Dr P. Sigbert Wagener (1919—2004)
by Willy De Prins[Ex Nota lepidopterologica 27 (1): 11—18]
P. Sigbert Wagener was born on 29 October 1919 in Krefeld (Germany) and he was baptised as Karl Emil. After finishing the ‘Volksschule’ and the ‘Oberrealschule’ in Krefeld, he studied in the private school of the episcopal monastery in Bensheim and till his leaving examination in 1938 the old ‘Kurfürstliche Gymnasium.’ Three days later, he started as a novice in Stühlingen where he entered the Capucine Order on 29 March 1939.
His philosophy studies, then undertaken in Krefeld, were abruptly disrupted by the Second World War which led him to North Africa. He was taken prisoner by the Americans in 1943 and spent the rest of the war in Algeria and Canada. Following his release, he was able to take his oath, and on 19 March 1948 he was ordained by Bishop Heinrich Roleff in Münster.
After his theology studies, he started his natural history studies in 1948 at the universities of Münster, Heidelberg and Mainz. In Mainz he passed the exams for teaching, and in 1956 he was promoted as Dr. rer. nat. In October 1957 he started his teaching career at the Capucine Monastery School in Bocholt, the present day Saint-Josef-Gymnasium. At first he taught all natural history courses as well as geography and even sport, but later on he specialised in biology, chemistry and geography. After about 20 years, the last ones of which he acted also as study director, he received his pension. Apart from his teaching activities in school, he performed the duties of a priest every Sunday and on Catholic holidays in the parish of St. Ludgerus at Spork near Bocholt. He also acted as an architect during the rebuilding of the monastery (1969—1971) when many of his ideas where implemented in the new buildings. It was therefore hard for him to be obliged to move to Oberhausen-Sterkrade in July 2000 because the Bocholt monastery was closed down.
Sigbert was interested in butterflies from the age of 14. This early interest grew into an intensive involvement in the study of entomology, what gave him later the nickname of ‘die Motte’ [the moth]. He observed butterflies and moths during excursions of weeks, and even months, which took him to Italy, Greece, Iran and Turkey. His last expedition to Turkey, Syria and Jordan even lasted 5 months!
After many years of hard work, the well-known and greatly appreciated three-volume work ‘Die Tagfalter der Türkei unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der angrenzenden Länder’ [The Butterflies of Turkey with special attention to the adjacent countries] was published in 1995 with the co-authorship of Gerhard Hesselbarth (Diepholz) and Harry van Oorschot (Amsterdam). Apart from this monumental work, Sigbert also published an important series of shorter and longer scientific studies (see bibliography).
His Lepidoptera Collection contained more than 100,000 specimens, most of them caught and set by himself. Even during the last months before his death, he re-arranged 25,000 specimens according to the new systematics before moving his entire butterfly collection to the Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn. Other collections (Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Trichoptera etc.) found their way to several museums where specialists in these groups are active.
Sigbert was not only interested in butterflies, but was also committed to nature conservation in general. He spent many Sunday afternoons with students in the Burloer Vene, to restore this natural area to its original state. This pilot project attracted much interest from German official institutions and subsequently, he became involved in many other nature conservancy projects as a consultant and later on he even became an official advisor for the Landesanstalt für Ökologie [Ministry of Ecology].
For all these activities, he was honoured with the ‘Meigen-Medaille’ of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für allgemeine und angewandte Entomologie [German Society of general and applied Entomology], with the ‘Verdienstorden des Landes’ of Nordrhein-Westfalen, and with the ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse’ of Germany.
Sigbert was also very active in some entomological societies, not just as an invaluable ordinary member, but also on the Council. He was one of the Founder Members of the Societas Entomologica Europaea, on the Council of which he occupied the chair of Membership Secretary from the very start during the founder meeting on 18—19 September 1976. In 1981, he became the Treasurer of SEL at a time when the Society suffered a debt of 10.000 DEM (5.000 EUR). In 1992, after reversing the society’s account to a credit of 10.000 DEM, he stepped down. His 16 years in office was recognised by awarding him Honorary Membership of the Society during the 1992 Congress in Helsinki. He edited the first eight SEL newsletters and compiled the first membership lists. He attended all Council Meetings and all SEL Congresses until the 2002 one in Korsør (Denmark). All SEL members are greatly indebted to Sigbert, because without him, the Society surely would not be as it is today.
During that 2002 congress, Sigbert invited the remaining founding members and some close friends for a ‘farewell drink’: Rienk de Jong, Jurate & Willy De Prins, Jane and Barry Goater. He felt at the time that it would be his last Congress. However, his entomological activities did not cease then. He obtained a scholarship, at the age of 83(!), to study the butterfly collection in the Zoologisk Museum in Copenhagen, and he was planning to apply for a similar scholarship at the Natural History Museum in London. He learned to master several programmes on a laptop and a sophisticated digital camera to photograph type specimens and other butterflies for a forthcoming review of the genus Melanargia, his pet group. It is to be hoped that this review will ultimately be finished by another lepidopterist, because many individual species have been treated already in detail by Sigbert himself.
