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Scientific and Common Names
of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained

Salamanders . Frogs and Toads . Turtles . Alligators and Crocodiles . Lizards . Snakes
Mythological Appendix . Acknowledgements

Copyright and all rights reserved by Ellin Beltz, 2006 . Information for Users at the Bottom of the Page

Biographies


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  1. Abbott, Clinton Gilbert (1881-1946) Coleonyx variegatus abbotti Klauber, 1945: "Named for Clinton G. Abbott, Director of the San Diego Society of Natural History, a friend, editorial guide and a scientific associate for many years."
    • 1881 Born in Liverpool, England, son of American citizens, April 17th.
    • 1903 AB, Columbia U.
    • 1910-1914 Vice-president of the Linnaean Society of NY.
    • 1911 Authored "The home life of the Osprey"
    • 1914-1915 Post-graduate, Cornell U.
    • 1918-1921 Confidential secretary and editor of the NY State Conservation Commission.
    • 1921 Took charge of Public Education at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
    • 1922+ Director of San Diego Natural History Museum.
    • 1923-1925 President of the San Diego Natural History Society.
    • Member of the American Ornithologists Union, Western Society of Naturalists and many other professional societies.

  2. Agassiz, Jean Louis Rodolphe (1807-1873) Gopherus agassizii (Cooper, 1863) "I take the liberty of naming this fine tortoise [Xerobates agassizii] after the celebrated zoologist, whose work on the development, anatomy and classification of American Turtles ["Contributions to the Natural History of the United States"] leaves nothing to be desired in these particulars. We may hope before long to see his descriptions of the genera and species, on which he has been engaged for several years, and which, like the tortoise itself, though slow in coming, will doubtless prove of solid worth and durable quality." Chelonia mydas agassizii Bocourt, 1868
    • 1807 Born in French Switzerland.
    • 1830 MD, Munich.
    • Studied at Jardin des Plantes, Paris, France under Baron Cuvier, the founder of comparative anatomy.
    • 1832 Lecturer and Curator at the U Neuchatel, Switzerland. By the time he left Switzerland, he had 175 publications including: 20 books with 2000 plates.
    • 1846 Awarded funds by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia to travel to America and study glaciers. He was appointed to the Lowell lectureship at Harvard. His popular lectures in US paid Neuchatel debts and provided funds for continuing researches. "My intention is not, however, to impart information, but to throw the burden of study on you. If I succeed in teaching you to observe, my aim will be attained."
    • 1847 Visited Holbrook at Holbrook's plantation.
    • 1848 Chair of Zoology and Geology, Lawrence Scientific School, Harvard, Cambridge, MA. Henry D. Thoreau sent Agassiz, turtles, fish and a black snake. The fish was new to science.
    • 1850 Wed Elizabeth Cabot Cary, who had to become adjusted to snakes in the closet and worse.
    • c1853 Collected around Lake Superior, Lake Huron and FL.
    • c1858 Responsible for construction and outfitting Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard.
    • 1865 Went to Brazil with Mrs. A., paid assistants and student volunteers aboard the Colorado. Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil opened the Amazon to the expedition for study.
    • 1866 In July, the Thayer Expedition returned home with more than 80,000 specimens.
    • 1871 Explored a glacier in the Strait of Magellan. Named it in honor of their steamer, the Hassler.
    • 1873 John Anderson, gave his island of Penikese in Buzzard's Bay off New Bedford, MA and $50K to start a summer school for marine natural history, which became the Marine Biological Laboratory at Wood's Hole, MA. Authored "Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of America," 1st 2 volumes on turtles.

  3. Allen, Ensil Ross (1908-1981) Elaphe obsoleta rossalleni Neill, 1949 "in honor of Mr. [E. Ross] Allen, for it was his assiduous collecting which focused attention on the form..."
    • 1908 Born in Pittsburgh, PA, January 2nd.
    • 1911-1922 Family moved several times: Topeka, KS; Mt. Vernon, OH; Muncie, IN; Akron, OH; Middletown, OH. He studied the natural history of each of those areas.
    • 1924 Moved to Winter Haven, FL.
    • 1927-1929 Attended Stetson University, DeLand, FL.
    • 1929 Founder and director of the Ross Allen Reptile Institute, Silver Springs, Florida.
    • 1937 Collected in Honduras.
    • 1941-1945 Directed the milking of 73,960 poisonous snakes to fill war contracts for antivenin.
    • 1947 Collected in Colombia.
    • 1948 Collected in Cuba.
    • 1949 Collected type of Elaphe obsoleta rossalleni in the Everglades.
    • 1950 Described turtle vocalizations in Copeia.
    • 1965 Received conservation award from the Florida Department of Agriculture.
    • 1969-1971 Member Florida Commission of Indian Affairs.
    • 1970 Owner of the Indian Prairie Farm, FL.
    • Founder and President of the International Crocodile Society.
    • Biography by Hylander, C.J. "Adventures with Reptiles, the Story of Ross Allen." Julian Messner Inc. New York, 1957

  4. Allen, Joel Asaph (1838-1921) Regina alleni (Garman, 1874)
    • Scion of two historic American families, the Allen's back to 1640, and the Trumbull's to 1639.
    • 1852 At the age of 14, made a collection of birds and attempted to draw and color them.
    • 1861 Sold his collections to Wilbraham Academy, Springfield, MA, to finance his studies at Harvard with Louis Agassiz.
    • 1865-1866 Zoological Assistant, Thayer Expedition to Brazil, under Prof. Agassiz.
    • 1867 Collecting Expedition to western NY, southeastern IN, northern IL, western IA, southern MI.
    • 1868-1869 Expedition to East Florida, via St. Johns River to the head of Lake George for MCZ.
    • 1868-1880 Curator of Reptiles, Birds and Mammals, Boston Society of Natural History.
    • 1870-1875 Asst. Ornithology and Curator of Birds and Mammals, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ), Harvard.
    • 1871-1872 Fort Leavenworth, KS, west to northern UT for MCZ.
    • 1873 Chief of the party of Naturalists of the N. Pacific Railroad Expedition from Bismark, ND to the Yellowstone and back for the Smithsonian.
    • 1876 Wrote "The American Bisons, Living and Extinct."
    • 1876-1883 Corresponding Secretary, Nuttall Ornithological Club and Editor of its Bulletin.
    • 1880 Author of "History of North American Pinnipeds"
    • 1883-1891 President of the American Ornithologist Union. Editor of "the Auk" from 1883-1912
    • 1885+ Curator of Birds and Mammals, American Museum of Natural History.
    • 1886 One of five incorporators of the 1st Audubon Society, NY.
    • 1889 Editor-in-chief of all the Museum's publications.
    • 1910+ Member of the Commission on Zoological Nomenclature of the International Congress of Zoology.
    • He received many honorary degrees and continued writing until close to his death. He was impatient of careless work and generalizations based on insufficient data.
    • Autobiographical notes and bibliography, Field Museum Library.

  5. Arny, Samuel ( - ) Diadophis punctatus arnyi Kennicott, 1859
    • 1856 Lived in Bloomington, IL 1856 (Kennicott's letters)
    • 1857 Sent snakes and lizards to Kennicott (Kennicott's letters)
    • pre 1859 Collected type in the town of Hyatt in Anderson County, KS.


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  6. Bailey, Vernon Orlando (1864-1942) Crotaphytus collaris baileyi Stejneger, 1890
    • 1864 Born in Manchester, MI, June 21.
    • 1887-1933 Began collecting for the US Department of Agriculture and continued the work until his retirement as Chief Field Naturalist of the US Biological Survey.
    • 1893 Wrote "Spermophiles of the Mississippi Valley," and many other publications.
    • 1894-1895 Studied at the Columbian U (now George Washington U, Washington, DC).
    • 1895 "Pocket Gophers of the Mississippi Valley."
    • 1897 Authored "Revision of Voles of Genera Evotomys and Microtus."
    • 1933 A founder and President of the American Society of Mammalogists.
    • Supervised the accounts of US Biological Survey collections written by Stejneger.
    • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Ornithologists Union, and the Cooper Ornithological Club.

  7. Baird, Spencer Fullerton (1823-1887) Elaphe bairdi (Yarrow, 1880)
    • 1823 born February 3, Reading, PA
    • 1840 AB, Dickinson College, Cumberland County, PA.
    • 1840-1841 Spent a year on his own studying nature and collecting.
    • 1843 MA, Dickinson College.
    • 1844-1846 Professor, Natural History and Chemistry, Dickinson College.
    • 1846 August 8, Married Mary Churchill
    • 1846 Joined the Smithsonian shortly after it was founded.
    • 1846 Baird's collection added to those of the US Exploring Expedition (Wilkes Expedition) specimens formed core of natural history specimens at the Smithsonian Institution.
    • 1850 Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian, to Joseph Henry.
    • 1850-1860 Explored Wyoming Territory for US Government.
    • 1853 Wrote "Catalog of North American Reptiles< with Girard.
    • 1874 1st Commissioner, US Department of Fish and Fisheries.
    • 1878 Unanimously elected Secretary, Smithsonian.
    • 1887 Died 19 August at Woods Hole, MA of unspecified causes.
    • Encouraged Kennicott and Charles Girard, and other young naturalists who formed an informal group known as the Megatheria.
    • Wrote 1,068 separate publications.
    • Instrumental in establishing Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute.
    • Biographies: (1) Dall, "Spencer Fullerton Baird," Lippincott, Philadelphia 1915. and "Letters of Spencer Fullerton Baird;" (3) Biographical memoirs of Spencer Fullerton Baird, published in both The Auk, Vol. 5, 1888, #1; and Smithsonian Report for 1888, Washington, DC, 1890; (4) Bibliography: Bull. US Natl. Mus. #20.

  8. Bangs, Outram (1863-1932) Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi Babcock, 1937 "In proposing subspecific distinction for this isolated group, I associate the name of my friend the late Mr. Outram Bangs who first called by attention to this unique New England colony."
    • 1863 Born in Watertown, MA, January 12.
    • c1873 Lived with his family in England for nearly a year.
    • Attended Noble's School, Boston and the Lawrence Scientific School, Harvard.
    • 1880-1884 Studied at Harvard College, Cambridge, MA.
    • 1890 Began systematic study of the mammals of eastern North America.
    • 1894-1899 Wrote over 70 titles, 55 of them on mammals.
    • 1895 Traveled to Lake Edward, Quebec and Micco, Brevard County, FL.
    • 1896 Worked at St. Mary's, GA and made short visits to Cumberland Island, and localities on the FL side of the St. Mary's River.
    • 1897 Collected at Pt. Matanzas, Carterville, Anastasia Is., Oak Lodge, Eau Gallie and Gainesville, FL.
    • 1899 His collection of mammals, over 10,000 skins and skulls and including over 100 type specimens was purchased by subscription and presented to Harvard College. Appointed Asst. in Mammalogy.
    • 1900+ Curator of Mammals, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard U.
    • 1906 Visited Jamaica. Collected over 100 birds, but his trip was cut short by dengue fever.
    • 1908 His collection of birds, over 24,000 skins was presented to the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. He assumed charge of the arrangement and increase of the bird collection.
    • 1918 Honorary AM, Harvard U.
    • 1925 Traveled to Europe. Visited museums, visited ornithologists and arranged exchanges.
    • Member American Ornithologists Union, wrote for The Auk.

  9. Barbour, Thomas (1884-1946) Sistrurus miliarius barbouri Gloyd, 1935 Graptemys barbouri Carr and Marchand, 1942 Ambystoma barbouri Kraus and Petranka, 1989 "...the name of Dr. Thomas Barbour, who has contributed extensively to our knowledge of Florida reptiles and amphibians."
    • 1884 Born in Martha's Vineyard.
    • 1903 Presented his preserved collection of reptiles and amphibians to the Museum of Comparative Anatomy (MCZ) at Harvard. Many specimens came from the NY Zoological Gardens whose keepers had saved dead animals for him.
    • 1906 AB, Harvard U.
    • 1907-1908 Delegate from Harvard to first Pan-American Scientific Congress, Santiago, Chile.
    • 1908 AM, Harvard U.
    • 1910 PhD, Harvard U.
    • 1911-1927 From Assoc. Curator to Curator Reptiles and Amphibians, MCZ, Harvard U.
    • 1912 Authored "Contribution to the Zoogeography of the East Indian Islands."
    • 1914 Authored "Contribution to the Zoogeography of the West Indies."
    • Authored "Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles" with Stejneger (5 editions).
    • 1919 Collected type of Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, Dade County, FL.
    • 1923-1945 Executive officer in charge of Barro Colorado Island Laboratory (now the Canal Zone Biological Area), Gatun Lake, Panama.
    • 1927 Custodian of Harvard Biological Station and Botanical Garden Soledad, Cuba.
    • 1927+ Director, MCZ, Harvard U.
    • 1927 ScD, Havana U.
    • Received honorary degrees (ScD) from Harvard U in 1940 and U of FL in 1944.
    • Explored E and W Indies, India, Burma, China Japan and S. and Central America for MCZ.
    • He was a student of geographical distribution of reptiles and amphibians.
    • His popular writings include: "A Naturalist in Cuba, This Vanishing Eden," and "A Naturalist's Scrapbook" (1946). He was a huge, sentimental Irishman and a fine writer. Adjacent to his MCZ office was the "Eateria," to which he invited all to eat and converse. His secretary, Helen Robinson, prepared all the food for his, literally, thousands of guests.

  10. Bartram, William (1739-1823) Hyla crucifer bartramiana Harper, 1939 [Son of John Bartram, (1699-1777), Quaker botanist.]
    • 1765-1766 Explored St. John's River.
    • 1771 Returned to Philadelphia.
    • 1773-1778 Explored the southern states studying plants.
    • 1782 Declined a botany professorship at U PA for reasons of health.
    • 1786 Member of American Philosophical Society.
    • 1791 Published "Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida."
    • Seminole Native Americans called him "Puc-Puggy" which means "Flower-hunter."
    • Planted seeds and cuttings of the plants he collected during his travels to the family residence and garden, Kingsessing, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, PA.
    • pre1803 Drew a majority of the plates for Professor William Barton's "Elements of Botany."
    • Never married, died in the home in which he had been born.

  11. Baudin, Nicholas (1756-1803) Smilisca baudinii (Dumeril and Bibron, 1841) It is noted that the type of Smilisca baudinii donated by "Mons. Baudin."
    • 1756 Born on St.-Martin de Re Island, France.
    • 1776 French Naval Officer, American Revolutionary War.
    • 1786-1789 2 voyages to Indian Ocean and Pacific.
    • 1792-1793 Aboard Jardiniere, as Captain, reached Cape of Good Hope. Turned back from Australia by hurricanes. Continued to India, Persian Gulf and Cape of Good Hope. Shipwrecked.
    • 1793 Arrived in the United States.
    • 1795 Returned to France leaving his botanical collection from the Indies at Trinidad. Involved with the Jardin des Plants, Museum National d'Histoire Naturell, Paris.
    • 1797-1803 Voyaged to Australia in command of the Geographe and the Naturaliste.

  12. Baur, George Herman Carl Ludwig (1859-1898) Kinosternon baurii (Garman, 1891) and Terrapene carolina bauri Taylor, 1895 "This species is named for Dr. Baur, who first noticed the peculiarities of the type, but having only the one specimen considered it an exceptional individual of Terrapene triunguis." Dr. Baur was an osteologist and testudinologist.
    • 1859 Born in Bohemia, Germany.
    • 1882-1884 Munich.
    • 1884-1890 Yale.
    • 1890-1891 Clark.
    • 1892 Collected extensive ornithological specimens in the Galapagos Archipelago.
    • 1893-1898 Asst. to Assoc. Professor Paleontology, U Chicago.
    • 1898 Died in Munich, Germany while on a rest and recuperation trip.
    • Described Graptemys oculifera, kohnii, pulchra and Pseudemys concinna texana.

  13. Baxter, George T. (1919- ) Bufo hemiophrys baxteri Porter, 1968 "Named in honor of George T. Baxter who discovered the relict population."
    • 1919 Born in Grover, CO.
    • 1946 BS and MS, U WY.
    • 1947-1959 Instructor to Associate Professor, U WY.
    • 1952 PhD, Zoology, U MI.
    • 1959+ Professor Zoology, U WY.
    • 1968-1970 Acting Head of the Department of Zoology, U WY.
    • 1984 Retired, U WY.

  14. Beck, Rollo Howard (1870-1950) Sceloporus occidentalis becki Van Denburgh, 1905 "I take pleasure in naming this island form in honor of Mr. R.H. Beck who collected the specimens."
    • 1870 Born in Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, CA, August 26.
    • Joined the FB Webster-Harris Expedition to the Galapagos to collect giant tortoises for Lord Rothschild.
    • 1905 2nd expedition to the Galapagos, collecting birds and tortoises for the CA Academy of Sciences.
    • 1906-1908 Collected sea birds off the CA coast near Monterey Bay and waterfowl in the San Joaquin Valley near Los Banos.
    • 1908 Visited Alaska.
    • 1912 Rediscovered the Hornby Petrel on the coast of Peru. Head of the Whitney South Sea Expedition. Spent several years exploring the islands of the South Pacific and the interior of New Guinea for the American Museum of Natural History.
    • 1936 Published a brief autobiography in RC Murphy's "Oceanic Birds of South America."

  15. Belding, Lyman (1829-1917) Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi Stejneger, 1894 "I take great pleasure in naming this new species after Mr. L. Belding, whose extensive and excellent herpetological (contribution) in Lower California as well as in Upper California has never been adequately recognized."
    • 1829 Born in Northampton, MA.
    • 1879 Authored "A Partial List of the Birds of Central California," containing notes on 220 species.
    • 1881 Visited Cerros Island and San Quentin Bay, CA.
    • 1881-1883 Trips to the Cape region of Lower CA. Collected new birds and studied avifauna of the region.
    • 1883 Elected an Active Member of the American Ornithologists' Union. Selected by the Committee on Bird Migration to take charge of the migration work in the Pacific District.
    • 1890 Wrote "Land Birds of the Pacific District."
    • 1896 Made an honorary member of the Cooper Ornithological Club.

  16. Bell, L. Neil ( - ) Pseudobranchus axanthus belli Schwartz, 1952 "...of the U of Miami, whose aid in securing the original series cannot be minimized."
    • 1933 Born in Atlanta, GA, April 15th.
    • 1939 Moved to Miami, FL.
    • 1950-1954 Attended University of Miami, FL. BS in Zoology
    • 1950-1958 Collected extensively in the Florida Everglades and Big Cypress area
    • 1952 Collected holotype and paratypes of Pseudobranchus axanthus belli in the Everglades.
    • 1955-1957 Wildlife Biologist for Florida Fish and Game Department, researching Rana grylio and Rana catesbeiana and the effects of restricted water flow and commercial frog hunting.
    • 1958-1960 Served in U.S. Air Force in Minnesota and Montana
    • 1977-1981 Attended University of California at Berkeley. BS in Entomology and PhD graduate student for three years. Published several small papers on acquatic beetles (Dytiscidae and Helmidae)
    • 1960-1991 Data processing director for Kaiser Hospitals, Oakland, California.
    • 1991 Retired and remains intensively interested in herpetology.

  17. Bell, Thomas (1792-1880) Chrysemys picta bellii (Gray, 1831)
    • 1816-1861 Resident, Guy's Hospital, London.
    • Royal College of Surgeons, described as a "dental surgeon and naturalist."
    • 1834 Published the "Monograph of the Testudinata."
    • 1836 Professor Zoology, King's College, London.
    • 1839 Authored "History of British Reptiles."
    • Gave specimens of turtles to Holbrook.

  18. Berlandier, Jean Louis (c1805-1851) Rana berlandieri Baird, 1859 and Gopherus berlandieri (Agassiz, 1857) "Collected by the late Mr. Berlandier, a zealous French naturalist, to whom we are indebted for much of what we know of the natural history of northern Mexico."
    • Born in Belgium.
    • Studied with DeCandolle, author of "Prodomus," a world botany book.
    • 1826 Left Europe for Mexico as a collector for DeCandolle and other Genevese botanists.
    • 1827-1828 Worked for Mexican Government on their survey of eastern TX. It was a very difficult trip and many specimens were lost and destroyed. His work with the Boundary Commission was the first extensive collecting in Texas. Primarily interested in botany, also collected fauna. Contracted malaria which made collecting for his patrons impossible. DeCandolle was not pleased with the condition and quantity of botanical materials. Berlandier stayed in Mexico, settled in Matamoros and married a local woman. Engaged in a pharmaceutical business and made frequent botanical exploration in various parts of Mexico.
    • 1834 Collected in Goliad and Bexar, TX. Lt. Couch reported that Berlandier was well respected in Matamoros and had served as an interpreter to General Arista during the Mexican War. He was in charge of the hospitals at Matamoros during the war. Collected the type specimen of Gopherus berlandieri.
    • 1851 Drowned attempting to cross the San Fernando River, south of Matamoros.
    • 1853 His collection was purchased from his widow by Lt. DN Couch.

  19. Beyer, George Eugene (1861-1926) AHW Necturus beyeri Viosca, 1937 "named for the pioneer student of Louisiana herpetology, the late George E. Beyer."
    • 1861 Born in Dresden, Saxony, Germany.
    • 1867-1879 Educated in Germany, left in 1880.
    • 1881-1883 Traveled as a naturalist in Central and South America.
    • 1883 Settled in New Orleans, LA.
    • 1893 Curator of vertebrates, Tulane Museum.
    • 1895-1918 Asst. professor to full professor, Tulane U.
    • 1918-1926 LA State Board of Health (note: Viosca also worked there).
    • President of the LA Naturalists Society and a Member of the US Yellow Fever Institute and Commission to Veracruz, Mexico. He was a special inspector for the Biological Survey of the US Department of Agriculture.

