To Dr Syoziro Asahina on his 70th birthday

A short appreciation of the odonatological work of S. ASAH1NA, at present Guest Scientist at the National Institute of Health, Tokyo, Charter Member, Member of Honour and Past President of the International Odonatological Society, and Editor of Tomba – Acta odonalologica, (including a list of taxa dedicated to him) is followed by an annotated checklist of new names of taxa and forms'he has described or proposed in insects (108 in the Odonata), and by his entomological bibliography (1928-1983; 632 titles, inch 376 on the Odonata). Most of his odonatological work is devoted to taxonomy and to the sino-japanese and oriental fauna. We are honoured to write this short appreciation of Dr Syoziro Asahina on the occasion of his 70th birthday. He might well be called the "Father of odonatology in Japan”, and most of the present generation of dragonfly workers in Japan have been brought up under his influence or with his guidance.