Since the end of 2003, Sigbert suffered more and more from respiratory problems, but active as he was, he still visited the Zoological Museum at Amsterdam monthly, and also some other scientific institutions, carrying with him a bottle with oxygen, until tuberculosis forced him to enter the hospital on 1 April where he ended his earthly life on 13 April 2004, early in the morning.
Sigbert will remain in the memories of all entomologists who have known him as a friendly colleague, who never put himself higher than the others, spiritual in conversation and most enlightened during discussions. He was an everlasting source of inspiration during all our meetings in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bocholt, the SEL Congresses or even during the short period we travelled together in Turkey. R.I.P.
List of publications by Dr. P. Sigbert Wagener
Wagener, S., 1951. Accompanying texts for the slide series ‘American Butterflies’. — V-Dia-Verlag, Heidelberg.
Wagener, S., 1952. Beitrag zur Lepidopterenfauna des Hohen Atlas in Marokko. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 62 (13): 97—102.
Wagener, S., 1954. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang von Buddenbrock 70 Jahre alt. — Zeitschrift der wiener entomologische Gesellschaft 39: 192—194.
Wagener, S., 1956. Revision der ostasiatischen Formen der Gattung Melanargia Meigen (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). Eine systematisch-tiergeographisch-evolutionistische Studie. — Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgades an der Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz.
Wagener, S., 1956. Support to the application by Dr. Jirí Paclt (Bratislava, Czechoslovakia) for the use of the Plenary Powers to secure that the name Melanargia Meigen, [1828] (Class Insecta, Order Lepidoptera) should be the oldest available generic name for the taxon concerned. — In: International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, Opinion 400: 428—429.
Wagener, S., 1959—1961. Monographie der ostasiatischen Formen der Gattung Melanargia Meigen (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Zoologica 39 (108): 1—222, 29 text figs, 13 tables, 56 halftone plates, 8 distribution maps. Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbartsche Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Wagener, S., 1963a. Autoreferat über die vorstehende Monographie. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 73 (1/2): 9—16.
Wagener, S., 1963b. Muß das sein? — Unser Bocholt 14 (1): 24—28.
Wagener, S., 1966. Accompanying texts for the slide series ‘Einheimische Nachtfalter’. — V-Dia-Verlag Heidelberg. Neuauflage.
Wagener, S., 1969. Autographa Hübner (Chrysaspidia Hübner) gracilis Lempke neu für Österreich (Lep. Noctuidae). — Zeitschrift der Wiener entomologischen Gesellschaft 52: 108—111.
Wagener, S., 1974. Ergebnisse der tschechoslowakischen entomologischen Expedition nach dem Iran 1970 (Mit Angaben über einige Sammelresultate in Anatolien). Nr. 9 Lepidoptera, Satyridae: Genus Melanargia Meigen, 1828. — Acta entomologica Musei nationalis Pragae, Supplement 6: 99—104, figs 1—2.
Wagener, S., 1974. Vom Sinn der Beschäftigung mit Insekten. — Unser Bocholt 25 (1): 4—10, 3 figs.
Wagener, S., 1975. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 4. Beitrag: Die vorderasiatischen Formen der Melanargia russiae (Esper, 1784) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Journal of the entomological Society of Iran, Supplement 1: 47—62, 4 plates.
Wagener, S., 1976. Melanargia larissa lesbina subspecies nova (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Nachrichtenblatt der bayerischen Entomologen 25 (3): 40—43, 1 fig.
Wagener, S., 1977a. Gründung einer europäischen lepidopterologischen Gesellschaft Societas Europaea Lepidopterologica. — Atalanta, Würzburg 8 (1): 65—67.
Wagener, S., 1977b. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 5. Beitrag: Melanargia evartianae species nova aus Nord-Iran. — Journal of the entomological Society of Iran 3 (1—2): 75—80, 3 figs.
Wagener, S., 1977c. Bemerkungen zu den Parnassius-Formen des Apennin aus geographisch-ökologischer Sicht (Papilionidae). — Nota lepidopterologica 1 (1): 23—37.
Wagener, S., 1977d. Kommentar zur Roten Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Schmetterlingsarten (Insecta Lepidoptera). I. Fassung. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischen Lepidopterologen 1 (1): 10—15.
Wagener, S., 1978a. Carl Spaarmann zum Gedenken, 26.5.1897 — 26.4.1977. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischen Lepidopterologen 1 (2): 86—87.
Wagener, S., 1978b. Das Burlo-Vardingholter Venn. — Unsere Heimat. Jahrbuch Kreis Borken 1978: 236—238.
Wagener, S., 1980a. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 12. Die vorderasiatischen Formen der Melanargia russiae (Esper, 1784) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). II. Korrekturen und Ergänzungen. — Atalanta, Würzburg 11 (1): 29—39, 6 plates.
Wagener, S., 1980b. Das Burlo-Vardingholter Venn. Seine Pflanzen- und Tierwelt, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Großschmetterlinge. — Niederrhein Jahrbuch 14: 129—146.
Wagener, S., 1983a. Brenthis ino schmitzi ssp. n. aus Nordost-Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). — Entomofauna 4 (7): 109—117, 1 plate.
Wagener, S., 1983b. Zur Taxonomie, Nomenklatur und Verbreitung von Melanargia titea (Klug, 1832) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Nota lepidopterologica 6 (2—3): 175—188, 1 distribution map, 4 plates.