  20. Bishop, Sherman Chauncey (1887-1951) Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi Grobman, 1943 "It is fitting to associate with this hitherto unrecognized salamander the name of Sherman C. Bishop, of the University of Rochester, who has contributed largely to our understanding of the salamanders of the United States."
    • 1887 Born in Sloatsburg, NY, November 18. Spent his childhood by Erie Canal, Clyde, NY.
    • Left high school without graduating after disagreements with local school authorities.
    • Entered Cornell University as a special student in entomology.
    • 1909-1913 Asst. Entomologist, Cornell U.
    • 1912 Member of Cornell Okefenokee Expedition.
    • 1913 BS, Cornell U.
    • 1914-1915 Plant Pathologist and Entomologist, Cornell U.
    • 1915-1916 Biologist, Cornell U.
    • Served during World War I in Naval Intelligence at the Charleston Naval Base.
    • 1916-1928 Zoologist, NY State Museum, at Albany, NY.
    • 1925 PhD, Cornell U.
    • 1928-1951 Asst. Professor Biology to Professor Vertebrate Zoology, U Rochester, NY.
    • 1941 Wrote "Salamanders of NY."
    • 1943 Completed "Handbook of Salamanders," the first serious and comprehensive work on North American salamanders since Cope (1889).
    • Charter member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

  21. Blainville, Henri Marie Ducrotay de (1777-1850) Phrynosoma coronatum blainvillii Gray, 1839
    • -1808 Studied medicine and comparative anatomy under Cuvier.
    • 1822 Authored "New classification of animals based on external rather than internal organs."
    • 1830+ Professor of Zoology, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle.
    • 1835 Authored "Description of some species of reptiles from CA."

  22. Blair, William Franklin (W. Frank) (1912-1984) Rana blairi Mecham, Littlejohn, Oldham, Brown and Brown, 1973 "...in honor of W. Frank Blair because of his early suggestion that there were cryptic `Rana pipiens' species in the southwestern United States (a suggestion which lead directly to the discovery of R. blairi in Texas in 1963), and more generally in recognition of his contributions to our knowledge of the systematics and evolutionary biology of anurans."
    • 1912 Born in Dayton, TX, June 25th.
    • 1916-1922 His family moved to a strawberry farm in Oklahoma.
    • 1922-1930 Lived in Tulsa where his interest in biology was influenced by two teachers.
    • Graduated Central High School and entered the U of Tulsa.
    • 1934 BS, U Tulsa.
    • 1935-1936 Moved to Gainesville, MS, U FL.
    • 1935-1937 Asst. Mammal Division, U MI. 1938, PhD, U MI.
    • 1937-1946 Research Associate, Laboratory Vertebrate Biology, U MI.
    • 1941-1946 Drafted into the Army, served in the Air Force Altitude Training and Survival Programs. He taught the use of natural foods and his delight in serving snake, rodent, etc. to high-ranking officers is featured in his recollections.
    • 1946-1955 Asst. Professor to Professor, Zoology, U TX.
    • 1956 VP, American Society Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1960 Author of "The Rusty Lizard, A Population Study."
    • 1972 Editor, "Evolution in the genus Bufo."
    • 1972 Director of the Breckenridge Field Laboratory, U TX, Austin, TX.
    • Authored 129 articles (19 more with co-authors), 5 books, 8 testimonies before congressional committees, innumerable book reviews and abstracts, and supervised over 100 scientific publications resulting from his student's work, without being listed as co-author.

  23. Blanchard, Frank Nelson (1888-1937) Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi Grobman, 1941 and Acris crepitans blanchardi Harper, 1947
    • 1888 Born in Stoneham, MA. Promoted the careful study of habits and life histories of snakes.
    • 1913 Graduated Tufts U, served as a teaching assistant in botany.
    • 1913-1916 Taught zoology, MA Agricultural College (MA State College), Amherst, MA.
    • 1916 Zoology Fellowship at U MI.
    • Studied with Helen T. Gaige under Alexander Ruthven.
    • 1918-1919 Aide, Division of Reptiles, US National Museum, Smithsonian, worked under Stejneger.
    • 1919 PhD, U MI, thesis was on Lampropeltis.
    • 1920 Returned to U MI to teach zoology.
    • 1922 Wrote "Amphibians and Reptiles of Western Tennessee."
    • 1926 U MI, Asst. Professor.
    • 1927-1928 Sabbatical in New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania, studied tuatara and urged its conservation.
    • 1934 U MI, Assoc. Professor.
    • 1935 Spent a semester with HK Gloyd on a trip through the southwestern and western US. Began work on a manual of the snakes of the US which Dr. Gloyd continued after his death.
    • 1936-1937 VP, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • Developed techniques to study live animals in the field and marking techniques.

  24. Blanding, Dr. William (1772-1857) Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838) "This animal was first observed by Dr. William Blanding, of Philadelphia, an accurate Naturalist, whose name I have given to the species."
    • 1772 Born at Rehoboth, MA.
    • c1830 Collected the holotype known as: ANSP (Phila, PA) 26123, Illinois Fox River.
    • 1834 He was a "newer member" of the Academy of Natural Sciences (ANSP) at this time.
    • Collected many reptiles for ANSP. And in 1838 Holbrook acknowledged Dr. Blanding "...formerly of Columbia, South Carolina and now residing in Philadelphia for several undescribed reptiles from the South and West."
    • Presented a paper on the "Fecundity of the Bass," ANSP
    • 1857 Died at Rehoboth, MA, October 12th.

  25. Blaney, Valeria Biddle (1828-1856) Virginia valeriae Baird and Girard, 1853
    • 1828 Born July 8 - first cousin of Spencer Fullerton Baird,
    • pre1853 Collected a type specimen of Virginia valeriae for Baird and Girard in Kent County, on the eastern shore of MD.
    • 1856 Married August 20 to Brig. General Washington LaFayette Elliott (1825-29 Jun 1888)
    • Delivered four children: Katherine Blaney Elliott (11 Jul 1858-30 Nov 1932); Frances Vaughan Elliott (22 Oct 1861- ?); George Blaney Elliott (27 Jan 1863-7 Jan 1894); Mary Biddle Elliott (3 Sep 1866- ?)
    • 1900 died May 6 in San Francisco, CA.

  26. Bocourt, Marie Firmin (1819-1904) Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii Boulenger, 1885
    • 1819 Born in France.
    • 1883 Wrote "Etudes sur les poissons" (Studies of fish) with Leon Vaillant.
    • 1870 Co-authored "Etudes sur les reptiles et les batraciens" (Studies of reptiles and amphibians) with Auguste Dumeril.

  27. Bogert, Charles Mitchill (1908-1992) Coleonyx variegatus bogerti Klauber, 1945 Bogertophis Dowling and Price, 1988 "Charles M. Bogert, emeritus curator of the Department of Herpetology of the American Museum of Natural History, in recognition of his many contributions to the systematics of colubrid snakes." Price (1990), Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept. 497
    • 1908 Born in Mesa, CO, June 4.
    • 1928 Technician, Division of Nature Study, Los Angeles City Schools.
    • 1930 Guide at Rocky Mountain National Park.
    • 1932 Ranger Naturalist, US National Park Service, Grand Canyon.
    • 1934 AB, U CA, Los Angeles, (UCLA).
    • 1934-1936 Teaching assistant at UCLA.
    • 1936 AM, UCLA.
    • 1936-1940 Assistant Curator, Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).
    • 1938 Thermal investigation initiated in Coachella Valley, CA, continued in FL, AZ, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, CA, Bimini Island, TX, Mexico and Arizona again in
    • 1952-1953.
    • 1939 Faunal investigations in Mexico were initiated with a Grant-in-Aid from the Carnegie Corporation. Since then collections have been assembled in nearly every state in Mexico, except those in the Peninsula of Yucatan.
    • 1940-1941 Associate Curator, in Charge of the Department of Herpetology, AMNH.
    • 1941-1942 Vice President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1943+ Curator, Department of Herpetology, AMNH.
    • 1944 Studied body temperatures of alligators and lizards in Florida.
    • 1944+ Chairman and Curator, Department of Herpetology, AMNH.
    • 1945 Studied saurian thermoregulation at Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum in AZ.
    • 1946 Initiated explorations in the Mexican state of Coahuila, with K.P. Schmidt of the Field Museum of Natural History.
    • 1946 First president of the Herpetologist's League, appointed by Chapman Grant, founder of the Herpetologists League.
    • 1946-1948 Served as secretary to the Council of the Scientific Staff of the AMNH.
    • 1948-1950 Researches in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Bimini Island, Bahamas.
    • 1949-1951 Dean of the Council of Scientific Staff, AMNH.
    • 1950 Instructor at the Mountain Lake Biological Station of the University of VA.
    • 1951-1953 Traveled in the Southwest: AZ, NM, TX and Mexico.
    • 1952 Scientific investigator at the Mountain Lake Biological Station, U VA.
    • 1952-1954 President, American Society Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
    • 1953 Initiated investigations of the behavioral significance of anuran vocalizations in Chiricahua Mountains,in AZ and in Mexico, continued in Florida (Archbold Biological Station) and in AZ, Mexico, FL, TX, WY, UT, CA, and Ceylon (1965).
    • 1953 Taped recordings of various animals initiated in the Chiricahua Mountains, AZ, during this year led to four long-playing discs issued by Folk Records, including "Sounds of the American Southwest" in 1954, "Sounds of North American Frogs" in 1958, as well as two records of folk music recorded in Mexico in 1958 and 1960.
    • 1954 Continued his researches on alligators in Florida and studied frog calls.
    • 1955 Awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for a year's research.
    • 1956-1957 Dean of the Council of Scientific Staff, AMNH.
    • 1960 University of Colorado, lectures to teachers enrolled in Biological Sciences Curriculum Study.
    • 1961-1970 Initiated faunal investigations in Mexican state of Oaxaca.
    • 1965 Traveled to Ceylon. Continued faunal, thermal and behavioral investigations in Mexico.
    • 1966 LLD, UCLA.
    • 1978-1979 Consultant, Los Alamos National Environmental Research Park.
    • 1979+ Has traveled widely in North, South,and Central America, Australia and Africa. Worked on a monograph on the genus Salvadora as well as a revision of the 1956 monograph on Heloderma until his death at home in Santa Fe.

  28. Botta, Paolo Emilio (=Paul Emile) (1802-1870) Charina bottae (Blainville, 1835) 19th Century explorer, archaeologist and diplomat.
    • 1827-1829 Naturalist aboard French merchant ship "Heros."
    • Collected type of Charina bottae in CA.
    • Sent first specimen of roadrunner to France.
    • 1830 Physician to Mohammed Ali.
    • 1833 French consul in Alexandria.
    • 1840 Consular agent in Iraq.
    • 1843-1846 Archaeological pioneer, excavated and identified Khorsabad as Ninevah, discovered Sargon's palace. Found 7th Cent B.C. dictionary for Class III cuneiform script at Kuyunjik.
    • 1847-1846 Wrote "Monuments de Ninive decoverts et decrits par Botta, mesures et dessines par E. Flandin."

  29. Boyle, Dr. Charles Elisha (1821-1870) Rana boylii Baird, 1854
    • 1821 Born in Blacklick Township, Indiana Country, PA, December 12th. The family moved to Columbus, OH. He was educated in local schools, worked at a printing press and as a public school teacher.
    • c1840's Entered Starling Medical College (now included in OH State U College of Medicine).
    • 1847 MD with the second graduating class at Starling.
    • 1848-1849 Caught "goldrush fever" and joined the Columbus and California Industrial Association party as its official physician, travelling the Oregon Trail to CA in summer.
    • 1849-1850 Prospected briefly along the South Fork of the American River, near Coloma, El Dorado County, CA. Apparently spent more time practicing medicine than prospecting. By summer 1850, he had a practice in Placerville, CA. Collected reptile and amphibian specimens which were later sent to the Smithsonian and examined by Baird and Girard. Collected the syntypes, Rana boylii, Eldorado County, CA.
    • 1850-1852 Moved to San Francisco in the fall. Built a sailboat with several friends and sailed it around Cape Horn arriving in Norfolk, VA in April 1852.
    • 1852-1860 Settled in private practice in Columbus until the Civil War.
    • 1860-1865 Served as a surgeon in the 9th OH Regiment. Achieved the rank of Captain. After the war returned to medical practice in Columbus.
    • "Dr. Boyle was an accomplished linguist (fluent in 32 languages) and speaker. Although largely self educated, he was much in demand for local meetings and clubs due to his vast knowledge, phenomenal memory, and often accurate predictions of future events. He also gave much of his time and practice to the poor of the city and as a result never amassed much money and died poor himself" on February 16th, 1870.

  30. Brimley, Clement Samuel (1863-1946) Pseudacris brimleyi Brandt and Walker, 1933 and Desmognathus brimleyorum Stejneger, 1894 (see H.H. Brimley) "Having referred to this interesting novelty - which I dedicate to Messrs. H.H. and C.S. Brimley, from whom the Museum has obtained much interesting material..."
    • 1863 Born in Great Linford, England. Attended Bedford County School at Elstows.
    • 1880 His family migrated to North Carolina and settled at Raleigh. A book on taxidermy inspired CS and his brother HH to begin collecting, preparing and selling natural history specimens.
    • 1907 Authored "Artificial key to the species of snakes and lizards which are found in NC."
    • 1919+ Division of entomology, State Department of Agriculture, Raleigh, NC, became State Museum.
    • 1919 Co-authored "Birds of North Carolina" with HH Brimley and T. Gilbert Pearson.
    • 1926 Authored "Revised key of Amphibians and Reptiles of NC."
    • 1938 U of NC awarded him a Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of his achievements.
    • 1938 Wrote "The Insects of North Carolina< listing more than 10,000 species.
    • Member of the American Ornithologists Union, the Wilson Club, NC Bird Club and other professional societies.

  31. Brimley, Herbert Hutchinson (1861-1946) Desmognathus brimleyorum Stejneger, 1894 (see C.S. Brimley) "Having referred to this interesting novelty - which I dedicate to Messrs. H.H. and C.S. Brimley, from whom the Museum has obtained much interesting material..."
    • 1861 Born in Willington, Bedford, England. Attended Bedford County School at Elstows.
    • 1880 His family migrated to North Carolina and settled at Raleigh. Taught school in a one-room log building on the present Meredith College campus (NC). A book on taxidermy inspired HH and his brother CS to begin collecting, preparing and selling natural history specimens.
    • 1884 Prepared exhibits for the North Carolina Board of Agriculture and Immigration. The work eventually grew into the development of a state museum.
    • 1884-1907 Mounted specimens for the State Centennial Exposition (1884), the Chicago Exposition (1892), the Charleston Exposition (1901), the Saint Louis Exposition (1904), the Boston Food Fair (1906) and the Jamestown Exposition (1907).
    • 1895 Took charge of the NC State Museum. Accommodated exhibits returning from expositions.
    • 1919 Co-authored "The Birds of North Carolina" with CS Brimley and T. Gilbert Pearson.
    • 1941 NC Board of Agriculture designated the library as the "Brimley Library of Natural History."
    • Founder and life member of the North Carolina Academy of Science, The Raleigh Natural History Club, the Raleigh Bird Club and the North Carolina Bird Club.

  32. Brown, Herbert (1848-1913) Phyllorhynchus browni Stejneger, 1890 "...in recognition of his successful researches in that territory (Tucson, AZ)..."
    • 1848 Born in Winchester, VA, March 6.
    • 1873 Moved to Tucson, AZ. Prospected in the desert mountains of AZ and northern Sonora. He had several narrow escapes from Apache Indians and from death by thirst on the waterless plains of that region.
    • pre1890 Collected the type of Phyllorhynchus browni, Tucson, AZ.
    • 1901 Elected a member of the American Ornithologists Union.
    • He was connected with newspapers in Tucson as a reporter, editor and owner.
    • to 1913 President of the Audubon Society of AZ and Clerk of the Superior Court of Pima County.

  33. Brown, Ted L. (1943- ) Sceloporus undulatus tedbrowni Smith, Bell, Applegarth and Chiszar, 1992
    • Born Albuquerque, NM, April 3
    • 1965 BS, U NM
    • 1965-1967 Preventive Medicine Specialist, US Army, Fort Irwin, CA and Republic of Vietnam
    • 1970 MS U NM; research on Sceloporus in Big Bend National Park, TX and on Tantilla cucullata diabola in Texas
    • 1954-present Collected extensively in the southwestern US, northwestern US and the American Midwest.
    • 1963 Co-founder of New Mexico Herpetological Society and 2001 president.
    • 1973-2000 Environmental Specialist in Vector Control, NM Environmental Department, working extensively investigating human and animal cases of plague, hantavirus, other vector-borne diseases; co-author of "A Manual for the Investigation of Plague Cases in New Mexico" and several papers on plague and hantavirus in NM; retired December 2000.
    • "He just recently retired from NM Environment Dept. in Santa Fe after about 25 years of service in their Vector Control Program. Ted's an avid non-professional herpetologist who knows NM intimately and is a walking database of local herp information (and he'll gladly share it with you). J.N. Stuart"

  34. Bunker, Charles Dean (1870-1948) Holbrookia maculata bunkeri Smith, 1935
    • educated at a grammer school, Bunker was interested in all forms of zoology
    • 1895 Taxidermist Kansas Natural History Museum
    • 1907 Assistant Curator University of Kansas Natural History Museum
    • discovered the fossil of a mosasaur
    • 1913 published "The Birds of Kansas"
    • Became Curator of Birds and Mammals at the Museum
    • Did not publish as much as some of his colleagues; reportedly encouraging his students (a who's who of natural history for the next 50 years) to take credit for their discoveries while under his wing. Developed the dermestid beetle method of cleaning specimens.

  35. Burt, Charles Earle (1904-1963) Cnemidophorus burti Taylor, 1938
    • 1904 Born at Neodesha, KS, August 12th.
    • 1927 MS, Kansas State U.
    • 1927 U MI, Student of HT Gaige, FN Blanchard, and AG Ruthven.
    • 1930 PhD, U MI.
    • 1930 Collected holotype of Eumeces inexpectatus, 7 March, Citrus County, FL.
    • 1930-1931 Trinity College, Waxahachie, TX.
    • 1931-c1944 Southwestern College, Winfield KS.
    • 1932 Wrote the Amphibian and Reptiles section of report on the AMNH Whitney Expedition to the Pacific Islands. Received a grant in aid from the National Research Council to prepare an illustrated key to the lizards of the US and Canada.
    • 1936 Published "A key to the lizards of the US and Canada."
    • Manager, Quivira Specialties Co., Topeka, KS.
    • At Kansas State College at Quivira, authored more than 80 scientific papers, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society of Zoologists.
    • 1963 Died of cancer, July 13th.

  36. Butler, Amos William (1860-1937) Thamnophis butleri (Cope, 1889)
    • 1860 Born in Brookville, IN, October 1.
    • 1881 One of the founders of the Brookville Society of Natural History.
    • 1891 Author of "Birds of Indiana," revised 1898.
    • 1894 AB, IN U.
    • 1896-1897 Ornithologist, Department of Geology and Resources of IN.
    • 1897-1923 Secretary of IN Board State Charities.
    • 1900 AM, IN U.
    • 1905 Lecturer on economics, Purdue U.
    • LLD, Hanover College.
    • 1922 LLD, IN U.
    • 1930 Founder International Commission on Mental Hygiene.
    • A founder of American Anthropology Society and American Association of Mammalogists, IN Audubon Society, and the Academy of Sciences of IN.


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  37. Cagle, Fred Ray (1915-1968) Graptemys caglei Haynes and McKown, 1974 "We name it in memory of Fred R. Cagle whose research greatly increased our knowledge of Graptemys and turtles of the southern states in general."
    • 1937-1938 Asst. Professor, U MI.
    • 1938-1940 Southern IL Normal U, Carbondale, IL (now Southern IL University).
    • 1940+ Asst. Professor, Tulane U, herpetologist.
    • 1943 Lt., Army Air Corps.
    • 1944 Captain, Army Air Corps.
    • 1950 Professor of Zoology and Chairman of the Graduate Department of Zoology, Tulane U.
    • 1952 Published relationship between Graptemys pulchra and Graptemys barbouri.
    • 1954 Described Graptemys nigrinoda from Mobile Bay, AL drainage.
    • 1955-1959 Editor in chief, Copeia.
    • 1959-1963 Associate editor, "American Midland Naturalist."
    • 1959 Received Darwin medal, USSR Academy of Sciences.
    • 1961-1963 Member UNESCO.
    • Published on habits and physiology of various Illinois turtles.

  38. Camp, Charles Lewis (1893-1975) Batrachoseps campi Marlow, Brode and Wake, 1979 "The new species is named in honor of the late Charles L. Camp, herpetologist, paleontologist, and historian, who contributed greatly to our knowledge of the American West. Prof. Camp discovered the genus Hydromantes in the New World... and very early recognized the diversification within the genus Batrachoseps in his description of Batrachoseps major."
    • 1893 Born in Jamestown, ND.
    • 1906-1910 Studied at Throop Polytechnic Institute.
    • 1908-1915 Asst., Museum Vertebrate Zoology, Columbia U.
    • 1915 AB, U CA.
    • 1915 Collected type of Bufo canorus, Yosemite National Park, CA.
    • 1916-1917 Asst., Department of Zoology, Columbia U.
    • 1918-1919 1st Lt. American Expeditionary Forces, served in Europe, South Africa and China.
    • 1919-1921 Asst., American Museum of Natural History, NY.
    • 1921 AM, Columbia U.
    • 1922-1924 Research Associate, U CA.
    • 1922-1930 Field Artillery Reserve.
    • 1923 PhD, Columbia U.
    • 1923 Published "Classification of the Lizards."
    • 1924-1939 Asst. to Assoc. Professor, U CA.
    • 1931-1949 Director of the Museum of Paleontology, U CA.
    • 1935 John Guggenheim Foundation Fellow.
    • 1940-1949 Professor and Chair, Department of Paleontology, U CA.
    • 1943+ Coast Guard Reserve.
    • Member of the California Academy of Sciences, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, and the California Folklore Society.
    • Wrote "James Clyman: American Frontiersman," an invaluable source of information on early explorations of the American west.

  39. Camp, Robert Denham (1867-1929) Syrrhophus cystignathoides campi Stejneger, 1915*
    • Was secretary of "American Ornithologists" as shown by minutes in the Auk, Vol. 5, Number 2, pages 220 to 224.

  40. Catesby, Mark (1679/83-1749) Rana catesbeiana Shaw, 1802
    • 1712-1719 Studied flora and fauna of Virginia. He was one of the first English naturalists working on Southeastern US Coastal Plain.
    • 1719 Returned to England.
    • 1722-1725 Traveled in SC, GA, FL.
    • c1724 Identified a mammoth fossil.
    • 1726 Visited Bahamas and returned to England.
    • 1731-1748 Produced the "Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands" with 200 color plates, Vol. I in 1731, Vol. 2 in 1743, and the Appendix in 1748. Combined illustrations showing birds in natural environments. Studied reptiles, etc. on Isle of Providence. Illustrated book on American insects, died in London.

