Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Matthew Gimmel, Ph.D.

Schlinger Foundation Chair & Curator of Entomology

Dr. Matthew L. Gimmel’s research interests include the systematics and taxonomy of Coleoptera, primarily small-bodied forms, including Phalacridae (shining mold beetles), Cryptophagidae (silken fungus beetles), and Melyridae (soft-winged flower beetles).

He is also managing editor of The Coleopterists Bulletin.

Selected Publications

• Mayor, Adriean J. and Matthew L. Gimmel. 2024. Two new genera and three new species of Dasytinae (Coleoptera: Melyridae) from the southwestern United States and Mesoamerica. The Coleopterists Bulletin 78(1): 33–52.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and Adriean J. Mayor. 2023. Protomauroania Tshernyshev, 2021, a newly proposed synonym of Semijulistus Schilsky, 1894 (Coleoptera: Rhadalidae: Microjulistini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 77(4): 648–649.
• Goczał, Jakub, Rolf G. Beutel, Matthew L. Gimmel, and Robin Kundrata. 2023 [“2024”]. When a key innovation becomes redundant: Patterns, drivers and consequences of elytral reduction in Coleoptera. Systematic Entomology 49(2): 193–220.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and M. Andrew Johnston. 2023. A morphologically divergent new genus and species of Eurygeniinae from California, USA (Coleoptera: Anthicidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 77(3): 387–396.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. 2023. Distribution and synonymy in New World Litostilbus Guillebeau (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Phalacridae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 77(2): 189–193.
• Leschen, Richard A.B. and Matthew L. Gimmel. 2023. Sternodea arcana, new species (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Caenoscelini): Part of the Nearctic fauna? Zootaxa 5278(2): 396–400.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and Richard A.B. Leschen. 2023. Melyronyxa, a new genus of Lophocateridae from Australia (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). The Coleopterists Bulletin 77(1): 49–57
• Gimmel, Matthew L., M. Andrew Johnston, and Michael S. Caterino. 2023. Annotated checklist of the beetles (Coleoptera) of the California Channel Islands. PeerJ 11, e14793, 326 pp.
• Leschen, Richard A.B. and Matthew L. Gimmel. 2023. Cedraderus, a new genus for “Xylophilus” constrictus Fall (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Aderidae). Zootaxa 5239(2): 296–300.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and Adriean J. Mayor. 2022. Revision of Microasydates, new Nearctic genus of soft-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Listrini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 76(4): 537–568.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and Adriean J. Mayor. 2022. Synonymic and nomenclatural notes in the Mauroniscidae and Rhadalidae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). The Coleopterists Bulletin 76(3): 419–422. 
• Gimmel, Matthew L. and Richard A.B. Leschen. 2022. Revision of the genera of Picrotini (Coleoptera: Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 62(1): 61–109.
• Cai, Chenyang, Erik Tihelka, Mattia Giacomelli, John F. Lawrence, Adam Ślipiński, Robin Kundrata, Shûhei Yamamoto, Margaret K. Thayer, Alfred F. Newton, Richard A.B. Leschen, Matthew L. Gimmel, Liang Lü, Michael S. Engel, Patrice Bouchard, Diying Huang, Davide Pisani & Philip C.J. Donoghue. 2022. Integrated phylogenomics and fossil data illuminate the evolution of beetles. Royal Society Open Science 9, 211771.
• Kundrata, Robin, Matthew L. Gimmel, Gabriela Packova, Andris Bukejs & Stephan M. Blank. 2021. A new enigmatic lineage of Dascillidae (Coleoptera: Elateriformia) from Eocene Baltic amber described using X-ray microtomography, with notes on Karumiinae morphology and classification. Fossil Record 24: 141–149.
• Johnston, M. Andrew & Matthew L. Gimmel. 2020. Review of North American Dascillidae (Coleoptera: Dascilloidea), with descriptions of dramatic female wing reduction. The Coleopterists Bulletin 74(4): 731–757.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. & Karol Szawaryn. 2020. A new genus-level and two new species-level synonyms in the extinct genus Neolitochropus Lyubarsky & Perkovsky (Coleoptera: Cyclaxyridae). Zootaxa 4894(4): 598–599.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. & Richard A.B. Leschen. 2020. First report of Austroporus doctus (Blackburn) from New Zealand and description of its larva (Coleoptera: Phalacridae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 60(special issue): e202060(s.i.).29.
• Mayor, Adriean J. & Matthew L. Gimmel. 2019. Revision of the soft-winged flower beetles of the genus Asydates Casey, 1895 (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Listrini). The Coleopterists Society Monograph Number 17: 1-71.
• Gimmel, Matthew L., Karol Szawaryn, Chenyang Cai & Richard A.B. Leschen. 2019. Mesozoic sooty mould beetles as living relicts in New Zealand. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286(1917): 1-7.
• Kundrata, Robin, Stephan M. Blank, Alexander S. Prosvirov, Eliska Sormova, Matthew L. Gimmel, Dominik Vondracek & Katja Kramp. 2019. One less mystery in Coleoptera systematics: the position of Cydistinae (Elateriformia incertae sedis) resolved by multigene phylogenetic analysis. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 187(4): 1259-1277.
• Gimmel, Matthew L., Richard A.B. Leschen & Jens Esser. 2019. Revised type species designations for Cryptophilus Reitter, 1874 and Pteryngium Reitter, 1887 (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Erotylidae, Cryptophagidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 73(3): 528-530.
• Epler, John H. & Matthew L. Gimmel. 2019. Notes on the marsh beetle genus Ora Clark (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) in the southeastern United States and Central America. The Coleopterists Bulletin 73(3): 521-527.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. & Adriean J. Mayor. 2019. On the North American species of Dolichosoma Stephens and Psilothrix Küster (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Dasytini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 73(2): 395-407.
• Gimmel, Matthew L., Milada Bocakova, Nicole Gunter & Richard A.B. Leschen. 2019. Comprehensive phylogeny of the Cleroidea (Coleoptera). Systematic Entomology 44(3): 527-558.
• Gimmel, Matthew L., M. Andrew Johnston & O. Merkl. 2018. Enneboeus marmoratus Champion new to the USA, with a world catalog of the family Archeocrypticidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea). The Coleopterists Bulletin 72(2): 269-278.
• Gimmel, Matthew L., & M.L. Ferro. 2018. Chapter 2. General overview of saproxylic Coleoptera. Pp. 51-128. In: Saproxylic Insects. Zoological Monographs, Springer Publishing.
• Bouchard, Patrice, Andrew B.T. Smith, Hume Douglas, Matthew L. Gimmel, Adam J. Brunke & Kojun Kanda. 2017. Biodiversity of Coleoptera. Pp. 337-417. In: Footit, R.G. and P.H. Adler (eds.). Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society, Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., West Sussex.
• Fikáček, Martin & Matthew L. Gimmel. 2017. On the identity of Sternosternus grouvellei Guillebeau, 1894 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Phalacridae). Zootaxa 4237(3): 578-582.
• Gimmel, Matthew L. 2017. Taxonomic notes on Olibroporus Casey and Pycinus Guillebeau, with diagnosis and distribution of the widespread species Olibroporus punctatus Casey (Coleoptera: Phalacridae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 71(1): 61-73.