Wagener, S., 1983c. Zwei neue Melanargia-Formen aus Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Atalanta, Würzburg 14 (4): 247—299, 4 tables, 8 plates.
Wagener, S., 1984a. Melanargia lachesis (Hübner, 1790) est-elle une espèce différente de Melanargia galathea (Linnaeus, 1758), oui ou non? — Nota lepidopterologica 7 (4): 375—386.
Wagener, S., 1984b. Struktur und Skulptur der Eihüllen einiger Melanargia-Arten (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Andrias 3: 73—96, 65 figs, 1 plate.
Wagener, S., 1984c. Bestandsaufnahme der Schmetterlinge des NSG Hünxer Bachtal, Kreis Wesel. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälische Lepidopterologen 4 (2): 56—78. (ABÖL-Publikation Nr. 63).
Wagener, S., 1986. Buchbesprechung: Marini, Mario & Massimo Trentini: I Macrolepidotteri dell’appennino lucchese. Universita degli Studi di Bologna. Istituto e Museo di Zoologica. Arti Grafiche Tamari. Bologna. 1986. 136 Seiten, 27 Farbtafeln. — Nota lepidopterologica 9 (3—4): 255.
Wagener, S., 1987. Buchbesprechung: Hans-Josef Weidemann: Tagfalter: Entwicklung — Lebensweise. Melsungen. Neuman-Neudamm (JNN Naturführer) Band 1. 1986. — Nota lepididopterologica 10 (2): 134—136.
Wagener, S., 1988a. What are the valid names for the two genetically different taxa currently included within Pontia daplidice (Linnaeus, 1758)? Pieridae. — Nota lepidopterologica 11 (1): 21—38, 3 figs, 2 tables.
Wagener, S., 1988b. Wer hat als Autor des Gattungsnamens Parnassius (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) zu gelten? — Nota lepidopterologica 11 (3): 237—238.
Wagener, S., 1990. 10 Thesen zum Arten- und Biotopschutz der Schmetterlinge. — Atalanta, Würzburg 20: 131—133.
Wagener, S., 1990. Colias caucasica balcanica Rebel, 1901 (comb. nov., stat. nov.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). — Phegea 18 (2): 59—63.
Wagener, S., 1990. Comments on the valid name for the butterfly known as Colias alfacariensis Ribbe, 1905 or Colias australis Verity, 1911 (Insecta, Lepidoptera) (Case 2617). — Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 47 (2): 129—130.
Wagener, S., 1991. Naturschutz in den alten Ländern der BRD aus der Sicht des Entomologen. Vortrag anläßlich der 1. Tagung der EFG e. V. am 1.6.1991. — Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte 35 (4): 245—250.
Wagener, S., 1992. Thesen zum Arten- und Biotopschutz der Schmetterlinge. — In: Future of butterflies. — Proceedings of an International Congress, held at Wageningen during April 12—15, 1989. Dep. Nature Conservation, Agricultural University Wageningen.
Wagener, S., 1996. Apatura metis (Freyer, 1829). — In: Helsdingen, P. J., L. Willemse & M. C. D. Speight (Eds.). Background information on invertebrates of the Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Part I. — Crustacea, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. — Council of Europe Publishing, Nature and environment 79: 85—89.
Wagener, S., 1998a. Comment on the proposed conservation of the specific name of Papilio sylvanus Esper, [1777] (currently Ochlodes venata or Augiades sylvanus; Insecta, Lepidoptera). (Case 3046; see BZN 54: 231—235. — Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 55: 105—106.
Wagener, S., 1998b. Buchbesprechung: Tolman, T., R. Lewington: Collins Field Guide Butterflies of Britain & Europe. Harper Collins Publishers, London, 1997. 320 pp., 106 Farbtaf. — Nota lepidopterologica 21 (3): 228—230.
Wagener, S., 1998c. Melanismus bei Arten der Gattung Melanargia Meigen, [1828] (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). — Stapfia 55: 113—124. (Volume to the memory of Ernst Rudolf Reichl).
Wagener, S., 1999. Bearbeitung der Europäischen und Asiatischen Türkei. — In: van Swaay, C & M. Warren (Eds.): Red Data Book of European Butterflies (Rhopalocera). — Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg, Nature and Environment 99: 1—260.
Wagener, S., 2001a. Auf der Jagd nach Parnassiern in den chinesischen Provinzen Kansu und Hsinghai vor 60 bis 70 Jahren — eine historische Skizze. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 111 (3): 66—74, 3 figs, 1 table.
Wagener, S., 2001b. Die Großschmetterlingsfauna eines artenarmen Eichen-Birken-Waldes des westlichen Münsterlandes. — Melanargia 13 (1): 4—13.
Wagener, S., 2001c. Die Großschmetterlinge von Elten bei Emmerich. — Abhandlungen des westfälische Museum für Naturkunde 63 (4): 1—212. Tabellen, zahlreiche Phänogramme. (ABÖL-Publikation Nr.129).
Wagener, S., 2002. Chazara persephone (Hübner, [1805] or Chazara anthe (Hoffmansegg, 1806) — what is the valid name? (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). — Nota lepidopterologica 25 (1): 81—84.
