Scientific illustrations
“…every art should become science,
and every science should become art…”
Friedrich von Schlegel (1797), poet, critic, philosopher, philologist.
Take a closer look. We get to know species by observing their specialized structures; hooks, pincers, syringes, borers, even reproductive organs. Detailed scientific illustrations show these and reveal the diversity of invertebrate life.
Looking into the eyes of the Zebra Spider.
© Jeremy Poole
Zebra Spider (Salticus scenicus) is a common British species of the jumping spiders that lives on vertical surfaces, such tree barks, outer walls of houses, fences, etc. See here and here for more information.
Scanning electron microscope images:
left – body scales and sensory organs of a jumping spider;
middle – soil mites (Oribatida) and the mouthpart of the deer tick, Ixodes ricinus (top-right);
right – reproductive organs of the Central American jumping spider Lyssomanes viridis.
© Dmitri Logunov & Ritva Penttinen
Original colour plates reproduced in the book by M. Greenhalgh ‘Freshwater life, Britain and Northern Europe’ (2007).
The left figure plate shows a selection of common British species of Diving Beetles (family Dytiscidae); the right plate shows four British species of Darters (genus Sympetrum, family Libellulidae). Drawn from specimens in the Manchester Museum collections.
Artists: Denys Ovenden (left) & Tony Disley (right).
International editions of the book by M. Greenhalgh ‘Freshwater life, Britain and Northern Europe’: English (2007), German (2010) and Estonian (2007).
Mini-displays used for teaching from the collection at Manchester Museum:
left – Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassica) and Large White (Pieris brassica), common British species that could cause severe crop damage of a wide variety of plant species, including cabbage.
middle – An educational set of common British insects that could be found around ponds and streams; produced by the famous Manchester-based company Flatters and Garnett Ltd which went bankrupt in 1967.
right – Currant Clearwing Moth (Sessia tipuliformis), a widespread but rare British moth species that can be found in rural and urban locations where foodplants occur.
Selection of entomological popular books, identification guides, catalogues and atlases with a variety of insect-related artworks.
Manchester Museum and personal collection.
To know more about the objects click on the picture.