Further Reading

• ResearchGate profile

Collaborations & Affiliations

• Collection Affiliate, University of California Santa Barbara Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration
• Species File Group small grant for beetle nomenclature (Cucujoidea) [co-PI with Dr. Tommy McElrath (Illinois Natural History Survey) and Gareth Powell (Brigham Young University), 2019-2020]
• Collaborator, N62473‐18‐2‐0018 Terrestrial Invertebrate Surveys on San Clemente Island (to Santa Barbara Botanic Garden) (2018-2021)

Press

• Duncan, Owen. “Superfamily Affair: Refining the Beetle Tree.” SBnature Blog. 15 February 2019.

Patronyms

• Anillinus gimmeli Sokolov & Carlton (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae)
• Leptusa gimmeli Park & Carlton (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)
• Sonoma gimmeli Ferro & Carlton (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)
• Sagola gimmeli Park & Carlton (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)
• Cercyon gimmeli Arriaga-Varela, Seidel, Deler-Hernández, Senderov & Fikáček, 2017 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
• Pityophthorus gimmeli Bright, 2019 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)
• Latinozoros gimmeli Kočárek & Horká, 2023 (Zoraptera: Spiralizoridae: Latinozorinae)

Contact

Department of Invertebrate Zoology
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

mgimmel@sbnature2.org
805-682-4711 ext. 151