Wagener, S. & B. Beermann, 2002. Four posters on the subject Butterfly Diversity and Protection in Turkey, presented at the SEL Congress in Korsør, Denmark, 2.—5.6.2002.
Wagener, S. & F. J. Gross, 1976. Eine neue Unterart von Melitaea arduinna aus Ostanatolien (Lep., Nymphalidae). — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 86 (20): 229—232, 1 fig.
Wagener, S. & H. van Oorschot, 1998. Rhopalocera and Grypocera of Turkey 15. Zur Identität von Callophrys mystaphia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). — Phegea 26 (2): 61—67, 1 colour map.
Wagener, S., Kinkler, H. & K. Rehnelt, 1977. Rote Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Schmetterlingsarten. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischer Lepidopterologen 1 (1): 15—36.
Wagener, S., Kinkler, H., Löser, S. & K. Rehnelt unter Mitarbeit von Gross, F. J., 1979. Rote Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Großschmetterlinge (Macrolepidoptera). 1. Fassung. — Schriftreihe der Landesanstalt für Ökologie, Landschaftsentwicklung, Forstplanung in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Band 4. Recklinghausen.
Eisner, K. & S. Wagener, 1974. Parnassiana nova XLVIII. Zwei neue Unterarten von Allancastria cerisyi Godart aus Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Parnassiidae). — Zoölogische Mededelingen 48: 81—83, plate 1.
Eitschberger, U. & S. Wagener, 1994. Sind die ‘Thorakalstigmata’ von Satyrinae-Puppen Sinnesorgane? (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). — Atalanta, Würzburg 25 (1/2): 183—190, 9 figs.
Eitschberger, U., Ströhle, M. & S. Wagener, 1987. Ein weiterer Beitrag zur Struktur und Skulptur der Eihüllen einiger Melanargia-Arten. — Atalanta, Würzburg 17 (1986): 185—194.
Höttinger, H. & S. Wagener, 2002. Spialia orbifer (Hübner, 1823) in Niederösterreich (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). — Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik, Wien 2 (2001): 55—59, 1 colour fig.
Hesselbarth, G., van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 1995. Die Tagfalter der Türkei unter Berücksichtigung der angrenzenden Länder. — Selbstverlag Sigbert Wagener Bocholt. Vols. 1 + 2: 1354 pp., 21 tables, 75 text figs, 2 colour maps, 36 colour plates with 306 figs; Vol. 3: 847 pp. with 128 colour plates., 13 halftone plates, IV + 342 distribution maps.
Stüning, D. & S. Wagener, 1989. Eine neue Unterart von Archon apollinus (Herbst, 1798) aus der europäischen Türkei (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). — Nachrichten der entomologischen Verein Apollo, Frankfurt am Main, (N. F). 10 (2): 133—142, 2 colour plates, 1 fig.
van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 1990. Rhopalocera of Turkey. 5. Boloria caucasica and Boloria graeca in Turkey (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). — Entomologische Berichten, Amsterdam 50 (9): 113—121, 18 figs, 2 tables.
van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 2000. Zu Tomares in der Türkei. Ergänzungen und Korrekturen zu Hesselbarth, van Oorschot & Wagener, 1995: Die Tagfalter der Türkei. 3. — Phegea 28 (3): 87—117, 1 colour fig., 2 colour plates, 2 tables. (Correction: Phegea 29 (1), 2001, insert).
New taxa of Lepidoptera described by Dr. P. S. Wagener
Melanargia leda melli Wagener, 1961: 144.
Melanargia halimede gratiani Wagener, 1961: 153.
Melanargia halimede beicki Wagener, 1961: 153.
Melanargia meridionalis maritima Wagener, 1961: 154.
Melanargia meridionalis wenchowensis Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia meridionalis tsinica Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia meridionalis tapaishanensis Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia montana chloris Wagener, 1961: 158.
Melanargia lugens hoenei Wagener, 1961: 158.
Melanargia lugens ahyoui Wagener, 1961: 159.
Melanargia lugens hengshanensis Wagener, 1961: 159.
Melanargia epimede corimede Wagener, 1961: 165.
Melanargia ganymedes walleseri Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia ganymedes weigoldi Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia asiatica dejeani Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia asiatica armandi Wagener, 1961: 176.
Melanargia asiatisca elisa Wagener, 1961: 176.
Melanargia russiae eberti Wagener, 1975: 50—51, pls. 1—2.
Melanargia larissa lesbina Wagener, 1976: 40—43, 1 fig.
Melitaea arduinna kocaki Wagener & Gross, 1976: 229—232, 1 fig.
Melanargia evartianae Wagener, 1977b: 75—80, 3 figs.
Melanargia syriaca kocaki Wagener, 1983c: 257, pls. III—IV.
Melanargia larissa noacki Wagener, 1983c: 286, pls. VII—VIII.
Boloria (Boloria) graeca karina Van Oorschot & Wagener, 1990: 117—120.
