A Historic Research Unit Comes to an Abrupt End
In March of this year, the United States Army shut down the Walter Reed Biosystematic Unit in Maryland.
Decades of Scientific Contributions in
Mosquito Systematics
The Unit was created back in the 1960s and focused on the taxonomy and systematics of mosquitoes (and a few other medically important taxa), with the rationale of improving troop readiness across all potential theaters of conflict. In the decades since, the WRBU has published hundreds of scientific publications related to mosquitoes, ticks, and a few other medically important taxa.
A Significant Loss for Public Health
and Military Readiness
They have been the only center of mosquito systematics in the United States outside of a handful of those in academia, employing sophisticated molecular techniques to assess species identified as well as pathogen surveillance. Their work helped ensure the health and safety of troops and civilians stationed in locations around the world. The closure, no doubt, will lead to an even greater hole in investigations of mosquito taxonomy and systematics.
What Remains:
The Smithsonian Collection Without Support
It appears that all their online resources —photos, publications, and links —are gone. The Director, Dr. Yvonne Linton, has been retained by the Smithsonian to manage the 1.5 million specimens (mostly mosquitoes). Still, all the remaining staff have either quit, been fired, or reassigned to nearby Army facilities. Fortunately, the collection belongs to the Smithsonian so that research can continue, however, now without a staff or funding.