  41. Clark, John Henry, Lt. (1830?- ) Sceloporus clarkii Baird and Girard, 1852; Pseudacris clarkii (Baird, 1854) and Nerodia fasciata clarkii (Baird and Girard, 1853)
    • c1830 Born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
    • c1844 Student of SF Baird at Dickinson College.
    • 1850-1855 Zoologist, US/Mexican Boundary Survey, under Colonel JD Graham.
    • While surveying, Clark and Schott made very fine zoological collections. Their vertebrates contained possibly 100 new species.
    • c1852 Collected type of Crotalus molossus at Fort Webster, NM.
    • c1852 Collected type of Rana areolata for Baird and Girard in Calhoun County, TX; and type of Eumeces obsoletus, Rio San Pedro, TX. Worked in MD, TX, NM and Sonora, Mexico.

  42. Conant, Roger (1909- ) Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti Gloyd, 1969 and Desmognathus fuscus conanti Rossman, 1958 "Named for Roger Conant, Zoological Society of Philadelphia in recognition of his contributions to herpetology."
    • 1909 Born in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
    • Academic course in biology at the U Pa terminated by causes stemming from the Great Depression.
    • 1929-1933 Curator of Reptiles, Toledo Zoological Park, Toledo, OH.
    • 1933-1935 General Curator, Toledo Zoological Park.
    • 1935-1973 Curator of Reptiles, Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1936-1966 Public Relations Counsel and Membership Secretary, Philadelphia Zoo.
    • 1936-1969 Wrote and presented a 15 minute, weekly, educational, radio program entitled "Let's visit the Zoo" for KYW in Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1938+ Research Associate, Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia.
    • 1938-1940 Consultant for the American Philosophical Society.
    • 1943-1945 Served in the Volunteer Port Security Force of the US Coast Guard.
    • 1948+ Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History.
    • 1953-1958 Secretary of Philadelphia Conservationists, a group active in preserving wildlife habitats in PA, NJ and DE.
    • 1957-1973 Vice-President of the Ludwick Institute, which provides educational opportunities for children.
    • 1961-1973 Secretary of Philadelphia Conservationists, a group active in preserving wildlife habitats in PA, NJ and DE.
    • 1967-1973 Director, Philadelphia Zoo.
    • 1971 Sc.D. (hon.) from U CO.
    • 1973 A plaque was dedicated in the Reptile House of the Philadelphia Zoo, designating the natural habitat settings throughout the building as the "Roger Conant Exhibits."
    • 1973+ Adjunct (Full) Professor of Biology, U NM.
    • 1983 Delivered the Distinguished Herpetologist's Lecture, Herpetologists' League, U UT, Salt Lake City, Aug. 8th.
    • National consultant for reptile study, and author of the reptile Merit Badge pamphlet for the Boy Scouts of America. Past-President of the Museum Council of Philadelphia, an organization of all cultural museums and similar institutions in that metro area. Past-president and former Secretary of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA). Editor of the Zoo Section of Parks and Recreation magazine, (AAZPA) for 20 years. Served on the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Park Executives, formerly affiliated with AAZPA. Editor of Fauna, the magazine of the Philadelphia Zoo, during its ten years of publication. Editor of America's First Zoo which succeeded Fauna, for 18 years. President of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). Secretary and Vice President of ASIH.
    • until 1956 Chairman of Committee on Standardization of Common Names for North American Amphibians and Reptiles (results published in 1956).
    • Author of 198 primarily herpetological papers, including a monograph on the water snakes of Mexico, many popular articles, and three books. Contributions have been published in eight countries. Wrote literally hundreds of short articles, many of which are not signed by him.
    • Wrote "The Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America."
    • Conducted extensive field work on reptiles and amphibians, largely in the US and Mexico, but also to a lesser extent in Africa and Asia. Has visited and consulted natural history collections worldwide.
    • Served as a member of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, for three years.
    • Member of many scientific and cultural organizations from whom he has received numerous awards and honors.
    • Received three grants from the National Science Foundation for field research on reptiles and amphibians in Mexico.
    • 1989 Published "Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex," a monograph begun by Dr. Conant and the late Dr. HK Gloyd in the early 1930's.

  43. Cope, Edward Drinker (1840-1897) Dicamptodon copei Nussbaum, 1970; Bufo americanus copei Yarrow and Henshaw, 1878; Gambelia wislizenii copeii (Yarrow, 1882) and Cemophora coccinea copei Jan, 1863
    • Studied at Friends School, Westtown, PA.
    • 1859 Studied under Baird at Smithsonian, Washington, DC.
    • 1863-1864 Studied in Europe, at the British Museum and Jardin des Plantes.
    • 1864-1867 Professor of Comparative Zoology and Botany, Haverford College.
    • 1865 Curator, Philadelphia Academy Natural Sciences.
    • 1869-1870 "Systematic Arrangement of the Extinct Batrachia, Reptiles and Aves of North America."
    • 1870 Paleontologist US Geological Survey, discovered 100's of new species of extinct vertebrates.
    • 1874 Paleontologist with the Wheeler Survey West of 100th Meridian.
    • 1878+ Owner and senior naturalist, "American Naturalist."
    • 1889-1895 Professor Geology and Mineralogy, U PA.
    • 1895-1897 Professor Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, U PA.
    • 1896 President, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
    • Wrote 1395 papers in his lifetime.
    • Alleged to have died of syphilis, also to be the type for genus Homo sapiens; at least the latter is an "urban legend."
    • Biographies: (1) Osborn, "Cope: Master Naturalist," 1931, Princeton U Press; Copeia, 1932, #1, pp. 39-41; (2) Copeia, 1940, #2, pp. 60-69; Davis, W.H. "Edward Drinker Cope, Herpetologist," Bull. of the Antivenin Inst. of America, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 71-80, May 1932.

  44. Couch, Darius Nash (1822-1897) Thamnophis couchii (Kennicott, 1859) and Scaphiopus couchii Baird, 1854. Geiser wrote that the species were named "in honor of its indefatigable discoverer, Lt. D.N. Couch, who, at his own risk and cost, undertook a journey into northern Mexico, when the country was swarming with bands of mauraders, and made large collections in all branches of zoology..."
    • 1822 Born on a farm, Putnam County, NY.
    • 1846 Graduated US Military Academy, West Point, NY.
    • 1846 Commissioned in 4th Artillery, sent to Mexico.
    • 1847 Fought in the Battle of Buena Vista, promoted to 1st Lt. for gallantry.
    • 1853 Personal expedition to northern Mexico, collected for Smithsonian, collected type of Scaphiopus couchii. Purchased Berlandier's papers, herbarium and zoological and mineral collections from his widow. Shipped some to Smithsonian and sent part of the plant collection to Switzerland. By early 1854, he had returned to Washington, DC.
    • 1855 Resigned his Army commission.
    • 1855-1857 Merchant in New York City.
    • 1858-1861 Manufacturer in Norton, MA.
    • 1861-1863 Volunteered - Colonel 7th MA Infantry, appointed Brigadier General of volunteers.
    • Offered resignation due to ill health, but was promoted to Major General of volunteers.
    • 1863-1864 Assigned to PA.
    • 1865 In charge of the ceremonies of consecration National Cemetery of Gettysburg.
    • Unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor, MA.
    • 1866-1867 Collector of the Port of Boston.
    • 1867-1877 President of a VA mining and manufacturing company.
    • 1877-1878 Quartermaster General of the state of CT.
    • 1883-1884 Adjutant General of the state of CT.
    • Biography: Conant, Roger, American Museum Novitates, #2350, 10-4-1968.

  45. Couper, James Hamilton (1794-1866) Drymarchon corais couperi (Holbrook, 1842)
    • Emigrated to Georgia from Scotland.
    • 1804 Bought land in GA, his father had a large plantation on San Simeon Island, GA.
    • 1814 Graduated Yale. Spent time in Holland studying water control. One of first US farmers to conduct plantation on basis of scientific research and experimentation.
    • 1829 Built modern sugar mill at Hopeton, GA.
    • 1838 Changed crop from sugar to rice. Introduced exotic plants including Bermuda grass, now the principle grass in Georgia.
    • pre1842 Collected holotype, Drymarchon corais couperi, Altamahara River area, GA.
    • 1842 Presented paper to Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.
    • 1846 Wrote on geology of a part of the sea coast of GA.
    • 1846 Presented on fossils at Chatahoochie River, GA to Boston Society of Natural History.
    • c1861 The Civil War destroyed his way of life. He opposed secession, but all 5 of his sons enlisted in the Confederate Army. 2 were killed. Couper died broken financially and spiritually. He is buried on San Simeon Island.

  46. Cowles, Raymond Bridgeman (1896-1975) Sceloporus undulatus cowlesi Lowe and Norris, 1956 "Named in honor of Professor Raymond B. Cowles of the University of California, Los Angeles."
    • 1896 Born in South Africa
    • 1975 Died in the US.


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  47. Daniels, Lewis Ernest (1886-1955) Gyrinophilus porphryriticus danielsi (Blatchley, 1901) "Two specimens are in the writer's collection from Sevier County, TN, collected by Mr. L.E. Daniels to whom I dedicate the species."
    • 1886 Born in Cambridge, MA.
    • 1903 Ringe Manual Training School of Cambridge, MA.
    • 1911 BS, U MI.
    • 1920 MD, Harvard U.
    • 1920-1921 Surgery internship.
    • 1921-1922 Obstetrics and gynecology residency at U MI, Ann Arbor.
    • 1922-1934 Instructor, School of Medicine, U MI and part time Asst. Professor.
    • 1925-1955 Private practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
    • 1925-1929 Chief, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI.
    • 1928 Chief, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Detroit, MI.
    • 1953-1955 Consultant, Mount Sinai Hospital, Detroit, MI.
    • 1954-1955 Consultant, William Beaumont Hospital, Detroit, MI.
    • He was a Republican, Episcopalian and was active in the American Boxer Club and judged many dog shows throughout the US.

  48. DeKay, James Ellsworth (1792-1851) Storeria dekayi (Holbrook, 1836)
    • 1792 Born in Lisbon, Portugal.
    • 1819 MD, U Edinburgh, Scotland.
    • 1821 Wrote about "Ophisaurus on the borders of Lake MI."
    • 1825 Curator, Literary and Philosophical Society of NY, NYC.
    • 1833 Wrote "Travels in Turkey."
    • 1836-1844 Commissioned to write zoological sections-Natural History of NY.
    • 1840-1846 VP, Lyceum of Natural History of NY.
    • 1842-1844 "Zoology of New York," volume 3, Reptiles and Amphibians.
    • Collected a specimen of Storeria dekayi while it was "swimming across a large bay on the Northern coast of Long Island."

  49. Dixon, James Ray (1928 - ) Cnemidophorus dixoni Scudday, 1973 "Patronym for Dr. James R. Dixon who has contributed much to our understanding of the herpetology of the Southwest."
    • 1928 Born in Houston, TX.
    • 1950 BS, Howard Payne College.
    • 1954-1955 Curator of Reptiles, Ross Allen Reptile Institute.
    • 1957 MS, Texas A and M University.
    • 1959-1961 Assoc. Professor, Veterinary Medicine, Texas A and M University, where he is affectionately known as "Bwana Jim."
    • 1961 PhD, Zoology, Texas A and M University.
    • 1961-1965 Asst. Professor, Wildlife Management, NM State U.
    • 1964-1965 Consultant, NM State Game and Fisheries Department.
    • 1965-1967 Curator of Herpetology, Life Sciences Division, Los Angeles County Museum, CA.
    • 1971+ Professor, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Texas A and M University U.
    • 1987 Published "Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas." Specializes in: zoogeography, systematics and ecology of geckos.

  50. Douglas, David (1799-1834) Phrynosoma douglasi (Bell, 1833) "...was found by Mr. David Douglass [sic] in the course of his late indefatigable and productive researches in the western parts of North America...[including] on the southern parts of the Columbia river."
    • A Perthshire botanist who travelled more than 10,000 miles in pursuit of new species
    • 1799 Born December 30 northwest of Perth, Scotland
    • Apprentice gardener at 3rd Earl of Mansfield's Scone Palace
    • College in Glasgow
    • 1824-1827 Plant hunting in the Pacific Northwest, on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society, collected and brought into cultivation 240 species from Washington, Oregon and extreme northern California including the Douglas-fir, Sitka Spruce, Sugar Pine, Western White Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Monterey Pine, Grand Fir, Noble Fir and several other conifers and smaller flora including the flowering currant, Salal, Lupin, Penstemon and California poppy.
    • 1825-1827 Used Fort Vancouver as a base for botanizing expeditions
    • 1830 Returned to Columbia River area
    • 1832-1833 Another trip to the Columbia River area
    • 1834 On his third trip to Hawai'i, then-named "the Sandwich Islands," he was found dead under mysterious circumstances after correctly calculating the height of Mauna Kea by climbing it and measuring. The official story of how he met his end is that he fell into a pit trap for wild cattle and was trampled.

  51. Drayton, Joseph (1795-1856) Rana aurora draytonii Baird and Girard, 1852
    • 1819-1838 Worked in Philadelphia as an engraver when one of his engravings was published in "Analectic Magazine."
    • 1820-1835 Listed in Philadelphia City Directory.
    • Draftsman on US Exploring Expedition for $2,000.00 per year.
    • 1838-1842 Artist on Wilke's US Exploring Expedition.
    • 1841 Collector of the specimens, at San Francisco, CA and on Columbia River.
    • On the conclusion of the US Exploring Expedition, he may have gone to Washington to work on illustrations for the reports of the Expedition.

  52. Dumeril, Auguste Henri Andre (1812-1870) Eleutherodactylus augusti (Duges, 1879) Professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology, Museum of Natural History, Paris.
    • 1812 Born in Paris, France.
    • 1844-1846 Professor, Faculty of Sciences, Chantal College (?).
    • 1847 Professor, Geology, Chantal College.
    • 1857 Professor, Herpetology, Paris Botanical Garden (Jardin des Plantes).
    • Professor, Paris School of Medicine and a member of the French Academy of Sciences.
    • Created first menagerie (vivarium) of reptiles at Jardin des Plantes. Observed transformation of an axolotl into a terrestrial salamander giving rise to the concept of neoteny.
    • 1865-1870 Wrote "Historie naturell des poissons" (Natural history of fish).
    • 1870+ Worked on the Reptile Section of the "Mision Scientifique," 1 of 2 major works on herpetology in Central America until his death in the Siege of Paris by the Germans.

  53. Dunn, Emmett Reid (1894-1956) Plethodon dunni Bishop, 1934 and Gyrinophilus porphyriticus dunni Mittleman and Jopson, 1941 "...in honor of E.R. Dunn whose careful studies of salamanders have been so useful to all herpetologists.
    • 1894 Born in Alexandria, VA.
    • Encouraged by Leonhard Stejneger at the National Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.
    • 1915 AB, Haverford College
    • 1916 MA, Haverford College
    • 1916-1928 Zoology assistant, Smith College.
    • 1917 Failed for a commission in the army, because his week-end pursuit of snakes and salamanders was unbecoming to an officer candidate.
    • 1917-1918 Commissioned as an ensign, US Navy.
    • 1918 Published "A preliminary list of the Reptiles and Amphibians of VA."
    • 1921 PhD, Harvard U. Worked with Thomas Barbour at the Museum of Comparative Zoology.
    • 1924-1929 Secretary, Journal of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and second Editor of Copeia.
    • 1926 Completed "Salamanders of the Family Plethodontidae."
    • 1928 John Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship enabled him to study salamanders and caecilians in London, Paris, and Berlin.
    • 1930-1931 President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1934+ Professor, Biology, Haverford College.
    • 1937+ Honorary Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.
    • 1942 Author of "American Caecilians."
    • c1944 Curator Herpetology, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.Noted authority on Colombian herpetofauna.
    • Expedition herpetologist for American Museum of Natural History to Komodo.
    • Member of the Explorer's Club.
    • Library and personal papers at Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL.

  54. Dury, Ralph (1899- ) Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi (Weller, 1930) "...in honor of Mr. Ralph Dury, director of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History and of the Junior Society of Natural Sciences to whose practical ability and untiring and unselfish efforts, both these organizations owe their present existence and for whom I entertain the greatest admiration and esteem."
    • 1899 Born in Cincinnati, OH.
    • 1918-1975 Director of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History.
    • 1928 Founded Junior Society of Natural History.
    • 1930 Collected type specimens of Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi.
    • 1958 Awarded (hon.) MS, U Cincinnati.
    • Directed museum projects and exhibits including archaeological digs, planetariums and more.
    • 1976 Awarded (hon.) PhD, U Cincinnati.


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  55. Edwards, George (1694-1773) Diadophis punctatus edwardsii (Merrem, 1820) Collected the type specimen.
    • 1694 Born in Stratford, West Hampshire, Essex, England, April 7th.
    • Ornithologist. Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians.
    • Correspondent of Linnaeus and revised Catesby's "Natural History of Carolina."
    • 1773 Died in Plaistow, July 23rd. Buried in West Hampton.

  56. Edwards, Lewis A. ( - ) Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii (Baird and Girard, 1853)
    • 1824 or 1825 Born in District of Columbia.
    • 1842 Graduated College of New Jersey
    • 1846-1848 Assistant Surgeon U.S. Army awith the Army of Invasion and Occupation of Mexico.
    • 1848-1854 Various military postings.
    • 1852-1854 Collected types of Eurycea multiplicata, Red River, Arkansas, described by Cope.
    • c1853 Dr. Edwards collected type specimen of Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii at Tamaulipas, Mexico.
    • c1854 Collected for the Smithsonian on the Pacific Railroad Surveys.
    • 1854-1856 In the office of the Surgeon-General, Washington, DC.
    • 1856-1962 Attending Surgeon, Washington, DC.
    • 1863 Hospital duty, Portsmouth Grove, RI.
    • 1864-1869 Continued to work in military medicine, including postings to various hospitals and retirement boards.
    • 1866-1869 Chief Medical Officer Bureau Freedmen, Refugees, and Abandoned Lands, Department of Washington, DC.
    • 1870 On Census at Austin, TX
    • 1877 Died in Washington, DC on November 8.

  57. Emory, William Hemsley (1811-1887) Elaphe guttata emoryi (Baird and Girard, 1853) and Trionyx spiniferus emoryi (Agassiz, 1857)
    • 1831 Graduated, US Military Academy, West Point.
    • 1831-1836 Stationed at sea ports.
    • 1836-1838 On duty in the Creek Nation.
    • 1838 Commissioned 1st Lt., Topographical Engineers.
    • 1838 Married Matilda Wilkins Bach, great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin.
    • 1844-1846 Served as principle assistant on Northeastern Boundary Survey between US and Canada.
    • 1846 Emory's Reconnaissance from Fort Leavenworth to San Diego. A formidable caravan followed. One census reports 1556 wagons and nearly 20,000 oxen, "beeves," horses and mules all slogging through the worst deserts of the trail. There was little grass or water and the temperatures reached 120 degrees F.
    • Chief Engineering Officer and Acting Assistant Adjutant General, Army of the West, Mexican War.
    • 1847-1848 US/Mexican Boundary Survey, Major, US Army Corps of Topographical Engineers.
    • 1848-1853 Chief Astronomer for California/Mexican Boundary Survey.
    • 1853 Collected mammals for Smithsonian along Rio Grande.
    • 1861 Commanded troops in Indian Territory.
    • 1862 Appointed Brigadier General.
    • 1865-1866 Commanded the Department of WV.
    • 1869-1871 Commanded the Department of Washington.
    • 1871-1875 Commanded the Department of the Gulf.
    • 1876 Retired the Army as a Brigadier General after 45 years of service.
    • Emory Peak in Big Bend National Park, Texas named in his honor.

  58. Engels, William Louis (1905- ) Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi (Conant and Lazell, 1973)
    • 1905 Born in Green Bay, WI.
    • 1929-1931 Asst. Biology, Notre Dame U.
    • 1930 BS, Notre Dame U.
    • 1930-1932 Instructor, Notre Dame U.
    • 1934-1937 Asst., U CA.
    • 1937 PhD, Vertebrate Zoology, U CA.
    • 1937-1939 Instructor, U NC.
    • 1939-1941 Asst. Professor, U NC.
    • 1941-1971 Assoc. Professor to Professor, U NC.
    • 1971+ Professor Emeritus, U NC.

  59. * Ernst, Carl ( - ) Graptemys ernsti Lovich and McCoy, 1992 Escambia Map Turtle
    • need his vita

  60. Eschscholtz, Johann Friedrich von (1793-1831) Ensatina eschscholtzii Gray, 1850
    • 1793 Born at Dorpat, Russia, November 1st.
    • 1801 By age 8 was collecting beetles and plants
    • 1812-1815 Studied medicine at U of Dorpat.
    • 1815-1818 Circumnavigated the globe on the Rurik with Capt. Kotzebue.
    • 1816 Arrived at San Francisco Bay, October 1st and stayed to November 1st. Collected at the Presidio and the Mission. Sailed for the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii].
    • -1818 Visited the Philippines, Brazil and Chile.
    • 1819-1822 Professor and director of the Zoological Cabinet, U Dorpat.
    • 1823-1826 Second trip with Kotzube in the Predpriaetie (Enterprise), as chief naturalist. Visited the tropics, Unalaska, Sitka and California.
    • 1826 "Descriptions of new plants of California."
    • 1828+ Professor of Zoology, Professor Extraordinary of Medicine, U Dorpat.
    • 1829-1833 Published "Zoologischer Atlas" a report of the zoological collections of the Predpiatie on its second circum-global voyage. After his death in 1831, the work was finished by Dr. M.A. Rathke.
    • Member of the Moscow Society of Naturalists.
    • A genus of California Poppy, an atoll in the Marshall Islands and a bay in Alaska honor him.

  61. Etheridge, Richard Emmett (1929- ) Coluber constrictor etheridgei Wilson, 1970
    • 1929 Born in Houston, TX.
    • Discovered the type of Coluber constrictor etheridgei during his last year in high school.
    • Sent the specimens, notes and maps to Larry David Wilson who described the species, naming it in honor of Dr. Etheridge.
    • 1951 BS, Zoology, Botany minor, Tulane U. 1952, MS.
    • 1952-1956 Sonarman on active dury with the U.S. Navy. Honorable discharge, 1960.
    • 1958-1959 Teaching Assistant, Department of Biology, U MI.
    • 1959 PhD, Zoology, Paleontology minor, U MI.
    • 1959&1961 Lecturer, Zoology, U of Southern CA (USC).
    • 1960-1961 National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, U Southern CA.
    • 1960+ Research Associate, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.
    • 1961-1970 Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, San Diego State U.
    • 1962+ Research Associate, San Diego Museum of Natural History.
    • 1963 Interim Curator of Herpetology, The Florida State Museum.
    • 1963-1964 Index editor of Copeia, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1968+ Professor, Department of Zoology (now Biology) San Diego State U.
    • 1969-1972 Chairman, Department of Biology, San Diego State U.
    • 1970+ Professor of Zoology, San Diego State University.
    • Specialist: comparative osteology, systematics and evolution of lizards; late Cenozoic fossils.
    • Member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science among other professional societies. Fellow member of the Herpetologists League and the San Diego Natural History Society. Has received grants to study osteology of lizards, changes in the vertebrate fauna of Mexico during the Pleistocene, and the evolution of South American iguanas.