Lepidoptera taxa named after Dr. P. S. Wagener
Archon apollinus wageneri Koçak, 1976
Melanargia larissa wageneri Koçak, 1977
Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) sigberti Olivier, van der Poorten, Puplesiene & De Prins, 2000
Drymonia dodonaea wageneri de Freina, 1981
Micropterna wageneri Malicky, 1972
His philosophy studies, then undertaken in Krefeld, were abruptly disrupted by the Second World War which led him to North Africa. He was taken prisoner by the Americans in 1943 and spent the rest of the war in Algeria and Canada. Following his release, he was able to take his oath, and on 19 March 1948 he was ordained by Bishop Heinrich Roleff in Münster.
After his theology studies, he started his natural history studies in 1948 at the universities of Münster, Heidelberg and Mainz. In Mainz he passed the exams for teaching, and in 1956 he was promoted as Dr. rer. nat. In October 1957 he started his teaching career at the Capucine Monastery School in Bocholt, the present day Saint-Josef-Gymnasium. At first he taught all natural history courses as well as geography and even sport, but later on he specialised in biology, chemistry and geography. After about 20 years, the last ones of which he acted also as study director, he received his pension. Apart from his teaching activities in school, he performed the duties of a priest every Sunday and on Catholic holidays in the parish of St. Ludgerus at Spork near Bocholt. He also acted as an architect during the rebuilding of the monastery (1969—1971) when many of his ideas where implemented in the new buildings. It was therefore hard for him to be obliged to move to Oberhausen-Sterkrade in July 2000 because the Bocholt monastery was closed down.
Sigbert was interested in butterflies from the age of 14. This early interest grew into an intensive involvement in the study of entomology, what gave him later the nickname of ‘die Motte’ [the moth]. He observed butterflies and moths during excursions of weeks, and even months, which took him to Italy, Greece, Iran and Turkey. His last expedition to Turkey, Syria and Jordan even lasted 5 months!
After many years of hard work, the well-known and greatly appreciated three-volume work ‘Die Tagfalter der Türkei unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der angrenzenden Länder’ [The Butterflies of Turkey with special attention to the adjacent countries] was published in 1995 with the co-authorship of Gerhard Hesselbarth (Diepholz) and Harry van Oorschot (Amsterdam). Apart from this monumental work, Sigbert also published an important series of shorter and longer scientific studies (see bibliography).
His Lepidoptera Collection contained more than 100,000 specimens, most of them caught and set by himself. Even during the last months before his death, he re-arranged 25,000 specimens according to the new systematics before moving his entire butterfly collection to the Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn. Other collections (Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Trichoptera etc.) found their way to several museums where specialists in these groups are active.
Sigbert was not only interested in butterflies, but was also committed to nature conservation in general. He spent many Sunday afternoons with students in the Burloer Vene, to restore this natural area to its original state. This pilot project attracted much interest from German official institutions and subsequently, he became involved in many other nature conservancy projects as a consultant and later on he even became an official advisor for the Landesanstalt für Ökologie [Ministry of Ecology].
For all these activities, he was honoured with the ‘Meigen-Medaille’ of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für allgemeine und angewandte Entomologie [German Society of general and applied Entomology], with the ‘Verdienstorden des Landes’ of Nordrhein-Westfalen, and with the ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse’ of Germany.
Sigbert was also very active in some entomological societies, not just as an invaluable ordinary member, but also on the Council. He was one of the Founder Members of the Societas Entomologica Europaea, on the Council of which he occupied the chair of Membership Secretary from the very start during the founder meeting on 18—19 September 1976. In 1981, he became the Treasurer of SEL at a time when the Society suffered a debt of 10.000 DEM (5.000 EUR). In 1992, after reversing the society’s account to a credit of 10.000 DEM, he stepped down. His 16 years in office was recognised by awarding him Honorary Membership of the Society during the 1992 Congress in Helsinki. He edited the first eight SEL newsletters and compiled the first membership lists. He attended all Council Meetings and all SEL Congresses until the 2002 one in Korsør (Denmark). All SEL members are greatly indebted to Sigbert, because without him, the Society surely would not be as it is today.
During that 2002 congress, Sigbert invited the remaining founding members and some close friends for a ‘farewell drink’: Rienk de Jong, Jurate & Willy De Prins, Jane and Barry Goater. He felt at the time that it would be his last Congress. However, his entomological activities did not cease then. He obtained a scholarship, at the age of 83(!), to study the butterfly collection in the Zoologisk Museum in Copenhagen, and he was planning to apply for a similar scholarship at the Natural History Museum in London. He learned to master several programmes on a laptop and a sophisticated digital camera to photograph type specimens and other butterflies for a forthcoming review of the genus Melanargia, his pet group. It is to be hoped that this review will ultimately be finished by another lepidopterist, because many individual species have been treated already in detail by Sigbert himself.
Since the end of 2003, Sigbert suffered more and more from respiratory problems, but active as he was, he still visited the Zoological Museum at Amsterdam monthly, and also some other scientific institutions, carrying with him a bottle with oxygen, until tuberculosis forced him to enter the hospital on 1 April where he ended his earthly life on 13 April 2004, early in the morning.
Sigbert will remain in the memories of all entomologists who have known him as a friendly colleague, who never put himself higher than the others, spiritual in conversation and most enlightened during discussions. He was an everlasting source of inspiration during all our meetings in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bocholt, the SEL Congresses or even during the short period we travelled together in Turkey. R.I.P.
