Kaloyan Ivanov

"I have always been fascinated by the natural world and the little things that make it go around. For me, a career in science was a natural progression of a childhood dream."

- Dr. Kaloyan Ivanov on what inspired him to pursue a career in science

Contact

Dr. Kaloyan Ivanov
Curator of Recent Invertebrates
kal.ivanov@vmnh.virginia.gov

Professional Titles

• Curator, Department of Recent Invertebrates, Virginia Museum of Natural History
• Research Associate, National Museum of Natural History, Bulgaria
• Adjunct Faculty, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech
• Instructor, Department of Biology, John Carroll University
• Instructor, Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University
• Collections Assistant, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
• Research Biologist, Department of Biology and Ecology of Terrestrial Animals, Institute of Zoology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Education

• Ph.D. Ecology, Cleveland State University, 2010
• M.Sc. Entomology, Sofia University, 2000

Research Interests

• Taxonomy, systematics and natural history of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea), and millipedes (especially Chelodesmidae)
• Hymenoptera taxonomy and natural history
• Biodiversity inventories
• Arthropod collecting techniques
• Community and urban ecology
• Invasion biology

Representative Professional Service

• Founding Board Member, Virginia Institute for Invertebrates
• President, Virginia Natural History Society
• Treasurer, Virginia Natural History Society
• Chair, Entomology Section, Virginia Academy of Science
• Secretary, Entomology Section, Virginia Academy of Science
• Secretary, Natural History and Biodiversity Section, Virginia Academy of Science

Editorial Service

• Editor, Insects of Virginia, Virginia Museum of Natural History
• Editor, Special Publications, Virginia Museum of Natural History
• Editor, Jeffersoniana, Virginia Museum of Natural History
• Subject Editor, Historia Naturalis Bulgarica, National Museum of Natural History
• Topic Editor, Insects, MDPI
• Copy Editor, Banisteria, Virginia Natural History Society

Professional Memberships

• Entomological Society of America
• Entomological Society of Washington
• International Society of Hymenopterists
• Ohio Biological Survey
• Virginia Academy of Sciences
• Virginia Natural History Society

