University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Nico M. Franz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Director of the Invertebrate Collection
Department of Biology
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Research Interests
I am an entomologist specializing in the systematics and host plant evolution of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea). My bilingual lab is presently involved in a several revisionary systematic projects of Caribbean and Neotropical weevils, rove beetles, hover flies, and cockroaches. Additional projects focus on documenting the diversity of beetles and insects of Puerto Rico, and include the curation and expansion of the UPRM insect collection. For all of these projects, we make extensive use of the Visionary Digital imaging system to create habitus and detail images of arthropods and their specific external and internal structures with diagnostic value.
Setting Up The System
In January 2011 we received a new Visionary Digital BK+ Imaging System, acquired with funds from a HHMI curriculum improvement grant. Roy and Jason came to Mayagüez to install this new system as well as give maintenance and upgrades to an existing one. I think it is fair to say that their service to the customer is exemplary, even legendary, and the product is constantly evolving and improving into new directions that are useful to taxonomic research. I was particularly impressed with the new light source and the ability to take images of dissected insect structures in glycerol. The new system is incredibly powerful in terms of image quality and time savings. It will get wide usage across many fields in our Department.
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Jason and Roy Larimer arrive at the beautiful
University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
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...Where we were met by our gracious host,
client and tour guide, Nico Franz
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Nico first showed us where we would be setting up the
system. We were blown away by the available space.
This is rare and beautiful,a 4'X12' counterspace!
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Then Jason got to unpacking the crate...
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...and Roy began setting up the system
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Go teamwork!
Roy testing the setup
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Here is the finished product looking
all happy and beautiful in its new home
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Nico getting some hands on training with Jason.
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We like to make sure all of the users will have a
comprehensive knowledge of how the system works
and be able to photograph by themselves before
we leave the site.
Here is Hernan's first run on the system.
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Later... Nico took us on a tour of campus to
see the sights and we were able to take in
some of the local history.
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