List of publications by Dr. P. Sigbert Wagener
Wagener, S., 1951. Accompanying texts for the slide series ‘American Butterflies’. — V-Dia-Verlag, Heidelberg.
Wagener, S., 1952. Beitrag zur Lepidopterenfauna des Hohen Atlas in Marokko. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 62 (13): 97—102.
Wagener, S., 1954. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang von Buddenbrock 70 Jahre alt. — Zeitschrift der wiener entomologische Gesellschaft 39: 192—194.
Wagener, S., 1956. Revision der ostasiatischen Formen der Gattung Melanargia Meigen (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). Eine systematisch-tiergeographisch-evolutionistische Studie. — Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgades an der Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz.
Wagener, S., 1956. Support to the application by Dr. Jirí Paclt (Bratislava, Czechoslovakia) for the use of the Plenary Powers to secure that the name Melanargia Meigen, [1828] (Class Insecta, Order Lepidoptera) should be the oldest available generic name for the taxon concerned. — In: International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, Opinion 400: 428—429.
Wagener, S., 1959—1961. Monographie der ostasiatischen Formen der Gattung Melanargia Meigen (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Zoologica 39 (108): 1—222, 29 text figs, 13 tables, 56 halftone plates, 8 distribution maps. Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbartsche Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Wagener, S., 1963a. Autoreferat über die vorstehende Monographie. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 73 (1/2): 9—16.
Wagener, S., 1963b. Muß das sein? — Unser Bocholt 14 (1): 24—28.
Wagener, S., 1966. Accompanying texts for the slide series ‘Einheimische Nachtfalter’. — V-Dia-Verlag Heidelberg. Neuauflage.
Wagener, S., 1969. Autographa Hübner (Chrysaspidia Hübner) gracilis Lempke neu für Österreich (Lep. Noctuidae). — Zeitschrift der Wiener entomologischen Gesellschaft 52: 108—111.
Wagener, S., 1974. Ergebnisse der tschechoslowakischen entomologischen Expedition nach dem Iran 1970 (Mit Angaben über einige Sammelresultate in Anatolien). Nr. 9 Lepidoptera, Satyridae: Genus Melanargia Meigen, 1828. — Acta entomologica Musei nationalis Pragae, Supplement 6: 99—104, figs 1—2.
Wagener, S., 1974. Vom Sinn der Beschäftigung mit Insekten. — Unser Bocholt 25 (1): 4—10, 3 figs.
Wagener, S., 1975. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 4. Beitrag: Die vorderasiatischen Formen der Melanargia russiae (Esper, 1784) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Journal of the entomological Society of Iran, Supplement 1: 47—62, 4 plates.
Wagener, S., 1976. Melanargia larissa lesbina subspecies nova (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Nachrichtenblatt der bayerischen Entomologen 25 (3): 40—43, 1 fig.
Wagener, S., 1977a. Gründung einer europäischen lepidopterologischen Gesellschaft Societas Europaea Lepidopterologica. — Atalanta, Würzburg 8 (1): 65—67.
Wagener, S., 1977b. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 5. Beitrag: Melanargia evartianae species nova aus Nord-Iran. — Journal of the entomological Society of Iran 3 (1—2): 75—80, 3 figs.
Wagener, S., 1977c. Bemerkungen zu den Parnassius-Formen des Apennin aus geographisch-ökologischer Sicht (Papilionidae). — Nota lepidopterologica 1 (1): 23—37.
Wagener, S., 1977d. Kommentar zur Roten Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Schmetterlingsarten (Insecta Lepidoptera). I. Fassung. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischen Lepidopterologen 1 (1): 10—15.
Wagener, S., 1978a. Carl Spaarmann zum Gedenken, 26.5.1897 — 26.4.1977. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischen Lepidopterologen 1 (2): 86—87.
Wagener, S., 1978b. Das Burlo-Vardingholter Venn. — Unsere Heimat. Jahrbuch Kreis Borken 1978: 236—238.
Wagener, S., 1980a. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Rhopaloceren Irans. 12. Die vorderasiatischen Formen der Melanargia russiae (Esper, 1784) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). II. Korrekturen und Ergänzungen. — Atalanta, Würzburg 11 (1): 29—39, 6 plates.
Wagener, S., 1980b. Das Burlo-Vardingholter Venn. Seine Pflanzen- und Tierwelt, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Großschmetterlinge. — Niederrhein Jahrbuch 14: 129—146.
Wagener, S., 1983a. Brenthis ino schmitzi ssp. n. aus Nordost-Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). — Entomofauna 4 (7): 109—117, 1 plate.
Wagener, S., 1983b. Zur Taxonomie, Nomenklatur und Verbreitung von Melanargia titea (Klug, 1832) (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Nota lepidopterologica 6 (2—3): 175—188, 1 distribution map, 4 plates.
Wagener, S., 1983c. Zwei neue Melanargia-Formen aus Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Atalanta, Würzburg 14 (4): 247—299, 4 tables, 8 plates.
Wagener, S., 1984a. Melanargia lachesis (Hübner, 1790) est-elle une espèce différente de Melanargia galathea (Linnaeus, 1758), oui ou non? — Nota lepidopterologica 7 (4): 375—386.
