Biography

I was born in Kyiv in 1946 and began to study the flies in 1966, as a student of the Biological Faculty of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University, and a Chief of Zoological Dept. Prof. A. Kryshtal’ suggested taking up the Sarcophagidae. My first teacher in dipterological researches was Prof. Boris B. Rohdendorf (1904-1977) from Paleontological Institute (Moscow). I have visited him during 1968-1977.
I am Ph. Dr. (since 1974, the name of my MSc-thesis was “Sarcophagid flies of the Mid-Dnieper region”), Dr. Sci. (since 1989, the name of my MSc-thesis was “Sarcophagid flies of the Old World. The system, ecology, distribution “) and full professor (since 1991). In 1973-2004 I took up step by step the positions as assistant professor, docent, full professor, chief of Zoological Department of Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, and in 2005-2007 I was a chief of Department of Ecology and Nature Protection of State Academy of Housing and Communal Services (Kyiv). I was the chief scientist of the Institute of Plant Protection (Kyiv) in 2008-2011. From February 2012 I have been the chief scientist of the Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, (Kyiv). Member of Academy of Sciences of the High School of Ukraine (since 1995), Soros Laureate (1998).
I had a very interest in two-winged flies (Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae, Rhinophoridae) of all continents as well as in taxonomy, systematics, faunistic and habits. I like field work just as much as curatorial work on museum collections, and I have collected flies in all parts of Ukraine, in Gruzia, Kazakhstan, Siberia (Altai), Turkey.
I was published over 300 scientific and tutorial works, among them more than 140 dipterological works, which have been published in Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Finland, France, India, Japan, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Seychelles, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom.
One tribe, 10 subtribes, 54 genera and subgenera have firstly designed, and about 240 unknown species of sarcophagids have been described, and a Catalogue of Palaearctic Sarcophagidae had been published (1986). One subfamily (Helicoboscinae) has been designed for the first time, and 11 unknown species of calliphorids have been described as well as 3 new dipterans infraordines (Conopomorpha Verves & Narchuk, 1992, Platypezomorpha Verves & Narchuk, 1992, Syrphomorpha Verves & Narchuk, 1992) have been designed. I am (together with Prof. Emilyia Narchuk, St Petersburg) an author of hypothesis of historical development of trophic connections of the larvae of the high Diptera. My other scientific interests are in the evolution (I formed the original hypothesis on the identity of evolutionary and ecological factors) and in paleontology I has designed 3 new Cambrian classes of Chelicerata (Hebeliamorpha Verves, 1996, Molariomorpha Verves, 1996, Saratroceromorpha Verves, 1996).