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  62. Fitch, Henry Sheldon (1909- ) Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi Fox, 1951 "...after Henry Fitch who recognized the validity of the race and described it fully and who has contributed so much to our understanding of the complex taxonomic relationships of the Pacific coast garter snakes."
    • 1909 Born in Utica, NY.
    • 1930 BA, U OR.
    • 1931-1937 Graduate work at the U of CA, Berkeley under Joseph Grinnell.
    • 1933 MA, U CA, "Systematics and Ecology of the Alligator Lizards in the Western US."
    • 1937 PhD, Zoology, U CA, "Biogeographical Study of the Ordinoides Artenkreis of Garter Snakes."
    • 1937-1938 Wildlife technician, Hastings Wildlife Reserve.
    • 1938-1947 Biologist, US Department of Fish and Wildlife, became rodent ecologist.
    • 1938-1946 San Joaquin Experimental Range, Madera County, CA (SJER).
    • 1940-1946 Left SJER, drafted into Army (April). Released from the Army as overage (26+), returned to SJER. Reinducted in Army, 1941. Served in the Medical Corps as pharmacist and medical technician. Stationed in Wales, England, Scotland, France and Germany during WWII until discharged in 1945. Returned to SJER, 1946.
    • 1947 Transferred by Fish and Wildlife to Louisiana, headquartered at Leesville.
    • 1947 Described Eumeces gilberti cancellosus as 2nd author with Thomas L. Rodgers. He had collected the type May 4th, 1937 in Alameda County, CA.
    • 1948+ Resigned from Fish and Wildlife and took position at U KS as the Superintendent, U KS Natural History Reservation, taught ecology. Studies snakes and lizards, focusing on reproductive ecology. Has guided numerous graduate students studying diverse animal groups including chiggers, spiders, snails, especially mammals and herpetofauna.
    • 1948-1959 Instructor, Zoology, U KS.
    • 1959+ Professor, Zoology, U KS.
    • Member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, and Herpetologist's League. Described 4 Gerrhonotus, 7 Anolis, 2 Thamnophis, and Eumeces g. cancellosus.
    • 1964+ Travels in the tropics frequently. Herpetological projects in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
    • 1976 Described a new pholeid spider as second author with former student, O. Eugene Maughan.

  63. Fowler, Samuel Page (1799-1844) Bufo woodhousii fowleri Hinckley, 1882
    • 1799 Born in Newburgh, NY. Cousin of Frederick Ward Putnam.
    • 1800 PA Medical College, Philadelphia, PA.
    • Acquired about 4000 acres of the Sterling Hill, NJ, formation. Encouraged the visits of mineralogists, geologists and chemists including Gerald Troost.
    • 1825 Discovered Fowlerite and Franklinite minerals.
    • 1827 Member of the New Jersey Council.
    • 1833-1837 Member of the US House of Representatives, Jackson Democrat, NJ.
    • Owner and developer of Zinc Mines, Franklin, NJ. Owner of Franklin Furnace Iron Works.

  64. Fox, Charles, Rev. (1815-1854) Coluber constrictor foxii (Baird and Girard, 1853) and Elaphe vulpina Baird and Girard, 1853 "larger specimen collected by Rev. Chas. Fox, Grosse Ile, MI."
    • Collected type of Coluber constrictor foxii at Grosse Ile, Wayne County, MI, pre1853.
    • Roger Conant wrote, "I might suggest that Baird and Girard applied vulpina as a patronymic in honor of the Rev. Charles Fox, the collector of the specimens they mentioned. If this be true, then they translated his name instead of latinizing it."
    • Bibliography: Swales, B.H. The ornithological writings of C. Fox. Univ. Mich. Mus. of Zool. Occ. Papers, #26, April 15, 1916, 2 pages.


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  65. Gaige, Helen Beulah Thompson (1890-1976) Eumeces multivirgatus gaigeae Taylor, 1935 and Pseudemys scripta gaigeae Hartweg, 1939 "While engaged in a study of the herpetofauna of the Big Bend region of TX during the summer of 1928, Mrs. HT Gaige obtained a pseudemid turtle exhibiting a distinctive pattern. For reasons too numerous to enumerate here, I take great pleasure in associating the collector's name with this form."
    • Studied with FN Blanchard under Ruthven at U MI.
    • 1910-1918 Asst., Museum, U MI.
    • 1918-1923 Asst. Curator, Reptiles and Amphibians, U MI.
    • 1923+ Curator of Amphibians, U MI.
    • 1928 Co-authored "The herpetology of MI" with AG Ruthven.
    • 1937+ Editor in chief of Copeia.
    • c1944 Curator of Herpetology, Museum of Zoology, U MI.
    • Instrumental in organizing American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

  66. Gambel, William, Jr. (1821/23-1849) Gambelia Baird, 1859
    • 1821 Born in New Jersey although another source says:
    • 1823 Born in Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1838-1839 Accompanied Thomas Nuttall on a journey through the South, especially NC.
    • 1840-1841 Lived in Cambridge while Nuttall delivered lectures on botany. Collected in ME.
    • Returned home to Philadelphia.
    • 1841 Crossed North America on Santa Fe trail then went with the Workman party over the Mormon Trail to California. Collected specimens for Nuttall.
    • 1842- Assumed the post of secretary to Commodore Jones of the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. Collected on the west coasts of north and south America and on the Sandwich Islands.
    • 1843 Named Nuttall's woodpecker for Thomas Nuttall. Gambel's writings are important early works on the ornithology of California. Gambel's Quail is named in his honor.
    • c1848 Received medical degree from U PA. Married Catherine Towson. Went overland, via the Oregon Trail to the western slope of the Sierras. Encountered placer miners sick with typhoid and contracted the disease while trying to treat them.
    • 1849 Died of typhoid fever on Feather River, CA, December 13.

  67. Garman, Samuel Walton (1843-1927) Sceloporus undulatus garmani Boulenger, 1882 "In honor of Dr. S. Garman of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, who sent five living specimens" [to the British Museum].
    • 1843 Born in Indiana County, PA. Left home as a boy, worked on Pacific Railroad Survey, for Union Pacific Railroad.
    • 1870 Graduated, IL State U, Normal IL. Principal of MS Normal School.
    • 1871-1872 Professor, Natural Science, Ferry Hall Seminary, Lake Forest, IL.
    • 1872 Special student of Louis Agassiz.
    • 1873+ Asst. Herpetology and Ichthyology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard U.
    • 1874 Explored South America with Alexander Agassiz, surveyed Lake Titicaca.
    • 1883 Wrote first part of "The Reptiles and Batrachians of North America."
    • Member of Major Powell's first Expedition in Colorado.
    • 1898 BS, Harvard U, Honorary.
    • 1899 MA, Harvard U, Honorary.
    • 1908 Wrote "Reptiles of Easter Island."
    • 1921 Elected to the Linnean Society of London.

  68. Gilbert, Dr. Charles H. (1859-1928) Eumeces gilberti Van Denburgh, 1896 "It gives me great pleasure to name this interesting lizard in honor of Dr. Charles H. Gilbert to whom my interest in herpetology is entirely due."
    • 1859 Born in Rockford, IL.
    • One of the collectors of the holotype of Xantusia vigilis gilberti.
    • 1880-1884 Asst. in Natural Science and Modern Languages, IN U.
    • 1880-1898 Asst. to US Fish Commission working with DS Jordan under SF Baird.
    • 1883 Co-authored the "Synopsis of the Fishes of North America" with DS Jordan.
    • 1883 PhD, Indiana U, studied under Jordan.
    • 1884-1889 Professor, Natural History, U Cincinnati, OH.
    • 1889-1890 In charge of the US Fish Commission steamer Albatross.
    • 1889-1891 Professor, Zoology, U Cincinnati and IN U.
    • 1891 Professor, Zoology, Stanford U.
    • 1896 Collected holotype of Eumeces gilberti, Mariposa County, CA.
    • 1902 Naturalist-in-charge of the Hawaiian explorations for the US Fish Commission, aboard the Albatross
    • 1906 Explored in the Northwestern Pacific and Japan aboard the Albatross.
    • 1925 Retired from Stanford U.

  69. Gibbons, Whit (1939 - ) Graptemys gibbonsi Lovich and McCoy, 1992
    • 1961 BS University of Alabama, Biology
    • 1963 MS University of Alabama, Biology
    • 1967 PhD Michigan State University, Zoology
    • 1967-1968 NIH Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.
    • 1972-1975 Executive Secretary-Treasurer Herpetologists' League.
    • 1975-1976 Visiting Research Scientist - Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
    • 1984-1985 Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow - Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
    • 1986-2003 Research Associate, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
    • 1988-1989 Vice President Herpetologist's League.
    • 1990-1991 President - Herpetologists' League
    • 1993-1997 Board of Directors - American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and Book Review Editor for Copeia.
    • 1997-1998 President - Association of Southeastern Biologists.
    • 1986-2003 -- University of Georgia Professor of Ecology
    • 1986-2003 -- Senior Research Ecologist, Savannah River Ecology Lab
    • 1994-2003 Curator of Herpetology, Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama
    • University Adjunct Professorships (currently or formerly for supervision of graduate students): Florida International University, Michigan State University, Duke University, Texas A and M niversity, Memphis State University, Wake Forest University
    • Major or co-major professor of 26 students, nine of whom completed doctoral and 17 who finished Master's degrees.
    • Author, co-author or editor of eleven books on herpetology, ecology and distribution of plants and animals as well as dozens of technical articles, regional newspaper columns, and radio broadcasts.
    • Gives approximately 50 talks each year to college and pre-college school groups and as a keynote or banquet speaker at meetings, both civic and scientific, on a variety of topics, including biodiversity, conservation issues, and general ecology and is the author of Reptile and Amphibian Study for the merit badge of the Boy Scouts of America.

  70. Girard, Charles Frederic (1822-1895) Masticophis taeniatus girardi (Stejneger and Barbour, 1917)
    • 1822 Born in Mulhouse, France, March 9th. Assistant and pupil of Louis Agassiz in Neuchatel, Switzerland.
    • 1847-1850 Arrived in US with Agassiz. At Cambridge until 1850. Moved to Washington, DC.
    • 1850-1857 Worked with SF Baird establishing the US National Museum, Smithsonian.
    • 1850-1891 Wrote 81 papers, 21 in herpetology.
    • Studied and published herpetology collections of the US Exploring Expedition.
    • 1852 The Smithsonian published his Zoological, Botanical and Geological Bibliography, the first of its kind produced in the US, titled "Bibliography of American Natural History for the year 1851."
    • 1853 Collected in ME, MA, SC.
    • 1854 Naturalized as a US citizen.
    • 1856 Studied medicine while continuing his scientific work at the Smithsonian. MD, Georgetown College.
    • 1860 Visited Europe.
    • 1861 Received the Cuvier Prize from the Institute of France.
    • 1861 Commissioned by the Confederacy to supply their Army with drugs and surgical instruments.
    • 1861-1863 Toured VA, NC and SC for Confederate Army, as an agent for surgical and medical supplies.
    • 1864 Returned to Paris, practiced medicine.
    • 1870 Served as a physician during the Siege of Paris.
    • 1891 His last paper "Une tortue bicephale" was published in "Le Naturaliste."
    • 1891 Retired at Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, France.
    • 1895 Died in France.
    • Biography: Goode, G.B. 1891, US Natl. Mus. Bull. #41. 6 pages of preface; and bibliography: Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. #41, 1891 (includes bio sketch and picture).

  71. Gloyd, Howard Kay (1902-1978) Elaphe vulpina gloydi Conant, 1940 and Heterodon nasicus gloydi Edgren, 1952 "It gives me great pleasure to name this new race for Dr. Howard Kay Gloyd."
    • 1902 Born in DeSoto, KS.
    • 1923-1924 KS State.
    • 1924 BSc, Ottawa U.
    • 1924-1927 Instructor, Biology, Ottawa U.
    • 1927-1929 Instructor, Zoology, KS Agricultural College.
    • 1928 Wrote "The Amphibians and Reptiles of Franklin County, KS."
    • 1929 MS, KS State College.
    • 1929-1936 Instructor, Zoology, U MI.
    • 1929+ Associated with Blanchard during preparation of comprehensive account of N. American snakes.
    • 1936-1958 Director, Chicago Academy of Sciences.
    • 1939 VP, American Society Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1940 Published "The Rattlesnakes, genera Sistrurus and Crotalus."
    • Organized long collecting and filming expeditions to AZ. His Southwestern US collection is available at the Chicago Academy of Sciences.
    • 1940-1947 Consultant, State Natural History Survey, IL.
    • 1942 DsC, Ottawa U.
    • 1958-1959 Lecturer, Zoology, U AZ, Tucson.
    • 1959-1962 Research Associate, U AZ.
    • 1962-1974 Lecturer, Zoology, U AZ.
    • 1969 Described Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti.
    • 1974+ Emeritus Professor, Zoology, U AZ.

  72. Graham, James Duncan (1799-1865) Salvadora grahamiae Baird and Girard, 1853 and Regina grahamii Baird and Girard, 1853
    • 1817 Graduated US Military Academy, West Point. Assigned to 1st Artillery.
    • 1819-1821 1st Assistant on Major Stephen Long's Expedition to the Rocky Mountains.
    • 1838 Major, US Corps Topographical Engineers.
    • 1839 Astronomer, US/Republic of Texas Boundary Survey.
    • 1840-1843 Commissioner on the survey of the northern boundary of Maine.
    • 1843-1847 Lt. Colonel on the demarcation US/British provinces.
    • 1848-1850 Resurveyed Mason/Dixon Line.
    • 1850-1851 Principle astronomer and head of the scientific corps US/Mexican Boundary survey.
    • pre 1853 Collected type of Regina grahamii at Rio Salado, TX.
    • pre 1853 Collected type of Salvadora grahamiae in Sonora, Mexico.
    • 1854 Superintending engineer, harbor improvements on the Great Lakes.
    • 1858-1859 Discovered lunar tide on the Great Lakes.
    • 1861 Commissioned Lt. Colonel in US Topographical Engineers.
    • 1863 With the joining of US Topographical Engineers and US Corps of Engineers, commissioned Colonel.
    • 1865 Died of exposure after examining a sea wall in Massachusetts.

  73. Grobman, Arnold B. (1918-2003) Plethodon grobmani Allen and Neill, 1949
    • 1918 Born in Newark, NJ April 28
    • 1939 BS U MI
    • 1941 MS U Rochester
    • 1941 DescribedOpheodrys vernalis blanchardi
    • 1942-1944 Instructor zoology U. Rochester
    • 1943 PhD U Rochester
    • 1943 Named Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi
    • 1944-1946 Research Associate Manhattan project
    • 1946-1949 Asst. Prof. to Assoc. Prof., biology UFL
    • 1950 Published The distribution of the races of Desmognathus fuscus in the southern states. Natural History Miscellanea 70:1-8
    • 1950 Oak Ridge Institute Nuclear Studies
    • 1952-1959 Director Florida State Museum
    • 1952-1957 Secretary of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
    • 1959-1967 U Colorado
    • 1964 President of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
    • 1965-1972 Dean College of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers U
    • 1973-1974 Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor biological sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago
    • 1974-1975 Special Assistant to the President, University of Illinois, Chicago
    • 1975-1985 Chancellor, University of Missouri, St. Louis
    • 2003 Died in Gainesville, FL (?)


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  74. Hammond, John Fox (1820-1886) Scaphiopus hammondii Baird, 1859
    • 1820 Born in Columbia, SC, December 7.
    • 1838-1839 Attended U VA for one session. Enrolled in Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and Moral Philosophy.
    • 1840-1841 Attended the Medical College of GA, continued at U PA, earned MD, 1841. (Essay on Meningitis.)
    • 1847 Commissioned Asst. Surgeon, US Army. He saw immediate field service in the Mexican War. Served at Veracruz, Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Ray, Chapultepec and the City of Mexico. He was made resident surgeon in the General Hospital in Mexico City.
    • 1849 The Second Infantry proceeded to Jefferson Barracks, MO. He was on duty with troops exposed to cholera. He was then transferred to Santa Fe, journeying from May to July, 1849. In the fall, he was with troops engaged in an expedition against the Navaho Indians.
    • 1850 In El Paso, Texas, he requested to be attached to the escort of the Boundary Commissioners.
    • 1851 Assigned to Fort Fillmore, NM. He and other medical officers sent in faunal specimens.
    • 1852 Promoted to Captain and Asst. Surgeon. Stationed at Fort Barrancas, Pensacola, Florida.
    • 1854-1858 Stationed in California and ordered to Fort Tejon. Stationed at San Francisco, Fort Reading & San Diego, CA. At this time he was one of Baird's regular contributors and correspondents.
    • 1858-1859 Stationed at Fort Townsend, on Puget Sound.
    • 1860-1861 Stationed in New York City, promoted to Surgeon, Major. Sent to West Point, NY.
    • 1861 Ordered to Washington Arsenal, DC. Promoted to the rank of Major Surgeon.
    • 1861-1862 Although he was born in the south, he stayed with the US army. His two brothers supported the Confederacy. He was sent to Fort Jefferson, on Dry Tortugas, FL.
    • 1862-1865 He was present at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks and many other Civil War battles. The War Department awarded him the rank of brevet Lt. Colonel for "faithful and meritorious services during the War." In 1865 he was in charge of the Army dispensary in NY City.
    • 1870-1875 Sent to the Department of Texas as its Medical Director
    • 1875-1882 Promoted to Lt. Colonel, Surgeon, NY City. He was promoted to Colonel, Surgeon in 1882.
    • 1884 Retired from the US Army.

  75. Hammond, William Alexander (1828-1900) Thamnophis couchii hammondii (Kennicott, 1860)
    • 1828 Born in Annapolis, MD, August 28.
    • c1847 Collected for Smithsonian on Pacific Railroad Survey.
    • c1847 Collected type of Gastrophryne olivacea for Hallowell, Fort Riley, Geary County, KS.
    • 1848 MD, U City of NY. Interned at PA Hospital, Philadelphia. Private practice at Saco, ME.
    • 1849 Appointed Asst. Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1849-1859 Served various frontier stations NM, KS, FL, with a tour of duty at West Point. Explored flora and fauna in areas to which he was sent.
    • pre 1860 Collector of holotype, Thamnophis couchii hammondii, San Diego, CA.
    • 1859 Resigned Army. Professor, Anatomy and Physiology, U MD, Baltimore.
    • 1861 Attended wounded of 6th MA Infantry on way to defense of Washington. Re-entered Army as Asst. Surgeon, stationed in MD and WV.
    • 1862 Appointed Surgeon General/Brigadier General. Made many changes in Medical Department.
    • 1864 Clashed with Edward M. Stanton, Secretary of War. Courtmarshalled.
    • 1865-1867 Lecturer on nervous and mental diseases, College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
    • 1867-1873 Professor, Nervous and Mental Diseases, Bellevue Hospital Medical College, NY.
    • 1874 Professor, Nervous and Mental Diseases, U City of NY.
    • 1878 Courtmarshall reversed.
    • 1882 One of the founders of NY post-graduate medical school.
    • 1888+ Practiced in Washington, DC.
    • Pioneer in field of nervous and mental diseases in US. American neurology began in Civil War from experience gained by Hammond, Mitchell and Keen.

  76. Hardy, D. Elmo (1914-2002) Aneides hardii (Taylor, 1941)
    • 1914 Born in Lehi, UT, September 3.
    • 1937 BA, Brigham Young U.
    • 1937-1938 Research Asst., UT State U.
    • 1938 MA, UT State U.
    • 1938-1941 Inst. of Entomology, U KS.
    • 1940 Collected holotype of Aneides hardii at 9,000 feet, Cloudcroft, NM.
    • 1941 PhD, U KS.
    • 1941-1942 Field Supervisor and Assistant State Entomologist, KS.
    • 1942-1945 Medical Entomologist, 1st Lt. to Major, US Army.
    • 1942-1943 Stationed in India, Burma and China during WWII.
    • 1945-1948 Asst. Professor and Asst. State Entomologist, Iowa State U.
    • 1948-1980 Assoc. Professor to Senior Professor, U of HI.
    • 1958-1968 Chairman, Department of Entomology, U of HI.
    • 1981+ Professor Emeritus, U of HI.
    • Extensive field work in Europe, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia and on the Hawaiian Islands.
    • Member of many professional societies including the Entomological Society of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Hawaiian Academy of Science and the Society for Systematic Zoology. Has published 230 scientific papers on the Diptera, including 5 books on Hawaiian flies, and two books on fruit flies of Southeast Asia. Teaching specialties include insect systematics and medical/veterinary entomology.

  77. Harter, Philip ( -1971) Nerodia harteri (Trapido, 1941) "...Mr. Philip Harter, a most enthusiastic and energetic collector of Palo Pinto, TX."
    • 1936 Collector of type specimen, Palo Pinto County, TX.
    • 1971 Died June 7, Palo Pinto, Texas.

  78. Hartweg, Dr. Norman Edouard (1904-1964) Trionyx spiniferus hartwegi (Conant and Goin, 1948)
    • 1927 Asst., Division Herpetology, U MI.
    • 1934 Asst. Curator, U MI.
    • 1934 PhD, U MI, Dr. Ruthven, advisor.
    • 1939 Instructor, Zoology, U MI.
    • 1947-1964 Curator of Herpetology, U MI.
    • 1960 President, ASIH.
    • Specialistin the taxonomy and distribution of turtles. Nicknamed "Kibe" by his students and coworkers.
    • 1964 Died after an illness, February 16th.

  79. Hayden, Ferdinand Vandeveer (1829-1887) Thamnophis radix haydenii (Kennicott, 1860)
    • 1850 Oberlin college, Ohio.
    • 1853 MD, Albany Medical College
    • 1853 Collected fossils in the Dakota Badlands with FB Meek.
    • 1854-1855 Explored geology of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.
    • 1856-1857 Geologist on Warren's Explorations in Nebraska and Dakota.
    • 1858 Visited KS.
    • Native Americans called him "The man who picks up stones running."
    • 1859-1862 Explored Rocky Mountains and MO River on Capt. W. Raynolds' Exploration of the Yellowstone. Sent vertebrates to Joseph Leidy, Philadelphia, PA for description.
    • 1862-1865 Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1865-1872 Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, U PA.
    • 1867-1879 Headed US Geological and Geographical survey of the Territories (Nebraska).
    • 1869-1879 Studied geology, natural history, climatology, resources and ethnology of ND, SD, WY, UT and CO.
    • 1871-1872 Campaigned to set aside Yellowstone as a park for the people.
    • 1872-1876 Completed detailed observations and maps of Colorado.
    • 1879 Head of the newly formed Montana division of US Geological Survey.
    • 1886 Resigned the Army. 1887, LLD, U PA.

