Hacia una historia de la Entomología en México

We present a general panorama of the history of entomology (sensu lato) in Mexico, which includes the development of studies concerning Insecta and Arachnida. Entomology is one of the more developed zoological disciplines in Mexico and with a richer tradition. The first residents of this region observed and took advantage of insects. During the colony two expeditions were made to know the fauna and many organisms were described, including insects. Formal entomological studies in our country began in the XIX century, with the establishment of the Museo Nacional (1868-1908), the Sociedad Científica Antonio Alzate (1884-1932), and publications like La Naturaleza and contributions from Eugenio Dugès and Jesús Sánchez. Due to the uncertainty at that moment in the country, it is until the 30s in the XX century that formal institutionalization is produced, with the foundation of centers for education and research and the consolidation of collections, societies, and journals. The Instituto Patológico disappears and in 1906 the Instituto Bacteriológico become in 1923 Instituto de Higiene. The Instituto Medico Nacional, created in 1888, the Museo de Historia Natural, freed of that of Anthropology from 1909, the Museo de la Comisión Geográfica Exploradora grouped to constitute the Dirección de Estudios Biológicos, that in 1929 was incorporated to the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México as the Instituto de Biología. The Facultad de Ciencias de la UNAM and the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas IPN were founded. Journals with relevant articles are the Anales del Instituto de Biología, the Revista de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural and the Memorias de la Sociedad Científica Antonio Alzate, among others. At the beginning of the 50s, the situation of entomology in Mexico, like in general that of biology, was limited but consolidated, showing the continuity of institutions and authors like CÆndido Bolívar, Carlos Hoffmann, and Alfonso Dampf. Years later, the Escuela de Posgraduados and the establishment of the Sociedad Entomológica Mexicana and the publication of its Folia, began a new era, with in increasing numbers of articles, and authors like Alfredo Barrera, Leonila VÆzquez, Anita Hoffmann, and Gonzalo Halffter. The decade of the 80·s marks another landmark, with research organizations like the Instituto de Ecología, the Universidad de Guadalajara, and the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, and the development of institutions like CONACyT, SNI, and CONABIO, entering the scene and an increase in the publications abroad, interdisciplinary works, and theoretical and applied contributions