Leonila Vázquez-García

Leonila Vázquez García (17 January 1914 – 30 January 1995), known as Leonila Vázquez, was a Mexican entomologist and awardee of the Mexican Entomology Society's 1971 Entomological Merit medal. She is known for the study of the biology of the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus), an insect species used to create the red dye carmine. She was also a renowned butterfly researcher, contributing the first butterfly section to the Encyclopedia of Mexico and describing 39 new species to science throughout her career.

She started teaching in the Faculty of Science at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) in 1943, where she was a distinguished researcher in the university's Institute of Biology for over 50 years.

Education Leonila Vázquez García was born on January 17, 1914, in the city of Jiménez in the northern state of Chihuahua, Mexico. She was particularly interested in studying and describing the relationship between butterflies and trophic vegetation, as well as how these species impact their habitat. She also wrote the first section on butterflies for the Encyclopedia of Mexico.

Fouquieria leonilae Litomosoides leonivazquezae Ruizia leonilae Polycryptocylix leonilae Procambarus vazquezae Melanoplerus vazquezae Empoasca vasquezae Phenogodes vazquezae Hydroptila vazquezae Protesilaus philolaus f. vazquezae Heliconius charitonius vazquezae Coloradia vazquezae Melanchroia vazquezae Synopsia leonilaria