  80. Heckscher, August (1848-1941) Rana heckscheri Wright, 1924
    • 1848 Born in Hamburg, Germany, August 26.
    • Worked with an importing house in Hamburg for three years.
    • 1868-1884 Emigrated and engaged in coal business in US.
    • 1881 Organized Lehigh Zinc and Iron Company.
    • -1904 General Manager of New Jersey Zinc which consolidated Lehigh Zinc and Iron and other companies.
    • Director of steel, realty, trust and paper companies.
    • Speculated in real estate on Manhattan, New York City, NY. Philanthropist of many city charitable institutions and urban amenities.
    • Benefactor of the Heckscher Foundation for the Advancement of Research which funded much of AH Wright's work on Rana heckscheri.

  81. Heller, Edmund (1875-1939) Crotalus viridis helleri Meek, 1905 "Named for Mr. Edmund Heller, its discoverer."
    • 1875 Born in Freeport, Illinois.
    • 1898-1899 Stanford Zoology Expedition to Galapagos Islands.
    • 1900 Assistant naturalist, US Biological Survey to Alaska.
    • 1901 AB, Stanford U.
    • 1901-1907 Naturalist, Field Museum Explorations in CA, Mexico, Guatemala and East Africa.
    • 1907-1908 Curator of Mammals, U CA Museum of Natural History.
    • 1909-1910 Naturalist, Smithsonian African Expedition under direction of Theodore Roosevelt.
    • 1911-1912 Rainey African Expedition, East Africa.
    • 1915 Yale University and National Geographic Society expedition to Peru.
    • 1916-1917 Explored Southwestern China and Tibetan Border for the American Museum of Natural History.
    • 1918 Photographic staff of Czecho-Slovak army with Paul J. Rainey.
    • 1919-1920 Cape to Cairo expedition of Smithsonian Institution.
    • 1921 Investigation of big game animals Yellowstone National Park.
    • 1922-1923 Expedition across Peru and down Amazon to its mouth.
    • 1924-1926 Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon, Central Africa and Gorilla Volcanos.
    • 1926-1928 Assistant Curator of Mammals, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL.
    • 1928-1935 Director, Milwaukee Zoological Gardens, WI.
    • 1935+ Director, Fleishacker Zoo, San Francisco, CA.
    • Co-author of "Life Histories of African Game Animals" with Theodore Roosevelt.

  82. Henshaw, Henry Wetherbee (1850-1930) Xantusia henshawi Stejneger, 1893 "I propose to name it in honor of its discoverer..."
    • 1850 Born in Cambridgeport, MA, March 3.
    • 1872-1879 Naturalist, Wheeler Survey for Exploration of the West.
    • 1879-1893 US Bureau of Ethnology.
    • 1885 The British Museum acquired his collection of birds. Harvard got the diatoms.
    • 1889-1893 Editor of "American Anthropologist."
    • 1893 Collected holotype of Xantusia henshawi, Witch Creek, San Diego County, CA.
    • 1894-1904 Visited Hawaii.
    • 1905-1916 Appointed Adminstrative Asst., Bureau Biological Survey, US Department of Agriculture.
    • 1910+ Chief, US Biological Survey.

  83. Hernandez, Francisco (1514-1587) Phrynosoma douglasii hernandesi (Girard, 1858)
    • 1514 Born in Montalban, Toledo, Spain.
    • Graduated as a medical doctor from the U of Salamanca.
    • Began practicing medicine at the Monastery of Guadalupe. Botanized in Castile and Andalusia. Became physician to Philip II, King of Spain.
    • 1570-1577 Philip ordered him to Mexico. He traveled for seven years, interviewing Aztecs, collecting floral and faunal specimens, testing their medicinal value and keeping a full record. The original drawings, by Mexican artists, were often identified with Aztec symbols signifying habitat. The royal appropriation of 60,000 ducats proved insufficient to a task which took two years more than anticipated. At the time of his visit, the famous gardens of Atzcapotzalco, Texcoco and Huaxtepec were still very much as they had been before the arrival of the Spanish. He was able to interview Aztec medical doctors to determine the medicinal value of the plants he had collected. His work filled six volumes of text and ten of illustrations.
    • 1577 He returned to Madrid. Philip deposited his work in the royal library without publishing it.
    • 1587 Died in Madrid.
    • 1671 Fire destroyed to Royal Monastery of the Escorial and its library. What we have of Hernandez's volumes are copies through the works of others.
    • Biography: Lopez Pinero, J.M., T.F. Glick, V. Navarro Brotons, and E. Protela Marco. 1983. Diccionario historico de la ciencia moderna en Espana. 2 volumes, ed. Peninsula, Barcelona.

  84. Hoffman, Richard Lawrence (1927- ) Plethodon hoffmani Highton, 1971 "Who 1st found the species in VA and recognized it as different from Plethodon richmondi."
    • 1927 Born in Clifton Forge, VA.
    • 1950-1957 Chemist Supervisor, Hercules Powder Company, Radford Arsenal.
    • 1954 Collected holotype of Plethodon hoffmani.
    • 1958 MS, Cornell U.
    • 1959-1960 National Science Foundation, research assistant arthropod taxon, US National Museum.
    • 1960 PhD, Zoology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
    • 1960-1962 Assoc. Professor, Radford U, Radford, Virginia.
    • 1962+ Professor, Biology, Radford U., Radford, Virginia.

  85. Holbrook, John Edwards (1794-1871) Lampropeltis getula holbrooki Stejneger, 1902; Holbrookia Girard, 1851 and Scaphiopus holbrookii (Harlan, 1835)
    • 1796 Born in Beaufort, SC, December 31.
    • 1815 AB, Brown University.
    • 1818 MD, U PA.
    • 1818-1820 Studied Medicine in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.
    • 1820-1822 Studied in Paris, France at Jardin Des Plantes.
    • 1822 Returned to US. Settled at Charleston, SC.
    • 1824 Practiced medicine in Charleston, SC.
    • 1824 A founder of the Medical College of SC.
    • 1824-1854 Professor of Anatomy, Medical College of Charleston, SC.
    • 1836-1842 "North American Herpetology" defining nearly 150 species.
    • 1861-1865 Medical Officer, Confederate Army Board of Surgeons; Chairman, Examining Board of Surgeons, SC.
    • 1862 Consequential to Sherman's March during Civil War, Holbrook's work was scattered. Personal papers were lost. Some books and specimens are in museums.
    • 1863 His wife died. They had no children. Moved back to MA.
    • 1868 Elected to National Academy of Sciences.
    • Called the "Father of North American Herpetology."

  86. Hoy, Philo Romayne (1816-1892) Pseudemys floridana hoyi (Agassiz, 1857)
    • 1816 Born in Richland County, OH.
    • 1840 Graduated Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, OH.
    • Practiced medicine at New Haven, OH.
    • 1850 Moved to Racine, WI.
    • Made a complete collection of flora and fauna. Specimens deposited at Racine College.
    • c1853 Collected species from eastern WI for Baird and Girard. Naturalist on the Geological Survey of WI. Served as Fish Commissioner of WI for four years. President of the WI Academy of Art, Science and Letters.
    • Member of the Entomological Society of France and several scientific societies in the US. Corresponded with Agassiz, Henry and Kirtland. His name was attached to several fossils and a few fauna.
    • 1883 Wrote "Catalog of the cold-blooded vertebrates of WI," published at Madison, WI.
    • 1892 Died in Racine, WI.

  87. Hubricht, Leslie (1908-2005) Phaeognathus hubrichti Highton, 1961 and Plethodon hubrichti Thurow, 1957 "Mr. Leslie Hubricht has collected not only the specimens which led to the discovery of this entity, but much other salamander material. I would like to acknowledge the debt that workers in this field owe him by calling the species..."
    • 1908 Born in Los Angeles, CA, January 11.
    • 1917 His family moved to Kokomo, IN. After his first semester of high school, the family moved to St. Louis. He went to work to help provide for his family.
    • 1936-1943 Worked for Edgar Anderson at the MO Botanical Garden as a research assistant.
    • by 1943 His collection of shells included 7,000 entries, and he had written or co-authored 24 papers.
    • 1943-1973 Worked for Remington Rand as a tabulating machine mechanic and serviced UNIVAC computers.
    • 1943-1945 Trained in New York and worked in Norfolk, VA.
    • 1945-1948 Worked in Detroit, Battle Creek, MI and Dallas, TX
    • 1948-1961 Worked in Danville, VA. Transferred to IA, TX, KY, TN, MS, AL, FL, GA and Meridian, MS.
    • 1960 Discovered Phaeognathus hubrichti whilst searching for snails.
    • 1973 Retired. Put full time effort into fieldwork, filling in distributional gaps, establishing range limits and reviewing the collections in major museums. He has described 81 of the 523 land snail species known from eastern North America, and has amassed a collection of 500,000 land snail specimens which exceeds the materials now in the combined collections of major US museums. Published "The distributions of the native land mollusks of the eastern US" issued by the Field Museum as Fieldiana: Zoology (new series), number 24. to 1986 His bibliography has 147 publications.
    • 1989 Lives in Meridian Miss, has 3 plants and 26 animals named after him by others.
    • 1990 Deposited his collection with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
    • 2005 Died September 16 at home in Meridian, MS at age 97.

  88. Hurter, Julius, Sr. (1842-1917) Scaphiopus holbrookii hurterii Strecker, 1910
    • 1842 Born in Switzerland.
    • 1900+ Curator, St. Louis Academy of Sciences.
    • 1904 Mechanical engineer, silver medal, LA Purchase Exposition.
    • 1911 Published "Herpetology of Missouri," Academy of Sciences, St. Louis, MO.


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  89. Jan, Georg (or Giorgio) (1791-1866) Hypsiglena torquata jani (Duges, 1866)
    • 1791 Born in Italy or possibly in Austria.
    • Director of the Museum Natural History, Milan, Italy.
    • 1860+ Began compiling the "Iconographie General des Ophidiens" completed by Ferdinand Sordelli.

  90. Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Green, 1827) and Desmognathus monticola jeffersoni Hoffman, 1951 "...the name of Thomas Jefferson, a naturalist of note in his day as well as statesman and educator. Long a resident of Albemarle County, Jefferson almost certainly knew this species, which I have found close to his home."
    • 1743 Born in Ablemarle County, VA. Inherited 5000 acres from his father, a surveyor and planter, as well as a high social position from his mother's family, the Randolphs.
    • Studied at William and Mary College.
    • 1772 Married Martha Wayles Skilton.
    • 1776 Drafted the Declaration of Independence.
    • 1785 Succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France.
    • -1793 Resigned as Secretary of State.
    • 1797-1815 President of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA. Often consulted on natural history matters and encouraged natural history on surveys.
    • 1801-1809 Elected 3rd US President by vote of House of Representatives. Kept caged grizzly bears on White House lawn.
    • 1803 Purchased Louisiana from France.
    • 1803-1806 Sent the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the new territory.
    • 1804-1805 William Dunbar and Dr. George Hunter sent to explore the Red River system and the Ouachita River system of the southern US.
    • 1806 Jefferson published "Message from the President of the US communicating discoveries made in exploring the Missouri, Red River and Washita by Captains Lewis and Clark, Dr. Sibley and Mr.Dunbar."
    • 1826 Died on July 4th.

  91. Jordan, David Starr (1851-1931) Plethodon jordani Blatchley, 1901 "To Dr. David S. Jordan, President of Stanford U, CA, who first guided my wandering footsteps into the highways and byways of scientific research, this handsome species of salamander is respectfully inscribed."
    • 1870 Instructor, Botany, Cornell U.
    • 1872 MS, Cornell U.
    • 1872 Only undergraduate in history of Cornell to receive MS upon completion of program.
    • 1873-1874 Studied with Agassiz, Penikese, Buzzard's Bay, MA.
    • 1875 MD, Indiana Medical College.
    • 1875-1879 Professor of Biology, Butler U, Irvington, IN.
    • 1876 Wrote" Manual of the Vertebrates of Northern US."
    • 1876+ Spent most summers collecting.
    • 1879 Conducted fisheries census of the Pacific Coast from San Diego to Puget Sound.
    • 1879-1885 Professor, Natural History, IN U (State U of Bloomington).
    • 1882 Wrote "Synopsis of the Fishes" with Gilbert, Bulletin 16, USNM.
    • 1885-1891 President, IN U.
    • 1886 First President of the newly organized IN Academy of Science.
    • 1889 Explored streams and lakes of CO and UT for US Fish Commission.
    • 1896-1897 Worked on the fur seal investigation.
    • 1900+ President of Stanford U, Palo Alto, CA.
    • 1908 Commissioner representing US on International Commission studying the fisheries of the US/Canadian Boundary.
    • Refused to learn the names of his students because he claimed for each name learned, he would forget the name of a fish.
    • Jordan's Law: The species most closely related to another is found just beyond a barrier to distribution.

  92. Junaluska (1758?-1858) Eurycea junaluska Sever, Dundee and Sullivan, 1976
    • Cherokee Chief prominent in history of region of the type locality.
    • 1813-1814 Led a detachment of warriors to the support of General Andrew Jackson and did good service at the bloody battle of Horseshoe Bend. He had boasted that he would exterminate the Creeks, but upon returning to his tribe, admitted that some Creeks were still alive. He received the name Junaluska "he tries but fails" to indicate this event.
    • 1838 Went west with the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears, but later returned to NC. In special recognition of his past services was given citizenship rights and a tract of land at Cheowa, near the present Robbinsville, Graham County, NC. Buried in Graham County, NC.
    • Biography: Hawkins, Caroline A., Junaluska and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, 1916, Newberry Library, Ayer Collection #251-C2171-J95-H39-1916.


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  93. Kalm, Pehr (=Peter) (1716-1779) Pseudacris triseriata kalmi Harper, 1955 "In commemoration of Peter Kalm...the accomplished author...and a pioneer student of frogs in New Jersey."
    • 1716 Born in Angermanland, Sweden. Pupil of Linnaeus.1721 He and his mother returned to Finland from Sweden. His parents had left before his birth to escape the Russian reign of terror.
    • 1735 Graduated University of Abo, Finland. Pupil of Linnaeus. Served as superintendent of an experimental plantation of Baron Bielke for seven years. Studied under Linnaeus at the University of Uppsala. Journeyed to the south of Sweden and Finland. Went to St. Petersburg and Moscow with Bielke.
    • 1747 Became "Professor oeconomiae" (Ecology) at the University of Abo.
    • 1748 Journeyed to North America. Landed in Philadelphia. Became friends with Benjamin Franklin and John Bartram. Explored the wilds of Pennsylvania.
    • 1749-1750 Traveled through New York, visiting Albany and Lake Champlain. Continued on to Canada. Returned to Philadelphia in October of 1749. Revisited Canada in 1750.
    • 1751 Traveled home to Abo. He obtained a wide collection of the flora and fauna of North America and had discovered approximately 60 new species. He kept journals of his travels which have been consulted by researchers seeking information on both the natural and political history of colonial north America.
    • 1753-1761 Wrote "Travels in North America." Founder of the Jardin Botanique d'Abo.
    • 1779 Died in Turku, Finland.

  94. * Kemp, Richard Moore (1825-1908) Lepidochelys kempii (Garman, 1880)
    • "About three years ago, Richard M. Kemp, of Florida directed my attention to a peculiar Turtle... In consideration of the great interest Mr. Kemp takes in matters pertaining to natural history, it is most appropriate that the species he has been the means of bringing into notice should bear his name."
    • Born in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas on January 25, 1825 to Samuel and Amelia Russell Kemp, of Harbour Island Bahamas, Kemp is often described as a Key West fisherman, who died February 18, 1908 in Key West, Florida.

  95. Kennerly, Caleb Burwell Rowan (1829-1861) Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi Kennicott, 1960
    • 1829 Born in White Post, Clarke County, VA. Collected in northern VA. Studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA at the time SF Baird was professor of biology.
    • 1849 BA, Dickinson College, PA.
    • 1849-1852 MD, Medical Department of the U PA.
    • 1853-1854 Pacific Railroad Survey along thh 35th parallel. Kept a diary of the overland journey from San Antonio, TX to California. He was surgeon-naturalist under 2nd Lt. JC Ives.
    • 1854-1855 On the U.S. Mexican Boundary Survey.
    • 1857-1861 Appointed surgeon on the Northwestern Boundary Survey.
    • 1861 Letter to Robert Kennicott, 17 March 1861, from SF Baird: "You will be sorry to hear of Dr. Kennerly's death at sea while coming home early in February. He is a great loss; his disease was associated with the brain. He has made large and valuable collections."
    • Kennerly's journal is in the Division of Manuscripts at the Library of Congress. The Baird/Kennerly correspondence of 12 years is at the Smithsonian Archives. His report on zoology is found in Volume 4 of "Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" 1855-1860 Pacific Railroad Surveys of the War Department.

  96. Kezer, James (1908-2002) Rhyacotriton kezeri Good and Wake, 1992
    • 1930 BA, Iowa
    • 1937 MS, Iowa
    • 1948 Ph.D., Cornell
    • 1950s Wrote several papers on amphibians and reptiles in the Cascades and Crater Lake while in the Department of Biology, University of Oregon.
    • 1970 Discovered multinucleate oocytes in Pacific tailed frog, Ascaphus trueii.
    • 1974 Professor emeritus, U of OR

  97. KING Elgaria kingii Gray, 1838
    • Rear Admiral Philip Parker King 1791-1856)
      • Reptile collector in Australia for British Museum, see Alli.
      • 1817-1822 Survey of Australia aboard the HMS Mermaid.
      • 1825-1830 Survey of South America aboard the HMS Adventure.
      • Settled in Sydney.
    • Capt. Philip Gedley King (1758-1808)
      • Son of Philip P. King.
      • Sailed on the Beagle with Darwin.
      • 1800-1806 Governor of New South Wales

  98. Kirtland, Jared Potter (1793-1877) Clonophis kirtlandii (Kennicott, 1856) "In giving this serpent the name of Dr. Kirtland, as a slight token of the respect due him, to whose enthusiastic and untiring devotion to Science the West owes so much, I would also make some expression of my personal gratitude to the honored teacher, whose kind encouragement and instruction led me to study Nature, by dedicating to him his pupil's first contribution to Science."
    • Ohio physician and naturalist and taught Kennicott natural history there.
    • 1814 Medical Department, U PA.
    • 1823 MD, Yale.
    • 1828-1834 Member Ohio Legislature, reformed penitentiary system.
    • 1837-1842 Chair of Theory and Practice at Medical College of OH at Cincinnati.
    • 1837 In charge of zoology for Geological Survey of OH.
    • 1843-1864 A founder of the Cleveland Medical College.
    • 1845 Organized Cleveland Academy Natural Science (now the Kirtland Society of Natural Sciences).
    • c1853 Collected type of "black massasauga," Crotalophorus kirtlandii, Holbrook.
    • 1853 Accompanied SF Baird around Lake Superior.
    • 1853 LLD, Williams U.
    • 1869 Independent expedition to FL.
    • 1869-1875 President of Kirtland Society, the present Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

  99. Klauber, Grace Gould (1884-1990) Lichanura trivirgata gracia Klauber, 1931
    • 1884 Born in Chicago, IL, December 25th.
    • -1903 Met LM Klauber at San Diego High School.
    • 1911 Married LM Klauber in San Diego, CA.
    • "Though my mother didn't like reptiles (and there were preserved specimens of dozens of species other than rattlesnakes in their home), she was a good enough person to recognize that tolerance is essential in a successful marriage. And so was he." Philip M. Klauber (pers. comm.), 1988.
    • Lived in the same home with LM from 1927 to her death in 1990 at age 106.

  100. Klauber, Laurence Monroe (1883-1968) Crotalus lepidus klauberi Gloyd, 1936; Chionactis occipitalis klauberi (Stickel, 1941); Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi Dunn, 1929 and Hypsiglena torquata klauberi Tanner, 1944
    • 1883 Born San Diego, CA, December 21st.
    • 1908 AB, Electrical Engineering, Stanford U.
    • 1922 Began his studies of reptiles and amphibians of the southwest as an amateur.
    • 1927+ Member, Board of Directors, San Diego Society of Natural History.
    • Consulting Curator of Reptiles, Zoological Society of San Diego.
    • Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, San Diego Society of Natural History.
    • Directed the early careers of Charles E. Shaw, Sheldon Campbell, Findlay Russell and others.
    • 1938-1940 President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1941 Honorary LLD, U CA, Los Angeles.
    • 1943-1968 Member, Board of Trustees, Zoological Society of San Diego.
    • 1946 President, Western Society of Naturalists.
    • 1946-1949 President, San Diego Gas and Electric Company.
    • 1949-1951 President, Zoological Society of San Diego.
    • 1949-1954 Chairman of the Board, San Diego Gas and Electric Company.
    • 1955 President, Society of Systematic Zoology.
    • 1956 Published "Rattlesnakes," U CA Press, Berkeley, CA.
    • His outstanding herpetological library and specimen collection are at the San Diego Society of Natural History.

  101. Klauber, Philip Monroe (1915- ) Arizona elegans philipi Klauber, 1946
    • 1915 Born in San Diego, CA, July 19.
    • 1933-1934 San Diego State University
    • 1934-1938 BS, Engineering, Stanford U.
    • 1939 Lecturer, General Electric House of Magic, Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco, CA.
    • 1940 Test Engineer, General Electric, transferred to Schenectady, NY and Lynn, MS.
    • 1941-1945 Sales Engineer and Applications Engineer, General Electric Company.
    • 1946-1963 Started as an Electrical Engineer with the Solar Aircraft Company in San Diego, rose to Chief Administrative Engineer.
    • 1963+ Vice President of the San Diego Gas and Electric Company, San Diego, CA.
    • 1968+ Director, Klauber Wangenheim Company, San Diego, CA.
    • 1975+ Chairman of the Board, Klauber Wangenheim Company.
    • Active in professional associations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Has served as a director on the boards of 16 charitable organizations and is or has been President of the San Diego Historical Society, San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association, COMBO, San Diego Community Foundation, Lead - San Diego, Inc., and United Way of San Diego County.
    • 1974 Elected National Distinguished Eagle Scout.
    • 1983 Proclaimed "Mr. San Diego" by the San Diego Rotary Club.
    • 1986 Proclaimed "Citizen of the Year" by the San Diego City Club.
    • Mayor Golding presented him with a proclamation from the city of San Diego declaring his 81st birthday, July 19, 1996, to be "Phil Klauber Day."