Wagener, S., 1984b. Struktur und Skulptur der Eihüllen einiger Melanargia-Arten (Lepidoptera, Satyridae). — Andrias 3: 73—96, 65 figs, 1 plate.
Wagener, S., 1984c. Bestandsaufnahme der Schmetterlinge des NSG Hünxer Bachtal, Kreis Wesel. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälische Lepidopterologen 4 (2): 56—78. (ABÖL-Publikation Nr. 63).
Wagener, S., 1986. Buchbesprechung: Marini, Mario & Massimo Trentini: I Macrolepidotteri dell’appennino lucchese. Universita degli Studi di Bologna. Istituto e Museo di Zoologica. Arti Grafiche Tamari. Bologna. 1986. 136 Seiten, 27 Farbtafeln. — Nota lepidopterologica 9 (3—4): 255.
Wagener, S., 1987. Buchbesprechung: Hans-Josef Weidemann: Tagfalter: Entwicklung — Lebensweise. Melsungen. Neuman-Neudamm (JNN Naturführer) Band 1. 1986. — Nota lepididopterologica 10 (2): 134—136.
Wagener, S., 1988a. What are the valid names for the two genetically different taxa currently included within Pontia daplidice (Linnaeus, 1758)? Pieridae. — Nota lepidopterologica 11 (1): 21—38, 3 figs, 2 tables.
Wagener, S., 1988b. Wer hat als Autor des Gattungsnamens Parnassius (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) zu gelten? — Nota lepidopterologica 11 (3): 237—238.
Wagener, S., 1990. 10 Thesen zum Arten- und Biotopschutz der Schmetterlinge. — Atalanta, Würzburg 20: 131—133.
Wagener, S., 1990. Colias caucasica balcanica Rebel, 1901 (comb. nov., stat. nov.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). — Phegea 18 (2): 59—63.
Wagener, S., 1990. Comments on the valid name for the butterfly known as Colias alfacariensis Ribbe, 1905 or Colias australis Verity, 1911 (Insecta, Lepidoptera) (Case 2617). — Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 47 (2): 129—130.
Wagener, S., 1991. Naturschutz in den alten Ländern der BRD aus der Sicht des Entomologen. Vortrag anläßlich der 1. Tagung der EFG e. V. am 1.6.1991. — Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte 35 (4): 245—250.
Wagener, S., 1992. Thesen zum Arten- und Biotopschutz der Schmetterlinge. — In: Future of butterflies. — Proceedings of an International Congress, held at Wageningen during April 12—15, 1989. Dep. Nature Conservation, Agricultural University Wageningen.
Wagener, S., 1996. Apatura metis (Freyer, 1829). — In: Helsdingen, P. J., L. Willemse & M. C. D. Speight (Eds.). Background information on invertebrates of the Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Part I. — Crustacea, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. — Council of Europe Publishing, Nature and environment 79: 85—89.
Wagener, S., 1998a. Comment on the proposed conservation of the specific name of Papilio sylvanus Esper, [1777] (currently Ochlodes venata or Augiades sylvanus; Insecta, Lepidoptera). (Case 3046; see BZN 54: 231—235. — Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 55: 105—106.
Wagener, S., 1998b. Buchbesprechung: Tolman, T., R. Lewington: Collins Field Guide Butterflies of Britain & Europe. Harper Collins Publishers, London, 1997. 320 pp., 106 Farbtaf. — Nota lepidopterologica 21 (3): 228—230.
Wagener, S., 1998c. Melanismus bei Arten der Gattung Melanargia Meigen, [1828] (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). — Stapfia 55: 113—124. (Volume to the memory of Ernst Rudolf Reichl).
Wagener, S., 1999. Bearbeitung der Europäischen und Asiatischen Türkei. — In: van Swaay, C & M. Warren (Eds.): Red Data Book of European Butterflies (Rhopalocera). — Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg, Nature and Environment 99: 1—260.
Wagener, S., 2001a. Auf der Jagd nach Parnassiern in den chinesischen Provinzen Kansu und Hsinghai vor 60 bis 70 Jahren — eine historische Skizze. — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 111 (3): 66—74, 3 figs, 1 table.
Wagener, S., 2001b. Die Großschmetterlingsfauna eines artenarmen Eichen-Birken-Waldes des westlichen Münsterlandes. — Melanargia 13 (1): 4—13.
Wagener, S., 2001c. Die Großschmetterlinge von Elten bei Emmerich. — Abhandlungen des westfälische Museum für Naturkunde 63 (4): 1—212. Tabellen, zahlreiche Phänogramme. (ABÖL-Publikation Nr.129).
Wagener, S., 2002. Chazara persephone (Hübner, [1805] or Chazara anthe (Hoffmansegg, 1806) — what is the valid name? (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). — Nota lepidopterologica 25 (1): 81—84.
Wagener, S. & B. Beermann, 2002. Four posters on the subject Butterfly Diversity and Protection in Turkey, presented at the SEL Congress in Korsør, Denmark, 2.—5.6.2002.
Wagener, S. & F. J. Gross, 1976. Eine neue Unterart von Melitaea arduinna aus Ostanatolien (Lep., Nymphalidae). — Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart 86 (20): 229—232, 1 fig.
