George Poinar and the foundations of entomopathogenic nematology and amber paleobiology

Document Type : Review Paper

Authors

1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

3 Department of Entomology and Nematology, CREC, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, US

10.22034/jesi.46.2.1

Abstract

George Poinar Jr. is widely recognized as a pioneering biologist, whose interdisciplinary career profoundly advanced insect nematology and amber paleobiology. His fundamental studies during the 1960s and 1970s on the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema and Heterorhabditis clarified their life cycles, infection pathways, bacterial symbioses, and transformed them into recognized biological control agents, establishing entomopathogenic nematology as a cornerstone of applied insect pathology. Similarly, his groundbreaking research on amber inclusions revealed evolutionary histories of insects preserved for millions of years, inspiring sci-fi stories, and standardizing paleobiological methodologies. Through bridging the modern ecological interactions with ancient evolutionary narratives, Poinar exemplified how innovation and careful observation can reshape scientific fields, leaving a lasting legacy in taxonomy, ecology, and biological control.

Graphical Abstract

George Poinar and the foundations of entomopathogenic nematology and amber paleobiology

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [Persian]

جورج پوینار و پیشرفت مطالعات نماتدهای بیمارگر حشرات و دیرینه‌شناسی کهربا

Authors [Persian]

  • جواد کریمی 1
  • احسان رخشانی 2
  • لری وین دانکن 3
1 گروه گیاه‌‌پزشکی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد، ایران
2 گروه گیاه‌پزشکی، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران
3 گروه حشره شناسی و نماتودشناسی، مرکز آموزشی- تحقیقاتی مرکبات، لیک آلفرد، فلوریدا، ایالات متحده
Abstract [Persian]

جورج پوینار، حشره شناسی پیشرو است که با تسلط بر حشره شناسی، نماتودشناسی و دیرینه شناسی، نقش چشمگیری در توسعه دیرینه‌شناسی کهربا داشته است. مطالعات بنیادی او در دهه‌های 1960 و 1970 روی نماتدهای Steinernema و Heterorhabditis، چرخه‌ زندگی، مسیر بیمایزایی و نقش و محل همزیست باکتریایی را روشن کرد و در معرفی نماتودهای بیمارگر حشرات به عوامل کنترل بیولوژیک، نقشی کلیدی داشت. پوینار پایه گذاری مهم در توسعه مطالعه نماتودهای بیمارگر حشرات و تثبیت این زمینه در چهارچوب آسیب‌شناسی کاربردی حشرات بود. در دهه های بعدی، تحقیقات بروز وی روی موضوع کهربا، تاریخچه تکامل حشراتی را که میلیون‌ها سال حفظ شده‌ بودند را آشکار کرد. بدین ترتیب هم الهام‌بخش داستان‌های علمی تخیلی بود و هم پایه گذار روش های استاندارد در مطالعه دیرینه‌شناسی زیست‌شناسی شد. پوینار با پیوند بین پدیده های زیست شناحتی در حشرات و نماتودهابا روند تغییرات دیرینه شناسی، هم پنجره ای جدید در زیست باستان شناسی باز کرد و نیز میراثی جاودان در سیستماتیک ، بوم‌شناسی و کنترل بیولوژیکی باقی گذاشت. وی با فهمی که در موضوعات دیرینه‌شناسی، حشره‌شناسی، تکامل و میکروبیولوژی داشت، اطلاعات ارزشمندی را روی فسیل‌های ارایه کردند. این نوشته با هدف معرفی نقش و جایگاه پروفسور پوینار در مسیر تکامل نماتودهای بیمارگر حشرات به عنوان عوامل کنترل زیستی نگاشته شده است. امیداوریم خوانندگان این نوشتار، از میزان علاقه، تلاش، پشتکار و جامع نگری جورج پوینار الهام بگیرند و این رویکرد همه جانبه نگر و عمیق را در تحقیق، تحصیل و زندگی بکارگیرند.

Keywords [Persian]

  • بیماری شناسی حشرات
  • نماتودشناسی حشرات
  • زیست باستان شناسی
  • حشره شناسی پیشرو
  • فسیل شناسی

© 2026 by Author(s), Published by the Entomological Society of Iran

This Work is Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License.

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Journal of Entomological Society of Iran
Volume 46, Issue 2
April 2026
Pages 133-146

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