  102. * Kohn, Joseph Gustave (1837-1906) Graptemys kohnii (Baur, 1893) "Mr. G. Kohn, of New Orleans, LA" sent a living specimen of this map turtle.
    • 1880s Sent the type specimens of the Ringed Sawback Turtle, Graptemys oculifera (Baur, 1890) to the National Museum. The turtles probably were purchased in the New Orleans Market and their provenance has been determined to be from the Pearl River.
    • 1885 Published in the American Naturalist, Vol XIX
    • 1889 Published in The Auk, Vol. 6, No. 1, January
    • 1894 Published in The Auk, Vol. 11, No. 2, April about Titlarks in Iberia Parish, LA.
    • 1890s His herpetological and mounted collection formed the basis for the Tulane University Museum collection and he was described as a "wealthy New Orleanean" living at 14 Caroundelet Street by that insitution.

  103. Krause, Karl Christian Friedrich (1781-1832) Ambystoma macrodactylum krausei Peters, 1882.
    • German writer and philosopher
    • 1781 Born May 4, Eisenberg, Germany
    • Studied philosophy at Eisenberg and Jena; taught privately. Moved to Berlin and Munich in search of teaching positions.
    • 1832 Died September 27 of apoplexy after having just achieved a long sought position.


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  104. Larsell, Olof (1886-1964) Plethodon larselli Burns, 1954 "The subspecific name was chosen in honor of Dr. Olof Larsell...who has done much work on the brain and nervous system of salamanders and other amphibians and has so generously aided the author with his biological interest whenever possible."
    • 1910-1915 Instructor, Biology, Linfield College.
    • 1915-1918 Zoology, Northwestern U, IL.
    • 1918-1921 Asst. to Assoc. Professor, Anatomy, U WI.
    • 1921-1952 Professor, Anatomy, Medical School, U OR.
    • 1952-1954 Professor, Neuroanatomy, U MN.

  105. Le Conte, John Eatton (1784-1860) Contia Baird and Girard, 1853
    • c1812 Performed harbor surveys, participated in defense of Savannah.
    • 1818-1831 Served as a topographical engineer, US Army.
    • 1825 Read paper at Lyceum of Natural History, NY.
    • 1831 Resigned his commission to devote his time to natural history.
    • 1855+ Secretary of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1858-1860 VP of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.

  106. Le Conte, John Lawrence -- son of JE Le Conte (1825-1883) Rhinocheilus lecontei Baird and Girard, 1853
    • 1842 Graduated, Mount St. Mary's College.
    • 1845 MD, College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
    • 1845 Visited Rocky Mountains.
    • 1846 Collected around Lake Superior Region.
    • 1848 Worked with Louis Agassiz, Lake Superior Region.
    • 1849-1851 Collected in CA.
    • 1852-1883 Maintained a residence in Philadelphia, PA.
    • c1853 Collected in littoral CA.
    • pre1854 Collected type of Kinosternon sonoriense at "Tucson, in Sonora."
    • Collected type for Contia mitis, San Jose, CA.
    • Collected type for Rhinocheilus lecontei, San Diego, CA.
    • 1857 Collected in Honduras.
    • c1860-1865 Surgeon for the PA Volunteers.
    • 1867 Collected and explored parts of Colorado and NM.
    • 1873 President, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
    • 1878 Chief clerk of the US Mint at Philadelphia, PA.

  107. Le Conte, Joseph -- nephew of JE Le Conte Contia Baird and Girard, 1853 (1823-1901)
    • 1841 Graduated, Franklin College (now the U of GA).
    • 1843 College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
    • 1843-1844 Visited headwaters of Mississippi River on an expedition to the then Far West with John L.
    • 1845 MD, College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
    • 1845-1847 Traveled for 2 years. Married in 1847.
    • 1850 Went to Cambridge, MA, studied under Agassiz at Harvard U.
    • 1851 SB degree, Lawrence Science School, Harvard..
    • 1851 Professor of Science, Oglethorpe U, Midway, GA.
    • 1852-1856 Professor of Science, U GA, Athens, GA.
    • 1857 Professor of Geology, College of SC, Columbia, SC.
    • 1861-1864 Civil War - Chemist of Niter and Mining Bureau, traveled throughout South.
    • 1866-1896 Professor at newly established U CA, Berkeley.
    • 1901 Died while on a trip in Yosemite with the Sierra Club.

  108. * Lewis, Frank Bartto ( - ) Necturus lewisi Brimley, 1924 "the...name being in honor of Mr. Frank Bartto Lewis, from whom I received the greater part of my specimens."
    • need bio

  109. Lindheimer, Ferdinand Jacob (1801-1879) Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii (Baird and Girard, 1853)
    • 1801 Born in Frankfurt-am-main, Germany.
    • Attended Universities at Bonn and Weisbanden. Studied law at Jena.
    • While teaching in his native city he was suspected of revolutionary activities.
    • 1834 Moved to US, lived in Belleville, St. Claire County, IL. In the US his associations were with the revolutionary element from the beginning.
    • 1835 Enlisted in the Texas War of Independence.
    • 1836 Lived in Mexico.
    • 1836-1845 Spent 9 years collecting botanicals for Asa Gray of Harvard U.
    • 1847 Founded the short-lived Bettina communistic colony. He enjoyed a high reputation among the local Indians for his skill with medical remedies.
    • 1852-1870 Editor of Neu Braunfelser Zeitung, supported the South in the Civil War.
    • Collected type at New Braunfels, TX; original name was Scotophis lindheimeri.
    • Wrote "Essays and Treatises of Ferdinand Lindheimer in Texas" which was published in Frankfort.
    • 1879 Died in New Braunfels, TX.

  110. Liner, Ernest A. (1925- ) Cemophora coccinea lineri Williams, Brown and Wilson, 1966
    • 1925 Born in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, LA
    • 1943 Graduated Terrebonne H.S., in Houma.
    • 1943-1955 Corporal in the US Marine Corps. Involved in the invasions of Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands, Saipan and Tinian in the Mariannas and Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. Stationed on Maui, Hawaiian Islands for rest. Honorable (medical) discharge.
    • 1951 BS, Southwestern LA Institute.
    • 1951-1952 6th Grade Teacher in Terrebonne Parish, LA.
    • 1952-1955 Zoology Department, Tulane U, New Orleans, LA.
    • 1955-1987 Worked for E.R. Squibb and Sons for almost 32 years as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. Spent all vacations collecting.
    • 1963 Collected holotype of Cemophora coccinea lineri in Kenedy County, TX.
    • Member of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetologists League, Chicago Academy of Sciences, KS Academy of Science, Southwestern Association of Naturalists, and the Biological Society of Washington. present Working on a survey of the reptiles and amphibians of the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
    • H.M. Smith wrote in 1973: "[Ernie is] an indefatigable 'non-professional' who, like the most illustrious of all 'non-professional' herpetologists, L.M. Klauber, has contributed a highly significant impact upon knowledge and representation of the Mexican herpetofauna." J. of Herp 7(2):120.

  111. Loding, Henry Peder (1869-1942) Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi Blanchard, 1924 and Necturus punctatus lodingi Viosca, 1937 "Named for H.P. Loding of Mobile, pioneer student of Alabama reptiles and amphibians, through whose efforts have come to light the types upon which this species is based."
    • 1869 Born in Denmark.
    • 1922 Wrote 1st comprehensive report on the herpetofauna of AL, an annotated list.


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  112. Mabee, William Bruce (1897- ) Ambystoma mabeei Bishop, 1928 "...collected by W. B. Mabee..."
    • 1920-1926 Entomologist, NC State College.
    • 1923 Collector of the type specimen, Harnett County, NC.
    • 1926-1930 Asst. Professor, Entomology, MT State College.
    • 1930-1931 Entomologist, PA State College.
    • 1931-1938 Cattle rancher, MT.
    • 1936-1937 Regional range examiner, US Dept. of Agriculture.
    • 1938-1951 Field supervisor, Bureau Entomology and Plant Quarantine.

  113. Marcy, Randolph Barnes (1812-1887) Thamnophis marcianus (Baird and Girard, 1853)
    • 1832 Graduated, Military Academy, West Point, NY.
    • 1832-1846 Served on MI/WI frontier. Commissioned 1st Lt., 1835; Captain, 1846.
    • 1845-1847 Served in TX.
    • 1849 Reconnaissances of Railroad Routes from San Antonio to El Paso.
    • 1849 Escorted immigrants from Fort Smith to Santa Fe, opening a new trail.
    • 1851 Commanded escort of General Belknap in the Southwest.
    • 1852 Led exploring expedition to Red and Canadian Rivers with GB McClellan.
    • 1854 Surveyed Indian reservations in northern and western TX, Big Wichita and Brazos Rivers.
    • 1857 Campaign against Seminoles.
    • 1857 Campaign against Mormons of UT. Led 100 men on a 1000 mile winter march through trackless country and over Rockies to NM.
    • 1859 Wrote "The Prairie Traveler," published by the War Dept.
    • 1859-1861 Major and paymaster in Northwest.
    • 1861 Chief of Staff to GB McClellan (his son-in-law).
    • 1863-1878 Inspector for various Departments of the US Army.
    • 1866 Published "30 Years of Army Life on the Border."
    • 1872 Wrote "Border Reminiscences."
    • 1878-1881 Inspector General of Army.

  114. Marnoch, Gabriel Wilson (1838-1920) Eleutherodactylus marnockii Cope, 1878
    • 1838 Born in Edinburgh, Scotland on December 15.
    • c1867 Settled on Helotes Creek, northwest of San Antonio, TX, lived there for 40 years.
    • 1877 Collector of natural history specimens for Cope.
    • c1877 Collected types of Hylactophryne augusti latrans for Cope, Bexar County, TX.
    • 1879 Collected type of Holbrookia lacerata in May of 1879, described by Cope.
    • John Strecker purchased Marnock's collection from his widow. Shipped it for temporary transfer to Scientific Society of San Antonio, TX. (Now at Baylor U, Waco, TX.)
    • Many of his specimens came from the area immediately around his house on Helotes Creek.
    • 1904-1919 Postmaster of Bexar, TX.
    • 1920 Died in Bexar, TX on February 4.

  115. Maslin, Thomas Paul [T. Paul] (1909-1984) Rana maslini Porter, 1969
    • 1909 Born in Hankow, China, son of missionary parents.
    • 1909-1927 Schooled in Hankow until the family fled to the Philippines for six months.
    • 1927-1928 Attended Howard Military School in Los Angeles (high school). His parents returned to China.
    • 1928-1933 Attended U CA, Berkeley, BA in 1933, acquired his life-long interest in herpetology.
    • 1934-1936 Taught at Boone Middle School in Wuchang, married Mary Hamilton Watts, researched herpetofauna.
    • 1936 He and his wife returned to the US, began graduate study at U CA, Berkeley.
    • 1937-1940 Curatorial assistant in herpetology and mammalogy at MVZ, and in ornithology at the CA Academy of Sciences, 1939. Until 1940, was a WPA supervisor at the Academy.
    • 1940-1941 Taught at Armstrong Junior College.
    • 1941 MA, U CA, Berkeley, CA.
    • 1941-1945 Transferred to Stanford, worked under George Myers. Teaching assistant for 2 years, then curator at the Natural History Museum. Worked as a Port Supervisor, Officer of Fishery Co-ordination at San Francisco.
    • 1945 PhD, Zoology Stanford U.
    • 1945-1947 Asst. Professor, Zoology, CO Agricultural and Mechanics College. (CO State University)
    • 1947-1974 Asst. Professor to Professor, Biology, U CO, Boulder, CO.
    • 1966-1973 Curator of Zoology, U CO, Boulder, CO.
    • 1974-1978 Partially retired from U CO until 1978.
    • 1966 Curator of University Museum, U CO, Boulder, CO.
    • 1975+ Professor Emeritus, U CO, Boulder, CO.
    • 1981 Re-visited China.
    • Member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologists League and Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Researched parthenogenesis of lizards.
    • His zoological photographs are on file at the U CO Museum, as well as his pre-retirement field notes. He published about 56 works on herpetology, but this number does not reflect the importance of his contributions, including pioneer work on parthenogenetic Cnemidophorus. He collected over 60,000 specimens housed at the U CO.

  116. McCall, George Archibald (1802-1868) Phrynosoma mcallii (Hallowell, 1852)
    • 1822 Graduated US Military Academy, West Point, NY.
    • 1831-1836 Aide to General EP Gaines. 1836, commissioned Captain.
    • 1847 Major, Battle of Palo Alto, Mexican War.
    • 1850 Inspector-General of the Army.
    • pre1852 Collected holotype of Phrynosoma mcallii 160 miles east of San Diego, CA.
    • 1853 Resigned Army.
    • 1861 Volunteered for Civil War, Major General Militia. Organized PA Reserves.
    • 1862 Captured by Confederates. Released from prison in an exchange of prisoners.
    • 1863 Resigned Army.
    • 1868 His "Letters from the Frontier" were published after his death.
    • The patronym commemorates McCall's interest in wildlife and extensive collections.

  117. Meahllmorum Elaphe emoryi meahllmorum Smith, Chiszar, Staley and Tepedelen, 1994
    "The subspecific name meahllmorum (pronounced as though spelled 'meal/morum') is derived from the names of 11 associates of HMS to whom he is indebted particularly for absolutely vital aid in preparation for publication of volume seven of the series jointly authored by himself and his wife and co-worker, Rozella B. Smith, entitled A Synopsis of the Herpetofauna of Mexico. The new name is a collective, proposed in honor of the following individuals, now or formerly at the University of Colorado, listed with their designated letters in the order of occurrence in the name:
    1. "m" Dr. Michael J. Preston, Department of English;
    2. "e" Mary E. Marcotte, EPOB (Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology) secretary;
    3. "a" Ann E. Carrington, do.;
    4. "h" Laura J. Heigl, do.;
    5. "l" Linda K. Bowden, do.;
    6. "l" Dr. William M Lewis, Chairman, EPOB;
    7. "m" Dr. Michael D. Breed, EPOB, former Chairman;
    8. "o" Phyllis A. O'Connell, EPOB secretary;
    9. "r" Dean Charles R. Middleton, College of Arts and Sciences;
    10. "u" Dr. Shi-Kuei Wu, Curator of Zoology, University of Colorado Museum; and
    11. "m" Dr. Michael C. Grant, EPOB, former Chairman." (page 265)

  118. Mearns, Edgar Alexander (1856-1916) Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) "...I am dedicating to its discoverer, Dr. E. A. Mearns, USA, naturalist of the International Boundary Commission" (U.S. and Mexico).
    • 1856 Born in Highland Falls, Orange County, NY, September 11.
    • 1881 Graduated College Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
    • 1883 Commissioned 1st Lt. and Assistant Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1883-1887 Served at Fort Verde, AZ. Collected 3,500 bird skins, 1000 bird eggs and 600 mammals which were donated to the American Museum of Natural History.
    • 1887-1890 Served at Fort Snelling, MN.
    • 1891 Captain, US/Mexican Boundary Commission.
    • 1892-1894 Lt. Colonel, US Medical Corps, Mexican Boundary Commission.
    • 1894 Explored entire boundary. Collected 30,000 animal and plant specimens.
    • 1894 Collected holotype of Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus on the summit of the coast range, San Diego County, CA.
    • 1895-1903 Collected in Catskills, Rhode Island, FL and Yellowstone.
    • 1901 Appointed Major, Army Surgeons.
    • 1903-1907 Served in Phillipines, Collected plants, birds and animals.
    • 1909 Retired Army as Lt. Colonel.
    • 1909-1910 Served as naturalist, Smithsonian African Expedition with Theodore Roosevelt.
    • 1911-1912 Field naturalist of the Childs-Frick African Expedition to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
    • By his death, he had collected 7,000 mammals, 20,000 birds, 5,000 reptiles and 5,000 fish.
    • A founder of the Am. Ornithologists' Union, and a member of many other scientific societies.

  119. Merriam, Clinton Hart (1855-1942) Sceloporus merriami Stejneger, 1904
    • 1855 Born in New York City, NY, December 5.
    • 1872 Appointed naturalist and collected bird skins and eggs for S. Baird on Hayden's Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories with ED Cope.
    • 1874-1877 Sheffield Scientific School, Yale U.
    • 1875 Asst., US Fish Commission.
    • 1877-1928 Prolific author - animals, Indians, history, ethnology.
    • 1879 One of the founders and 1st president of the Linnaen Society of NY.
    • 1879 MD, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia.
    • 1879-1885 Private medical practice.
    • 1884 Wrote "Vertebrates of the Adirondack Region."
    • 1885-1910 US Dept. Agriculture, rising to Chief, US Biological Survey.
    • 1886 First economic ornithologist employed by the US Government. He was a great constructive force within the government in the battle to save American wildlife.
    • 1888 A founder and board member of the National Geographic Society.
    • 1889 Expedition to San Francisco Mountain. 1890, expedition to southern ID.
    • 1890-1905 Directed the Nelson-Goldman Expedition to Mexico.
    • 1891 Expedition to Death Valley, CA.
    • 1891 Served on American-British fur seal commission, Commander US Bering Sea expedition.
    • 1898 Expedition to Mount Shasta, CA.
    • 1899 Scientific director and editor for Harriman Alaska Expedition.
    • 1902 Organized and traveled with the transcontinental tour of the American Ornithologists Union.
    • 1903 Proposed Pelican Island off FL be sanctioned as 1st National Wildlife Refuge. The pelicans left and did not return for nearly 30 years.
    • 1905-1910 Director of Bureau of Biological Survey.
    • 1910 Mrs. EH Harriman provided him with independent research money thru a Smithsonian trust fund.
    • 1917-1925 Chair, US Geographic Board.
    • Numerous publications on a wide range of floral, faunal, geographic and ethnographic topics.
    • Most widely known from his definition of life zones of faunal distribution, he was also an early conservationist. He was one of the founders of American Ornithologists Union, the Washington Academy of Sciences, the American Society of Mammalogists and the National Geographic Society.

  120. Mertens, Robert (1894-1975) Tropidoclonion lineatum mertensi Smith, 1965
    • 1894 Born in St. Petersburg, Russia (now Leningrad, USSR).
    • 1912 Entered Leipzig University, thesis on geographical variation in Lacerta. PhD, U Leipzig, Germany.
    • 1919-1925 Asst., Senckenberg Museum, Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1925-1946 Curator, Senckenberg Museum, Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1932 Obtained title of Privatdozent.
    • 1932-1939 Instructor, U Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1939+ Professor, U Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1946-1960 Director, Senckenberg Museum, Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1960+ Emeritus Director, Senckenberg Museum, Frankfort, Germany.
    • 1975 Died from a bite from his pet Thelotornis kirtlandi, August 23rd.
    • Published close to 800 items. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of reptiles and enjoyed being able to identify, by sight, obscure animals in zoos and collections. Described 100's of new reptiles and amphibians - often without first formally revising the group. Wrote a popular book about his voyage around the US.

  121. Metcalf, Maynard Mayo (1868-1940) Plethodon metcalfi Brimley, 1912 [tc]
    • Born Elyria, OH on 12 March 1868.
    • 1889 AB, Oberlin College
    • 1893 PhD, Johns Hopkins University
    • 1893-1897 Associate professor of biology, Goucher College
    • 1896-1932 Trustee of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole
    • 1897-1906 Professor of biology, Goucher College
    • 1904 "An Outline of the Theory of Organic Evolution"
    • 1906-1914 Professor of zoology, Oberlin College
    • 1907-1908 Zoological studies in Germany and Italy
    • 1914 Honorary ScD, Oberlin College
    • 1914-1924 Researched in California, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and South America
    • 1917 President, American Society of Zoologists
    • 1918 President, OH Academy of Science
    • 1923 President, zoological section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
    • 1924-1925 Chairman, division of biology and agriculture, National Research Council
    • 1925 Expert witness in the Scopes evolution trial
    • 1926-1933 professor of zoology and research associate, Johns Hopkins University
    • died Winter Park, FL on 19 April 1940

  122. Metter, Dean E. "Doc" (1932-2001) Pseudemys metteri Ward, 1984
    • a long-time member of the biology faculty at the University of Missouri-Columbia,
    • taught zoology, comparative anatomy, evolution, and herpetology.
    • the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles has an annual student award in his honor.

  123. Mitchell, Silas Weir (1829-1914) Crotalus mitchellii (Cope, 1861)
    • 1850 MD, Jefferson Medical College.
    • 1851 Studied in England and Paris.
    • 1853 Elected to Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1860 Wrote "Researches on the Venom of the Rattlesnake," published by the Smithsonian. He was one of the first to point out that snake venom is a double poison.
    • 1861 Appointed acting assistant surgeon, Union Army. Studied nerve wounds and diseases. Associated with Morehouse, Hammond and Keen.
    • c1862 Delivered a lecture on his "experiments and observations on the snapping turtle with especial reference to the pressure of the blood in the arteries and veins" published by the Amer. Philosophical Society.
    • 1865-1870 Wrote on toxicology, nerve paralysis and the effects of opium.
    • 1870-1878 Published 38 neurological articles. In all, wrote 119 neurological, 52 pharmacological and other papers. Also an author of poetry, 15 novels and innumerable short stories.
    • 1886 Co-authored "Researches upon the Venoms of Poisonous Serpents" with ET Reichert.
    • 1888 Honorary MD, Bologna.
    • 1875 Trustee of U PA.
    • Biography: David M. "S. Weir Mitchell as a Psychiatric Novelist," 1952, International Universities Press, Inc., New York.

  124. Muhlenberg, Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst (1753-1815) Clemmys muhlenbergii (Schoepf, 1801) Collected the type.
    • 1753 Born in Trappe, PA.
    • 1763-c1769 Sent to Halle, Germany with his two brothers to study for the ministry.
    • 1770-1779 Lutheran Minister in NJ and Philadelphia, PA.
    • c1776 His brother was a member of the Continental Congress which necessitated his removal from Philadelphia to New Providence (Trappe, PA) during the British occupation.
    • 1778-1791 Listed 1100+ plants growing near Lancaster PA and sent turtles to Schoepf.
    • 1779-1815 Pastor of Trinity Church (Lutheran), Lancaster, PA.
    • 1787 1st President, Franklin College.
    • 1787 Elected President of Lutheran synod in North America.
    • 1812 Wrote " Catalog of the Plants of North America," and co-authored a 12 volume English-German, German-English Dictionary.
    • Biography: Mann, William J., D.D. The Life and Time of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, 2nd ed., G.W. Frederick publ., Philadelphia, 1888.