Wagener, S. & H. van Oorschot, 1998. Rhopalocera and Grypocera of Turkey 15. Zur Identität von Callophrys mystaphia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). — Phegea 26 (2): 61—67, 1 colour map.
Wagener, S., Kinkler, H. & K. Rehnelt, 1977. Rote Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Schmetterlingsarten. — Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft rheinisch-westfälischer Lepidopterologen 1 (1): 15—36.
Wagener, S., Kinkler, H., Löser, S. & K. Rehnelt unter Mitarbeit von Gross, F. J., 1979. Rote Liste der in Nordrhein-Westfalen gefährdeten Großschmetterlinge (Macrolepidoptera). 1. Fassung. — Schriftreihe der Landesanstalt für Ökologie, Landschaftsentwicklung, Forstplanung in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Band 4. Recklinghausen.
Eisner, K. & S. Wagener, 1974. Parnassiana nova XLVIII. Zwei neue Unterarten von Allancastria cerisyi Godart aus Anatolien (Lepidoptera, Parnassiidae). — Zoölogische Mededelingen 48: 81—83, plate 1.
Eitschberger, U. & S. Wagener, 1994. Sind die ‘Thorakalstigmata’ von Satyrinae-Puppen Sinnesorgane? (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). — Atalanta, Würzburg 25 (1/2): 183—190, 9 figs.
Eitschberger, U., Ströhle, M. & S. Wagener, 1987. Ein weiterer Beitrag zur Struktur und Skulptur der Eihüllen einiger Melanargia-Arten. — Atalanta, Würzburg 17 (1986): 185—194.
Höttinger, H. & S. Wagener, 2002. Spialia orbifer (Hübner, 1823) in Niederösterreich (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). — Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik, Wien 2 (2001): 55—59, 1 colour fig.
Hesselbarth, G., van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 1995. Die Tagfalter der Türkei unter Berücksichtigung der angrenzenden Länder. — Selbstverlag Sigbert Wagener Bocholt. Vols. 1 + 2: 1354 pp., 21 tables, 75 text figs, 2 colour maps, 36 colour plates with 306 figs; Vol. 3: 847 pp. with 128 colour plates., 13 halftone plates, IV + 342 distribution maps.
Stüning, D. & S. Wagener, 1989. Eine neue Unterart von Archon apollinus (Herbst, 1798) aus der europäischen Türkei (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). — Nachrichten der entomologischen Verein Apollo, Frankfurt am Main, (N. F). 10 (2): 133—142, 2 colour plates, 1 fig.
van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 1990. Rhopalocera of Turkey. 5. Boloria caucasica and Boloria graeca in Turkey (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). — Entomologische Berichten, Amsterdam 50 (9): 113—121, 18 figs, 2 tables.
van Oorschot, H. & S. Wagener, 2000. Zu Tomares in der Türkei. Ergänzungen und Korrekturen zu Hesselbarth, van Oorschot & Wagener, 1995: Die Tagfalter der Türkei. 3. — Phegea 28 (3): 87—117, 1 colour fig., 2 colour plates, 2 tables. (Correction: Phegea 29 (1), 2001, insert).
New taxa of Lepidoptera described by Dr. P. S. Wagener
Melanargia leda melli Wagener, 1961: 144.
Melanargia halimede gratiani Wagener, 1961: 153.
Melanargia halimede beicki Wagener, 1961: 153.
Melanargia meridionalis maritima Wagener, 1961: 154.
Melanargia meridionalis wenchowensis Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia meridionalis tsinica Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia meridionalis tapaishanensis Wagener, 1961: 155.
Melanargia montana chloris Wagener, 1961: 158.
Melanargia lugens hoenei Wagener, 1961: 158.
Melanargia lugens ahyoui Wagener, 1961: 159.
Melanargia lugens hengshanensis Wagener, 1961: 159.
Melanargia epimede corimede Wagener, 1961: 165.
Melanargia ganymedes walleseri Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia ganymedes weigoldi Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia asiatica dejeani Wagener, 1961: 172.
Melanargia asiatica armandi Wagener, 1961: 176.
Melanargia asiatisca elisa Wagener, 1961: 176.
Melanargia russiae eberti Wagener, 1975: 50—51, pls. 1—2.
Melanargia larissa lesbina Wagener, 1976: 40—43, 1 fig.
Melitaea arduinna kocaki Wagener & Gross, 1976: 229—232, 1 fig.
Melanargia evartianae Wagener, 1977b: 75—80, 3 figs.
Melanargia syriaca kocaki Wagener, 1983c: 257, pls. III—IV.
Melanargia larissa noacki Wagener, 1983c: 286, pls. VII—VIII.
Boloria (Boloria) graeca karina Van Oorschot & Wagener, 1990: 117—120.
Lepidoptera taxa named after Dr. P. S. Wagener
Archon apollinus wageneri Koçak, 1976
Melanargia larissa wageneri Koçak, 1977
Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) sigberti Olivier, van der Poorten, Puplesiene & De Prins, 2000
Drymonia dodonaea wageneri de Freina, 1981
Micropterna wageneri Malicky, 1972