‘Bellography’: Life and Contributions of Ross and Joyce Bell, two New England Naturalists

Abstract. The lives and contributions of Ross and Joyce Bell are described with particular attention to studies of invertebrate natural history in the state of Vermont and carabid beetles of several groups, including the world rhysodine fauna. Their work, all done at the University of Vermont, was mainly taxonomic in nature and included aspects of the biology of the species considered. During their careers they described more than 75% of the c. 340 rhysodine species known to science. Ross Bell also wrote a number of seminal papers about the basal relationships of the Adephaga and the comparative anatomy of carabid coxal cavities. Ross and Joyce inspired several generations of students at UVM to take up advanced work in entomology and natural history.