  125. Murray, Leo Tildon (1902-1958) Kinosternon hirtipes murrayi Glass and Hartweg, 1951 "We take pleasure in naming this turtle after Dr. Leo T. Murray."
    • 1902 Born in Eastland County, TX.
    • 1931 MS, Cornell U, Ithaca, NY.
    • 1935 PhD, Cornell U.
    • 1935-1936 Asst Professor, Ball State Teachers College, PA.
    • 1936-1944 Assoc. Professor and Director of the Museum, Baylor U, Waco, TX.
    • 1944-1946 Assoc. Professor of Zoology, Texas A and M U.
    • 1946+ Aquatic Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service.
    • Member of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and other professional organizations.


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  126. Neill, Wilfred T., Jr. (1922-2001) Tantilla relicta neilli Telford, 1966
    • 1922 Born January 12 in Augusta, GA
    • 1941 BS, University of Georgia
    • 1946 Joined Biology staff of Richmond Academy, Augusta, GA.
    • 1949-1962 Left Biology Department of Augusta Junior College, Augusta, GA to join the new research division of the Silver Springs, FL, Reptile Institute, and collaborate with E. Ross Allen on the preparation for publication of their unpublished notes on FL and GA herpetology.
    • 1954 Published on ranges and taxonomy of AL herpetofauna among his 300 articles and six books in herpetology, biogeography, archaeology and anthropology.
    • 1978 Received a near-fatal snakebite after which his health steadily declined.
    • 2001 Died February 19 of pulmonary pneumonia.

  127. Nelson, Edward William (1855-1934) Bufo boreus nelsoni Stejneger, 1893 "...name of this form is selected in honor of Mr. E.W. Nelson for his valuable zoographical work both in the extreme south and the extreme north of our country." And Pseudemys nelsoni Carr, 1938 "It is named for Mr. George Nelson, preparator-in-chief of the MCZ, in recognition of his extensive contributions to museum collections of FL reptiles and amphibians."
    • 1855 Born in Manchester, NH.
    • 1871 Family homeless after Chicago Fire.
    • 1872 Joined Cope and Garman on field trip to WY, UT and NV.
    • 1875 Graduated Cook County Normal School.
    • 1877-1881 Expedition to Arctic Alaska.
    • 1878 Published "Fisheries of Chicago and Vicinity."
    • 1881-1892 Explored AZ and Southwestern US.
    • 1890-1920 Served with the Bureau of Biological Survey, US Department of Agriculture.
    • 1890-1891 Death Valley Expedition.
    • 1892-1902 Went to Mexico for Dept. of Agriculture, collected zoological and botanical specimens.
    • 1907-1912 Chief field naturalist, US Bureau of Biological Survey.
    • 1908-1911 President of American Ornithologists Union.
    • 1913-1914 In charge of biological investigations, US Biological Survey.
    • 1914-1916 Assistant chief, US Biological Survey.
    • 1916-1927 Chief, US Biological Survey. Principle biologist from 1927-1929.
    • 1920 Honorary AM, Yale U.
    • 1929-1931 Research Associate, Smithsonian.

  128. Netting, Morris Graham [M. Graham] (1904-1996) Siren intermedia nettingi Goin, 1942 and Plethodon nettingi Green, 1938 "in recognition of his valuable contributions to West Virginian herpetology, not only directly through his own researches, but also indirectly through his constant and unselfish encouragement and inspiration to other workers."
    • 1904 Born in Wilkinsburg, PA - now a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1925-1928 Asst. Herpetology, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1926 Undergraduate degree, U Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1928-1929 MS, U MI. Worked toward his PhD under Ruthven. The October, 1929 stock market crash interrupted his education.
    • 1928-1931 Asst. Curator, Carnegie Museum.
    • 1929-1930 Led Carnegie Museum expedition to Venezuela.
    • 1931-1947 Secretary, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1931-1954 Curator of Herpetology, Carnegie Museum.
    • 1935 Collected type of Plethodon nettingi in West Virginia.
    • 1939 Wrote "Hand list of the Amphibians and Reptiles of PA."
    • 1940 Described Rana sevosa with Coleman J. Goin.
    • 1944-1963 Taught geography, zoology and herpetology part-time at the University of Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1948-1950 President, ASIH.
    • 1949-1953 Asst. Director, Carnegie Museum.
    • 1953-1954 Acting Director, Carnegie Museum.
    • 1954-1975 Director, Carnegie Museum.
    • mid 1950s Helped found Powdermill Nature Reserve, Westmoreland County.
    • 1975+ Director emeritus, Carnegie Museum.


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  129. Orcutt, Charles Russell (1864-1929) Sceloporus orcutti Stejneger, 1893
    • 1864 Born in Vermont, April 27th.
    • 1879+ Travelled to San Diego with his parents and brother. He was an industrious collector of reptiles, fossils, mollusks, and especially plants. He sold and traded with many of the major museums and herbaria worldwide. Married Dr. Olive E. Eddy with whom he had four children.
    • 1882+ Founded the Orcutt Seed and Plant Company which had experimental growing grounds at Orcutt, CA (now a suburb of San Diego known as Grantville).
    • 1884-1921 Began publishing "West American Scientist< magazine. Due to his frequent absences on collecting trips the publication schedule was sporadic. 22 volumes of natural history notes and short articles were printed. Affiliated with Museum of Natural History, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA for part of this time. Collected in Baja California, Mexico, Central America and the Carribean.
    • 1890 Collected the type specimen Sceloporus orcutti, San Diego County, CA.
    • 1927 He was appointed a field collector in the West Indies by the Smithsonian Institution.
    • 1929 Died at Jeremie, Haiti while doing field work. Buried there, as he had requested.
    • Biographical information: The Smithsonian has letters, maps and documents pertaining to his Jamaica and Haiti collections and trips on their behalf.


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  130. Palmer, Theodore Sherman (1868-1955) Elgaria coerulea palmeri (Stejneger, 1893)
    • 1868 Born in Oakland, CA.
    • 1888 AB, U CA.
    • 1890-1896 1st asst. ornithologist, US Biological Survey.
    • 1895 MD, Georgetown U.
    • 1891 In charge of the Death Valley Expedition.
    • 1891 Collected type specimen of E. c. palmeri in King's River, CA.
    • 1896-1902 Asst. Chief, US Biological Survey.
    • 1902-1916 Asst. in Charge, game preservation, US Biological Survey.
    • 1902 Wrote legislation for protection of birds other than Game Birds.
    • 1905-1935 Vice President, National Association of Audubon Societies.
    • 1916-1924 Expert in game conservation.
    • 1924-1928 Biologist, US Biological Survey.
    • 1928-1933 Senior Biologist, US Biological Survey.
    • 1933+ Asst. Zoology, US National Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.
    • 1941+ President Emeritus, Audubon Society, Washington, DC.
    • Member of the California Academy of Sciences. Wrote on a variety of faunal and regulatory topics.

  131. Perkins, Clarence Basil [C.B. or "Si"] (1888-1955) Phyllorhynchus decurtatus perkinsi Klauber, 1935
    • 1912 Princeton U.
    • 1926-1931 Collector, San Diego Zoo.
    • 1931+ Curator of Reptiles, Zoological Gardens, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA.
    • 1936 Completed construction of state-of-the-art reptile house at San Diego Zoo, in which he successfully bred rattlesnakes, cobras, pine snakes, and developed an albino strain of San Diego gopher snake.

  132. Pickering, Charles, Dr. (1805-1878) Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii (Baird and Girard, 1853) "Collected by the US Exploring Expedition and dedicated to the discoverer Dr. Charles Pickering", while at Puget Sound.
    • 1805 Born at Starucca Creek on the east branch of the Susquehannah River, PA.
    • Grew up on a farm in Wenham near Salem, MA.
    • 1825 Explored the White Mountain region of NH with William Oakes.
    • Sent several new species of spiders to Nicholas M. Hentz.
    • 1826 MD, Harvard U.
    • 1827 Began medical practice in Philadelphia, PA
    • 1828-1833 Librarian of the Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1833-1837 Curator, Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1836 Member, American Philosophical Society, resigned 1837.
    • 1838-1842 Sailed aboard Vincennes as a naturalist, US Exploring Expedition under Charles Wilkes.
    • In Oregon country, collected up the Columbia River to the area near Walla Walla, WA.
    • 1842 Assisted Holbrook on publication of North American Herpetology.
    • 1842 Appointed to supervise publication of the scientific volumes and classification of the collections of the US Exploring Expedition.
    • 1843 Persuaded that the arranging was nearly complete, resigned superintendency.
    • 1844 Traveled from Egypt to Zanzibar, then to India studying ethnology.
    • 1846 Submitted manuscript, published 1847 "The Races of Man: and Their Geographical Distribution."
    • 1850+ Baird and Girard described and published reptiles and fishes collected on US Exploring Expedition.
    • 1854 Visited Thomas Nuttall in England.
    • 1858 Accepted as a corresponding member CA Academy of Sciences, listed from Boston, MA.
    • 1878 Died after 1/2 of his 1200 page work "Chronological History of Plants" had been published.

  133. Poinsett, Joel Roberts (1779-1851) Sceloporus poinsettii Baird and Girard, 1852
    • to 1809 Traveled widely in Europe, Russia, Asia.
    • 1809 Sent to Chile by US Government. Helped quash uprising.
    • 1816-1818 Member SC legislature.
    • 1818-1820 Chairman of the Board Public Works, SC.
    • 1821-1825 SC House of Representatives.
    • 1825-1830 1st US Minister to Mexico.
    • 1833 Introduced cuttings of Euphorbia poinsett to SC, from Mexico.
    • 1837 While Secretary of War, sent Holbrook a living Phrynosoma.
    • 1838 Assumed administration of the US Exploring Expedition.
    • 1841 Founded a "National Institute" which became the Smithsonian.
    • 1841 Resigned position as Secretary of War.

  134. Price, William Wightman (1871-1922) Crotalus pricei Van Denburgh, 1895 "In a collection of reptiles made by Mr. W.W. Price for the Leland Stanford Junior University is a new species of rattlesnake which I take pleasure in naming for its energetic collector."
    • 1871 Born in Milwaukee, WI, January 20.
    • Lived in West Bend, WI, Young America, MN and St. Edward, NB.
    • c1879 Ran away from home for several days and joined a band of Indians.
    • c1880 His father moved him to Riverside, CA.
    • 1885 After his father's death, he went to AZ where he remained a year and a half, exploring deserts and mountains. When he returned, he entered Oakland High School and paid part of his expenses from the sale of bird and mammal skins.
    • 1892 Made an extensive collecting trip through the Sierras collecting at Colfax, Rocklin, Red Point, Summit, Mt. Tallac, CA and Carson Valley, NV.
    • 1893 Described a new wood rat(Neotoma californica) he collected from Bear Valley, San Benito County, CA.
    • 1895 Collected in the Sierras: Mt. Hamilton, the San Joaquin, Ione, Amador grade, Silver Lake (above the American River), and the Pyramid Peak-Mt. Tallac region.
    • c1895 Collector of the type of Crotalus pricei, Cochise County, AZ.
    • 1897-1917 Founded a camp for boys at Glen Alpine, near Lake Tahoe, named Camp Agassiz.
    • 1898 AB, Economics, Stanford U, Palo Alto, CA.
    • 1898 Visited the lower Colorado River and the head of the Gulf of California.
    • 1899 MA, Stanford U.
    • 1899 Became a teacher at the Thatcher School.
    • 1901-1911 Opened a school for boys, Agassiz Hall, at Alta, Placer County, CA.
    • 1906 The camp was moved to Fallen Leaf Lake where he built Fallen Leaf Lodge.
    • 1917-1919 Worked for the Red Cross, became Assistant Field Director and was in charge of the Palo Alto Base Hospital until after the Armistice, WWI.
    • He was a member of the American Ornithologists Union, the Sierra Club, the Cooper Ornithological Club and the CA Academy of Sciences.


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  135. Rathbun, Richard (1852-1918) Typhlomolge rathbuni Stejneger, 1896 "I take great pleasure in dedicating this most interesting novelty to Mr. Richard Rathbun, in recognition of his eminent services to science, both as a naturalist and as the head of the scientific staff of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries."
    • 1852 Born in Buffalo, NY.
    • Collected fossils for Buffalo Society of Natural Science and Curator of Paleontology.
    • 1871 Cornell U, Ithaca, NY.
    • 1873-1875 Voluntary assistant to SF Baird, US Fish Commission.
    • 1874-1875 Assistant Zoology, Boston Society of Natural History.
    • 1875 Assistant Geologist, Geological Commission of Brazil.
    • 1878 Scientific Assistant, US Fish Commission.
    • 1879-1880 Assistant, Zoology, Yale U.
    • 1880-1914 Curator of Marine Invertebrates, US National Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.
    • 1883 MS, Indiana University.
    • 1891 Prepared material for Paris Fur Seal Tribunal.
    • 1892-1896 Served on the joint Commission US/British Fisheries on boundary of the US and Canada.
    • 1894 Honorary DSc, Bowdoin.
    • 1896 Worked with the Fur Seal Islands International Commission.
    • 1897 Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian.
    • 1899-1918 In-charge of the US National Museum.

  136. Reinwardt, Caspar Georg Carl (1773-1854) Farancia abacura reinwardtii (Schlegel, 1837)
    • 1817-1822 Explored in Java and Australasia
    • 1823+ at Leyden Museum

  137. Reynolds, A.G. ( - ) Neoseps reynoldsi Stejneger, 1910
    • 1910 Collector of the holotype, near Spring Lake, Fruitland Park, Lake County, FL.

  138. Richmond, Neil Dwight (1912- ) Plethodon richmondi Netting and Mittleman, 1938 "to a collector, Mr. Neil D. Richmond, who has done much to increase our knowledge of the herpetofauna of" (West Virginia).
    • 1935-1938 Instructor, Zoology, Syracuse U.
    • 1938-1939 Marshall College.
    • 1939-1940 Shackelford Farms, Lanexa, VA.
    • 1947-1948 US Fish and Wildlife Service, PA.
    • 1951+ Curator, Section of Amphibians and Reptiles, Carnegie Museum.

  139. Rivers, James John (1824-1913) Xantusia riversiana Cope, 1883
    • 1824 Born in Winchester, England, January 6th. Studied medicine at U of London.
    • Attended meetings of the Entomological Society of London with Thomas Huxley, Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace and others.
    • c1867 Came to the US. Around 1870 settled in KS, associated with Francis Snow, a pioneer entomologist at U KS. Visited Denver.
    • c1875-1880 Traveled to CA, associated with the CA Academy of Science.
    • -1895 Curator of Organic Natural History at U CA.
    • 1895+ Moved to Ocean Park and Santa Monica, CA.
    • 1913 Died in Santa Monica, CA, December 16th.

  140. Rossman, Nita J. (1936- ) Thamnophis sauritus nitae Rossman, 1963 "in honor of my wife, Nita, who collected the 1st living example I saw of this strikingly beautiful race."
    • 1954-1970 BS in General Studies; attended 5 universities; majors in zoology and psychology.
    • 1955-1958 Secretary, Department of Zoology, S'n IL U, Carbondale.
    • 1958-1961 Secretary, FL State Museum, Gainesville; participated in numerous field trips with husband Douglas A. Rossman, collecting Thamnophis sauritus for his dissertation research, as well as specimens of T. s. nitae including the holotype found in Wakulla County, FL.
    • 1961-1971 Raised a son and daughter.
    • 1971-1976 Secretary, LA State Department of Education.
    • 1977+ Secretary for Staff Senate, LA State U, Baton Rouge.
    • 1982 Senior author "Comparative Visceral Topography of the New World Snake Tribe Thamnophiini (Colubridae, Natricinae)", which appeared in "Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany."

  141. Ruddock, John C. (1891-1964) Masticophis flagellum ruddocki Brattstrom and Warren, 1953 "We name the subspecies for Dr. John C. Ruddock, Medical Director for the Richfield Oil Corporation."
    • 1891 Born in San Francisco, CA, Feb. 19th.
    • 1913 BS, U CA.
    • 1914 MS, U CA.
    • 1916 MD, (U CA??)
    • 1916 Began general practice of medicine.
    • 1917-1919 Served in the US Navy.
    • 1920 Established private practice. Staff member of Los Angeles General Hospital and St. Vincent's Hospital.
    • 1942-1946 On active duty in the US Navy.
    • -1951 Served in the US Navy Reserve.
    • c1949+ Medical Director of the Richfield Oil Corporation (now ARCO).
    • 1951-1953 Associate Clinical Professor to Emeritus Professor of Medicine, USC.
    • Member of American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Cardiology, Royal Society of Medicine (hon.), Southern California Medical Association, California Heart Association, several Greek letter societies and contributed articles to the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the Western Journal of Surgery among others.
    • 1964 Died in Los Angeles County, May 14.

  142. Ruthven, Alexander Grant (1882-1971) Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni Stull, 1929; Masticophis taeniatus ruthveni Ortenburger, 1923 and Holbrookia maculata ruthveni Smith, 1943
    • 1882 Born in Hull, IA, April 1.
    • 1903 BS, Morningside College, IA.
    • 1906 PhD, Zoology, U MI.
    • 1906-1913 Curator, Museum of Zoology, U MI.
    • 1906-1911 Instructor, Zoology, U MI.
    • 1908 Published concerning garter snakes, revised the genus.
    • 1909-1912 Geology and Biology Survey.
    • 1911-1915 Asst. Professor, U MI.
    • 1913-1929 Director of the Museum, U MI.
    • 1915-1929 Professor, U MI.
    • 1927-1929 Chairman, Department Zoology and Director of the Labs., U MI.
    • 1927 President of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1928+ Dean administration, U MI and chief field naturalist for the state of MI.
    • 1928 President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1928 Co-authored "The Herpetology of Michigan," with HT Gaige.
    • 1929-1951 President, U MI.
    • 1941-1951 President Emeritus, U MI.


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  143. Sacken - Carl Robert Romanovich von der Osten-Sacken (1828-1906) Thamnophis sauritus sackenii (Kennicott, 1859)
    • 1828 A Russian Baron, entomologist, and diplomat, he was born and educated in St. Petersburg.
    • 1839 At eleven, became interested in entomology while on a visit to Baden-Baden.
    • 1849 Entered diplomatic service.
    • 1856 Appointed secretary to Russian legation in Washington, DC when he was 28 years old.
    • 1858 Published "Catalog of the Described Diptera of N. America" through the Smithsonian.
    • pre1859 Collected holotype of Thamnophis sauritus sackenii in Florida.
    • 1862 Became consul-general of Russia in New York City.
    • 1862-1873 Wrote 4 volume "Monographs of the Diptera of N. America," published by the Smithsonian.
    • 1871 Resigned position of consul-general. Journeyed to and from Europe several times.
    • 1873-1877 In the US, collaborated on a study of the Diptera of America north of the Isthmus of Panama. Placed his collection of types at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard.
    • 1877 Went to Heidelberg, wrote papers and corresponded widely.
    • 1903-1904 Published "Record of my Life Work in Entomology," parts 1 and 2 in Cambridge, MA, part 3 at Heidelberg, 1904.
    • 1906 Died in Heidelberg, Germany.

  144. Say, Thomas (1787-1834) Pituophis melanoleucus sayi (Schlegel, 1837)
    • Quaker, trained as a pharmacist. Great-nephew of William Bartram who encouraged his interest in insects.
    • 1812 Charter member and 1st secretary of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA. (ANSP)
    • 1817 MacClure Expedition to GA and one of eight committee members who published the 1st issue of the Journal of the ANSP.
    • 1818 Set type with Thomas Nuttall for the second part of volume 1 of the Journal.
    • Published new descriptions of insects.
    • 1819-1820 Chief zoologist, Long's Expedition to the Rockies, on MO River watershed.
    • 1822-1828 Professor Natural History, U PA, Curator of American Philosophical Society.
    • 1823 Accompanied Long's 2nd Expedition which explored sources of MO River, collected botanical and zoological specimens.
    • 1825 Joined in the New Harmony experiment, on the Wabash River in IN, with Troost.
    • Superintendent of Literature, Science and Education at New Harmony.
    • 1832 Met Maximilian and Carl Bodmer at New Harmony. Say was described as a "distinguished naturalist."
    • 1834 Died in New Harmony, IN.

  145. Schenck, Carl Alwin (1868-1955) Pseudotriton ruber schencki (Brimley, 1912) "...after Dr. C.A. Schenck, Director of the Biltmore Forest School..."
    • 1868 Born, Darmstadt Germany
    • 1886-1891 Studied forestry Tubingen and Giessen Universities, Germany
    • 1895 Received Ph.D., summa cum laude
    • 1898 Invited to found the Biltmore Forest School, the first forestry school in the U.S. at George Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate and Forest On arrival he was hosted by noted landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted. The school closed in 1913 after graduating 400 students.
    • 1899 Visited a Chippewa Indian reservation in northern Minnesota in company with Elbert Hubbard and Harry White.
    • 1899 Published "Forestry for Kentucky"
    • 1907 Authored "Forestry Reports, Report on Highland Forest, Jackson County, North Carolina" while Forester in Charge
    • 1914-1915 Served in German Army on Russian front where he was wounded and incapacitated.
    • 1921-1922 Participated in the American Society of Friends post-war child-feeding program in Germany.
    • 1939-1945 Lived in Germany during WWII
    • 1951 Revisited United States, Biltmore alumni honored at woodland dedications.
    • 1955 Died, Lindenfels, Germany

  146. Sherman, Jr., Franklin (1877-1947) Plethodon shermani Brimley, 1912
    • An entomologist of the ?State Department of Agriculture
    • Professor of zoology and entomology at Clemson University, South Carolina.