Selected Publications

1. Fang-Ling, C. L., K. Ivanov, S. Y. Chin-Cheng. 2025. Invasive alien ants in the United States: current status and countermeasures. Global Environmental Research. (in press)
2. Harrison, G., A., H. P. Dunleavy, L. F. Vasquez-Valverde, A. I. Del Pozo-Valdivia, K. Ivanov, and P. E. Marek. 2024. Arthropod diversity in shallow subterranean habitats of the Appalachian Mountains. Subterranean Biology 49: 75-95. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.49.128521
3. Bouzan, R. S., J. C. Means, K. Ivanov, A. D. Brescovit, and L. F. M. Iniesta. 2024. Tupadesmus (Polydesmida, Chelodesmidae) and T. muyrakyta, a New Millipede Genus and Species from the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil, with a Checklist of the Chelodesmidae of Pará State. Annales Zoologici Fennici 61(1): 1-14.
4. Parra-Gómez, A., J. Pérez-Schultheiss, J. C. Means, and K. Ivanov. 2023. Two new species of Anaulacodesmus Attems, 1898 (Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from temperate forest fragments in southern Chile. Revista Chilena de Entomología 49(3): 557-569.
5. Malone, M., K. Ivanov, S. V. Taylor, and R. Schürch. 2023. Fast range expansion of the red imported fire ant in Virginia and prediction of future spread in the United States. Ecosphere 14(8): e4652. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4652
6. Means, J. C., R. S. Bouzan, L. F. M. Iniesta, D. Mártinez-Torres, L. F. Vasquez-Valverde, A. D. Brescovit, and K. Ivanov. 2023. A review of the monotypic tribe Dibolostethini (Chelodesmidae: Chelodesminae) with a description of two new species and a summary of the Chelodesmidae of the Tropical Andes Biodiversity Hotspot. European Journal of Taxonomy 885: 65-85. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2023.885.2189
7. Iniesta, L. F.M., R. S. Bouzan, J. C. Means, K. Ivanov, and A. D. Brescovit. 2023.  Where are they from and where are they going? Detecting areas of endemism, distribution patterns and conservation status of the order Spirostreptida in Brazil (Diplopoda, Juliformia). Biodiversity and Conservation 32(5): 1591-1615. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-023-02566-2
8. Bouzan, R. S., J. C. Means, K. Ivanov, R. L. Ferreira, A. D. Brescovit, and L. F. M. Iniesta. 2022. Worldwide distribution of cave-dwelling Chelodesmidae (Diplopoda, Polydesmida). International Journal of Speleology 51(3): 235-248. http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.51.3.2448
9. Bouzan, R. S., J. C. Means, K. Ivanov, T. M. de Almeida, A. D. Brescovit, and L. F. M. Iniesta 2022. Three new species of the Amazonian millipede genus Leptherpum (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae). Zoologia 39(2): 222020. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-4689.v39.e22020
10. Moncrief, N. D., L. Hightower, A. J. Mead, and K. Ivanov. 2022. Prevalence and location of survivable skeletal injuries in two North American tree squirrels (Sciurus). Journal of Mammalogy 103(3): 663-671. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab131
11. Hightower, L., N. D. Moncrief, and K. Ivanov. 2019. First Virginia records of the Neotropical Deer Ked Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae). Banisteria 53: 78-83.
12. Ivanov, K. 2019. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Ohio: an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65-87. doi: 10.3897/jhr.70.35207
13. Ivanov, K., L. Hightower, S. T. Dash, and J. B. Keiper 2019. 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia. Zootaxa 4554: 532-560.
14. Ivanov, K. 2017. Old collections add a new species to Virginia’s ensign wasp (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae) fauna. Banisteria 49: 22-25.
15. Ivanov, K. 2016. Exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Ohio. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 51: 203-226. doi: 10.3897/jhr.51.9135
16. Paluh, D., C. Eddy, C. Hickerson, K. Ivanov, and C. Anthony. 2015. Selective foraging on ants by a terrestrial polymorphic salamander. American Midland Naturalist 174:265-277
17. Ivanov, K., O. M. Lockhart, J. Keiper, and B. M. Walton. 2011. Status of the exotic ant Nylanderia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in northeastern Ohio. Biological Invasions 9: 1945-1950. DOI 10.1007/s10530-011-0021-z
18. Ivanov, K., J. Keiper. 2010. Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversity and community composition along sharp urban forest edges. Biodiversity and Conservation 19:3917-3933. DOI 10.1007/s1053 1-010-9937-3
19. Ivanov, K., J. Milligan, and J. Keiper. 2010. Efficiency of the Winkler method for extracting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from temperate-forest litter. Myrmecological News 13: 73-79
20. Ivanov, K., J. Keiper. 2009. Effectiveness and biases of Winkler litter extraction and pitfall trapping for collecting ground-dwelling ants in northern temperate forests. Environmental Entomology 38(6): 1724-1736
21. Francoeur, A., K. Ivanov. 2008. The known range of Myrmica semiparasitica (Formicidae: Hymenoptera). Notes from Underground 13(1).
22. Ivanov, K., J. Milligan. 2008. Paratrechina flavipes (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a new exotic ant for Ohio. Proceedings Entomological Society of Washington 110(2): 439-444
23. Georgiev, G., T. Ljubomirov, M. Raikova, K. Ivanov, V. Sakalian. 2004. Insect inhabitants of old larval galleries of Saperda populanea (L.) (Col. Cerambycidae) in Bulgaria. Journal of Pest Science 77: 235-243
24. Georgiev, G., M. Raikova, T. Ljubomirov, K. Ivanov. 2004. New parasitoids of Saperda populanea (L.) (Col. Cerambycidae) in Bulgaria. Journal of Pest Science 77: 179-182
25. Ivanov, K. 2003. Hybrizontinae (Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae) – a new subfamily to the fauna of Montenegro. In: V. Pesic, V. Spalevic, G. Karaman, Z. Jovovic, and M. Langourov (Eds). The Biodiversity of the Biogradska Gora National Park. Monographies I, Department of Biology, University of Montenegro & Centre for Biodiversity of Montenegro: 104-105.
26. Ivanov, K. 2002. New faunistic records of family Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Razgradski Heights (NE Bulgaria). - Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 54(1): 35-42.
27. Ivanov, K., T. Ljubomirov. 2001. Hymenoptera (Insecta) in Kresna Gorge (SW Bulgaria).  In: P. Beron (Ed). Biodiversity of Kresna Gorge: 205-215.