Entomology, 16 (2) : 226 - 243. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.2.226

Kirk-Spriggs AH, Evenhuis NL (2008) A new species of Psiloderoides Hesse (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae) from the Brandberg Massif, Namibia. African Entomology, 16 (1) : 122 - 126. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-16.1.122

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2007) Description of the biology and immature stages of Eutropha lindneri Sabrosky (Diptera: Chloropidae: Chloropinae), based on survey material from the Namibian coast. African Entomology, 15 (2) : 319 - 327. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-15.2.319

Kirk-Spriggs AH (2007) Third instar larva and puparium of Archicollinella penteseta (Richards) (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) from Namibian guano islands, with notes on the species' biology and introduction to the Scilly Isles of Great Britain. African Entomology, 15 (1) : 141 - 151. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-15.1.141

Kurahashi H, Kirk SAH (2001) The blow flies collection preserved in National Museum of Namibia (Diptera : Calliphoridae). Medical Entomology and Zoology, 52 (2) : 149.

Broad G, Huertas B, Kirk-Spriggs A, Telnov D (null) Interesting Insects. Natural History Museum :