  147. Schmidt, Karl Patterson (1890-1957) Urosaurus ornatus schmidti (Mittleman, 1940) "The subspecies is named for Karl Patterson Schmidt, with especial reference to his earlier study of the genus Uta."
    • 1890 Born in Lake Forest, IL.
    • 1916 BA, Cornell U.
    • 1916 Cornell Geological Expedition to San Domingo.
    • 1916-1922 Worked at the American Museum Natural History under Dickinson and Noble.
    • 1919 Survey of Puerto Rico.
    • 1922-1940 Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, Field Museum, Chicago, IL.
    • 1923 Marshall Field Central American Expedition.
    • 1926 Marshall Field Brazilian Expedition.
    • 1933-1934 Mandel Guatemala Expedition.
    • 1935 Co-authored "Amphibians and Reptiles of the Chicago Region" with WL Necker.
    • 1937-1949 Herpetology Editor, Copeia.
    • 1938 Served in the US Army, stationed at Camp Grant and Camp Taylor.
    • 1939 Magellanic Expedition.
    • 1941 Co-authored "Field Book of Snakes of the US and Canada" with DD Davis.
    • 1941-1955 Curator of Zoology, Field Museum.
    • 1942-1946 President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1953 "A Check list of North American Amphibians and Reptiles," 6th ed. ASIH, Chicago.
    • 1955+ Emeritus Curator of Zoology, Field Museum.
    • Herpetological editor for American Midland Naturalist and received an honorary degree from Earlham College, IN.
    • Member of the National Academy of Science. Wrote many scientific papers on reptiles and amphibians.
    • 1957 Died from bite of boomslang Dispholidus typus after which he went home to his wife, Margaret, and received no medical treatment. He kept a running journal of the symptoms he experienced up until his death.

  148. Schott, Arthur Carl Victor (1814-1875) Masticophis taeniatus schotti Baird and Girard, 1853
    • 1853-1855 1st Asst. Surveyor under Major Emory, US/Mexican Boundary Survey. He was the artist on survey, made topographic sketches and colored ethnological plates included in the reports. He collected many Orthoptera and Coleoptera later described by JL Le Conte and surveyed Rio Grande River from Eagle Pass to the mouth of the Pecos.
    • 1855-1866 Published six geological papers dealing with the Rio Grande country.
    • Made splendid collections of animals for the Survey and collected fossils and minerals in the Rio Grande valley with JH Clark.
    • 1857 Naturalist and Geologist on Michler's Survey of the Isthmus of Darien - Central America.
    • pre1859 Collected type of Arizona elegans along Rio Grande River.
    • Collector of the type specimen of Masticophis taeniatus schotti.

  149. Sequoyah a/k/a George Gist (c1760 to 1770-1843) Plethodon sequoyah Highton, 1989
    • Sequoya was the son of a white father (possibly Nathanial Gist, the younger) and Cherokee mother (Wut-teh of the Paint Clan) who was raised in native ways near Tuskegee, TN.
    • never spoke or wrote English.
    • 1797 reportedly moved farther west to avoid whites although returned frequently to his native area.
    • an early accident led to his learning blacksmithing and silversmithing skills.
    • he and his family moved to Cherokee County, Georgia
    • 1813-1814 fought with on the US side for General Andrew Jackson with his fellow Cherokee against the British-supported Creek Redsticks.
    • after the war, moved to Arkansas and worked for 12 years inventing a written notation for his native Cherokee language which is still used today.
    • 1821-1831 first Cherokee newspaper published
    • 1824 received a silver medal from his tribe which he wore the rest of his life and which is shown in his portraits.
    • c. 1825-1828 he walked to the new Cherokee territory in Arkansas, built a blacksmith shop and saltworks.
    • 1828 visited Washington, D.C. on behalf of the treaty delegation.
    • 1838-1839 the entire Cherokee Nation was relocated to Arkansas.
    • until his death in 1843 in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, traveled the US southwest and Mexico looking to reunite Cherokees who had been dispersed and writing down other Native American Languages.

  150. Shannon, Fredrick H. (1921-1965) Urosaurus graciosus shannonii Lowe, 1955 "Named in honor of Dr. Frederick A. Shannon of Wickenburg, AZ."
    • 1921 Born in Mt. Pleasant, IA, son of a professor at KS State College.
    • 1939 Moved to Champaign, IL.
    • 1940-1941 Spent summers as a herpetologist for Harry Hoogstral on the Field Museum expeditions to Mexico, collecting for the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL.
    • 1943 BA, Zoology, U of IL, Champaign.
    • 1943-1947 U of IL Medical School.
    • 1947 MD, U of IL.
    • 1947-1948 St. Joseph's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ.
    • 1948-1949 U of IL, post-graduate work in herpetology.
    • 1949 Moved to Wickenburg, AZ.
    • 1951 Commissioned as a 1st Lt., sent to Korea. Collected 600 specimens of amphibians and reptiles while stationed there.
    • 1953-1954 Wrote about the effects of poisonous snake bite.
    • 1953 Returned to Wickenburg, AZ. Wrote 45 papers on venomology and herpetology.
    • 1956-1965 Spent at least one month each summer collecting in Mexico.
    • 1965 Bitten by Crotalus scutulatus while attempting to catch it. Treated at several hospitals and died.

  151. Skilton, Dr. Avery J. (1802-1858) Eumeces skiltonianus (Baird and Girard, 1852) "we have dedicated it, as a slight acknowledgment of gratitude..."
    • 1802 Born in Watertown, Litchfield County, CT to James Skilton and Chloe Steele.
    • Educated CT district schools, Ensign's Academy - Morrist, CT and Yale Medical School
    • 1822-1823 Studied medicine with Dr. Christopher C. Kiersted of Saugerties, NY, and with Dr. Conant-Catlin at Bethlehem, PA[?].
    • 1828-1857 Licensed to practice medicine in CT by State Medical Society which he did until his death in 1858.
    • Curator of the Troy Lyceum of Natural History, NY. Sent specimens to Baird and Girard.
    • c1840-1848 Published in American Journal of Science descriptions of two new species from Oregon, collected by Rev. Mr. Gary. Read before the Troy Lyceum of Natural History, 1848.
    • "He was a man of indefatigable industry and perseverance, fond of science, and devoted to the subjects of geology, mineralogy, conchology and botany. He had a large conchological collection and the writer of this sketch has on many occasions been kept up until 2 a.m. helping him in arranging and labeling specimens. His mind never seemed at rest, always busy with something of a scientific nature, notwithstanding the fact that he was overrun day and night with calls. He refused no one and performed more work, received more blame and less money than any of his confreres, and when smitten on one cheek would turn the other to his assailant. He was a constant and practical Christian and for upwards of forty years was a faithful steward of the State Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He was for some years curator of the Troy Lyceum of Natural History, member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and of the Massachusetts Genealogical Society, a subject in which he took great interest. The names of his children are James Avery, Mary Tabitha, Julius Augustus, Charles Candee, Julia Augusta, Juliette Augustine, George Steele, Kitty Josephine and Mary Ella. One of his sons is a lawyer and one a physician." (Reed B. Bontecou, M.D., in George Baker Anderson, Landmarks of Rensselaer County, 1897.)

  152. Slevin, Joseph Richard (1881-1957) Sceloporus scalaris slevini Smith, 1937
    • 1881 Born in San Francisco, CA, September 13. He was the son of Thomas Slevin, a member of the CA Academy of Sciences and an ornithological collector.
    • Educated at St. Ignatius HS in San Francisco, CA and at St. Mary's College in KS.
    • Served an enlistment in the US Navy and made some 20 voyages with the Oceanic Steamship Company.
    • 1904 Employed by the CA Academy of Sciences. Studied with Van Denburgh, then curator of herpetology, in preparation for an expedition to the Galapagos.
    • 1905 Sailed for the Galapagos on the "Academy." They were gone for 17 months and missed the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The Academy's museum was destroyed.
    • 1906 Upon their return, the Academy had the foremost collection of flora and fauna from the Galapagos.
    • 1906-1928 Worked at the Academy as an assistant to Dr. Van Denburgh.
    • 1911 Collected the type of Plethodon elongatus in Del Norte County, CA, described by Van Denburgh.
    • 1913 Co-authored "List of Amphibians and Reptiles of AZ< with Van Denburgh.
    • 1914 Collected type of Eumeces gilberti rubricaudus in Kern County, CA.
    • c1918 Served as a submarine officer in WWI.
    • 1928-1957 Curator of Herpetology, CA Academy of Sciences.
    • Collected in Lower California, Australia, Central America, and elsewhere.
    • 1934 Wrote "A Handbook of the Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific States," a special publication of the CA Academy of Sciences.
    • Bibliography: Proc. CA Acad. Sci, 28:(4):556-559.

  153. Smith, Charles Clinton (1910-1966) Bufo americanus charlesmithi Bragg, 1954 "in honor of my former colleague, Dr. Charles Clinton Smith, of Pawhuska, OK."
    • need bio

  154. Smith, Hobart Muir (1912- ) Tantilla hobartsmithi Taylor, 1936
    • 1912 Born in September 26th Stanwood, Iowa, Frederick William Stouffer.
    • 1916 Adopted by Charles and Frances Smith.
    • 1928-1932 Attended KS State University, associated with Howard K. Gloyd.
    • 1932 Collecting trip to Mexico with Dr. EH Taylor, and in the summers of `33, `34, and `35.
    • 1933 MS, U KS, thesis "Amphibians of Kansas."
    • 1936 PhD, U KS, under Dr. EH Taylor, thesis a revision of torquatus group of Sceloporus.
    • 1936 Awarded a National Research Council Fellowship at U MI. Worked with Dr. HT Gaige, Norman Hartweg, James Oliver, Joe Bailey and Laurence Stuart. Their final report is "The Mexican and Central American Lizards of the Genus Sceloporus."
    • 1937 Worked both at the Chicago Academy of Sciences, under Gloyd and at Field Museum with KP Schmidt.
    • 1938-1941 Married, received a fellowship for 2 years study in Mexico from Smithsonian Institution.
    • Worked one year at the US National Museum. Collected 20,000 reptiles and amphibians, deposited in US National Museum.
    • 1941-45 Member Zoology Department, U Rochester, NY.
    • 1945 Asst. Professor, Zoology, U KS Lawrence, "Checklist and key to snakes of Mexico" with Taylor.
    • 1946 "Handbook of Lizards, Lizards of the US and Canada."
    • 1946 Assoc. Professor, Wildlife Management, Texas A and M College.
    • 1948 "Checklist and key to amphibians of Mexico< with Taylor.
    • 1947-1968 Asst. Professor, Zoology to full Professor and Curator Herpetology, U IL, Urbana.
    • 1950 "Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of KS," Museum U KS.
    • 1950 "Checklist and Key to Reptiles of Mexico Exclusive of Snakes" with Taylor.
    • 1958 "Reptiles and Amphibians - A Guide to Familiar American Species."
    • 1959 "Poisonous Amphibians and Reptiles."
    • 1965 "Snakes as Pets."
    • 1968 Retired from U IL, moved to U CO at Boulder, CO; Professor, Biology.
    • 1968+ With support from H.L. Sawin, and computerization of his massive card files, began publishing contents of 98,542 index cards regarding all publications on the herpetology of Mexico, known as the "Synopsis," with Rozella B. Smith (Mrs. HM Smith).
    • 1971 Vol. 1 "Analysis of the Literature on the Mexican Axolotl."
    • 1972-1977 Chairman, Biology Department, U CO.
    • 1973 Vol. 2 "Analysis of the Literature Exclusive of the Mexican Axolotl."
    • 1976 Vol. 3 "Source Analysis and Index for Mexican Reptiles."
    • 1976 Vol. 4 "Source Analysis and Index for Mexican Amphibians."
    • 1977 Vol. 5 "Guide to Mexican Amphisbaenians and Crocodilians, Bibliographic Addendum II."
    • 1980 Vol. 6 "Guide to Mexican Turtles, Bibliographic Addendum III."
    • 1983+ Retired, Professor Emeritus, U CO, continued research. Over 880 publications published (through 1986) including 29 books or monographs.

  155. * Spear, Norman E. (1937-living) Sceloporus undulatus speari Smith, Chiszar, Lemos-Espinal and Bell, 1995
    • "The name here applied to the new subspecies is a patronymic eponym in the genitive singular honoring the eminent Distinguished Professor of Psychology Dr. Norman E. Spear of the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he is Co-director of the Center for Developmental Psychobiology. Dr. Spear was the advisor for one of us (DC) throughout graduate study at Rutgers University, fostering interest in developmental psychobiology that persists to the present in our collaborative work with zoo professionals aimed at studying the ontogeny of behavior in captive-reared amphibians and reptiles...." (pages 58-59)
    • 1959 BS in Psychology (Liberal Arts), Bowling Green State U, Bowling Green, OH.
    • 1961 MS in Experimental Psychology Northwestern U, Evanston, IL.
    • 1963 PhD in Experimental Psychology, 1963 Northwestern U, Evanston, IL.
    • 1963-1969 Assistant to Associate Professor of Psychology, Rutgers U.
    • 1969-1974 Professor of Psychology, Rutgers U.
    • 1974-present Distinguished Professor of Psychology, State U of NY at Binghamton.

  156. * Spooner, Charles Stockman (1885- ) Kinosternon flavescens spooneri Smith, 1951 "It is a pleasure to name this new turtle after my friend and former teacher, Dr. Charles S. Spooner, formerly head of the zoology department of Eastern IL State College, Charleston, IL."
    • 1907 AB, Cornell U.
    • 1907-1908 Appointed assistant, US Bureau of Entomology, served in TX until fall, 1908.
    • 1908-1909 Instructor, entomology, NH State College of Agriculture.
    • 1909-1910 Director of the Davey School of Tree Surgery.
    • 1910 Returned to Cornell for graduate study.
    • 1911 Instructor, Entomology, U MN.
    • 1912-1916 Assistant entomologist to the Georgia State Board of Entomology.
    • 1916-1918 Graduate student at the U IL, AM, 1918.
    • 1916-1920 Assistant in IL State Natural History Survey.
    • 1920 Assoc. Professor of Zoology, Eastern IL State Teachers College, Charleston, IL.
    • 1920-1948 Rose to Professor of Zoology and Head of Zoology Department, Eastern IL State College.
    • 1936 PhD, U IL.
    • 1938 "The Phylogeny of the Hemiptera Based on a Study of the Head Capsule." Dr. Garland Reigel wrote "Dr. Spooner was a specialist on the insect order Hemiptera, an indefatigable collector of insects, and a good all around naturalist. He established the insect collection that was the basis for the Eastern Illinois University collection that is named for him. Dr. Spooner was a very gifted teacher, and inspired many students who were devoted to him."

  157. Stansbury, Howard (1806-1863) Uta stansburiana Baird and Girard, 1852 "This species is from the valley of the Great Salt Lake, where it was collected by Capt. Howard Stansbury; in remembrance of whose services to the country and to science we have designated it under the name which it now bears."
    • 1828 In charge of surveys on the project of uniting Lakes Erie and Michigan with the Wabash River by canals.
    • 1832-1836 Surveyed Mad River and Lake Erie RR. 1836, surveyed James River, VA.
    • 1837 Surveyed Illinois and Kaskaskia Rivers.
    • 1838 Milwaukee to Mississippi Survey. Commissioned Lt., US Topographical Engineers.
    • 1840 Captain, US Topographical Engineers.
    • 1842 In charge of survey of harbor of Portsmouth, NH.
    • 1847 Built an iron light house on Carysfort Reef, FL.
    • 1849-1851 Commanded exploration and survey expedition to Great Salt Lake Region about which S.F Baird wrote "...No government expedition since the days of Maj. Long's visit to the Missouri has ever presented such important additions to natural history."
    • pre1852 Collected type of Sceloporus graciosus in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, UT.
    • 1849-1850 Expedition spent winter among the Mormons.
    • 1855 Published "An Expedition to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah."
    • 1861 Retired Army.

  158. Stebbins, Robert Cyril (1915- ) Batrachoseps stebbinsi Brame and Murray, 1968 and Ambystoma tigrinum stebbinsi Lowe, 1954 "Named...for Dr. Robert C. Stebbins, Professor of Zoology and Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, U CA, Berkeley, a friend of many years and one who has made unusually outstanding contributions to Herpetology."
    • 1915 Born in Chico, Butte County, California, March 31.
    • Attended North Hollywood High School, Hollywood, CA.
    • 1941 MA, U CA, Los Angeles.
    • 1943 PhD, Zoology, U CA, Los Angeles.
    • 1944-1958 Instructor to Associate Professor, U CA.
    • 1945 Asst. Curator Herpetology, Museum Vertebrate Zoology, CA.
    • 1948+ Curator Herpetology, Museum Vertebrate Zoology, CA.
    • 1949 Guggenheim Fellow.
    • 1950-1951 V-P, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1951-1954 Compiled and published (1954) "Amphibians and Reptiles of Western North America."
    • 1955 Member of editorial board, Copeia.
    • 1958 Professor, Zoology, Curator of Herpetology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, U CA, Berkeley.
    • 1959 Published "Reptiles and Amphibians of the San Francisco Bay Region."
    • 1962&1967 Filmed, "Nature Next Door" (1962) and "No Room for Wilderness?" (1967) for Sierra Club.
    • 1963 Participated in a National Academy of Sciences project devoted to the upgrading of science teaching in secondary schools. Worked in Asia on a cross-cultural exchange program.
    • 1964 Member of the U CA Scientific Expedition to the Galapagos Islands. Studied the lava lizards and iguanas of these remote oceanic islands.
    • 1966 Published the first edition of "Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians," Peterson Field Guide Series.
    • 1973 Published "Amphibians and Reptiles of California."
    • 1976 Published "Birds of Yosemite< with his father, Cyril Stebbins.
    • 1978+ Emeritus Professor, Zoology, U CA. Received the UC-Berkeley Citation.
    • 1985 Published 2nd edition (revised), "Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians."
    • Travelled in South America, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Australia as well as in the United States and Africa. Has published more than seventy scientific papers of which fourteen have been on a topic of special interest - the ecological and behavioral significance of the pineal gland and the parietal eye in reptiles.

  159. Steindachner, Franz (1834-1919) Kinosternon subrubrum steindachneri (Siebenrock, 1906)
    • Prominent ichthyologist and herpetologist.
    • Founded a school of herpetologists in Vienna.
    • 1860 Joined staff of Naturhistorisches Museum.
    • Published many papers on reptiles and amphibians.
    • Collected in Africa, Brazil, Galapagos Islands and Southwestern Asia.

  160. Stejneger, Leonhard Hess (1851-1943) Uta stansburiana stejnegeri Schmidt, 1921
    • 1851 Born in Bergen, Norway, October 30.
    • 1875 Graduated Royal Frederic U of Christiania, Norway.
    • 1881 Moved to US from Oslo, Norway, after brief career as a lawyer.
    • 1881 Started work at Smithsonian under Baird.
    • 1882-1883 Natural history expedition to Bering Island and Kamchatka, collected for US National Museum.
    • 1884-1889 Asst. Curator of Birds, Smithsonian.
    • 1889 Traveled to AZ and joined Dr. Merriam's party studying the life zones of San Francisco Mountain.
    • 1889-1943 Curator Reptiles, Smithsonian, succeeded HC Yarrow.
    • 1895 Went to Commander Islands to study fur seals for Fish Commission.
    • 1896-1897 Member, US Fur Seal Commission.
    • 1899 Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, noted taxonomist at US National Museum.
    • 1911-1943 Head Curator of Biology, Smithsonian.
    • 1917 His careful bibliographic researches form the background for the 1st checklist of North American herpetofauna. He published "The Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles" with T. Barbour which established nomenclature, and went through 5 editions.
    • 1922 Returned to Commander Islands for the US Department of Commerce.
    • Member of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and numerous other organizations.

  161. Stephens, Frank (1849-1937) Crotalus mitchelli stephensi Klauber, 1930 "named in honor of my good friend, Frank Stephens, Curator Emeritus of the San Diego Society of Natural History and a member of the Death Valley Expedition which 1st collected this form nearly 40 years ago."
    • 1849 Born in a log house on a farm in Livingston County, NY.
    • c1873 Encouraged by Charles Aiken, in Colorado Springs, who taught him to prepare bird skins and developed his interest in natural history.
    • 1876 Drove a yoke of oxen to CA. Settled at Campo in San Diego County.
    • 1891 Death Valley Expedition.
    • 1897 Moved to San Diego, CA.
    • 1907 Collected with his wife on the Alexander Expedition to southeastern Alaska.
    • 1910 Accompanied Dr. Joseph Grinnell on the Colorado River Expedition for the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard U.
    • Developed the San Diego Society of Natural History to its prominent position.
    • 1910 Donated 2,000 bird and mammal specimens to the San Diego Society of Natural History. He was 1st Director of their Museum.
    • 1926 Elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
    • 1937 Died 10 days after having been struck by a streetcar.

  162. * Stephens, Hazel J. Cnemidophorus sexlineatus stephensae Trauth, 1992 "honors Hazel J. Stephens Hickey for her financial support toward the herpetological endeavors of the senior author [Trauth]." Trauth and McAllister (1996), Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept. 628.
    • Originally named "stephensi," amended to "stephensae" Trauth, Bull. Chi. Herp. Soc. [nc]

  163. Storer, David Humphreys (1804-1891) Storeria Baird and Girard, 1853
    • 1804 Born in Portland, ME.
    • 1822 Bowdoin College.
    • 1825 MD, Harvard Medical School, Obstetrician.
    • 1837 Started Tremont Street Medical School.
    • 1835-39 The Boston Society of Natural History recommended a resurvey of the natural resources to the MA legislature. Upon acceptance, the Department of Zoology and Herpetology was awarded to him which culminated in the publication of the "Ichthyology and Herpetology of MA."
    • 1846 Authored "Synopsis of Fishes of North America."
    • 1849-1858 Physician, MA General Hospital. 1854-1868 Professor to Dean, Harvard Medical School.
    • 1866 President of American Medical Society.
    • 1876 LLD, Bowdoin College.
    • Collected and described the Molluska of MA.

  164. Storm, Robert MacLeod (1918- ) Plethodon stormi Highton and Brame, 1965 "[named for] Dr. Robert M. Storm of Oregon State University"
    • 1918 Born in Calgary, Canada.
    • 1939 BE, Northern IL State Teachers College.
    • 1941 MS, OR State College.
    • 1948 PhD, OR State College.
    • 1948 Joined faculty of OR State College upon graduation.
    • 1948-1984 Instructor to Professor Zoology, Oregon State U; directed the field trip that turned up 1st specimen of Plethodon stormi.
    • 1984 Retired.

  165. Strecker, John Kern, Jr. (1875-1933) Sistrurus miliarius streckeri Gloyd, 1935; Pseudacris streckeri Wright and Wright, 1923 and Ficimia streckeri Taylor, 1931 "The present species is named for John K. Strecker of Baylor U, who has made many excellent contributions to our knowledge of TX faunas."
    • 1875 Born in Waterloo, IL, July 10th.
    • c1876-1889 Spent his boyhood at Fort Scott, KS.
    • 1889 The family moved to Waco, TX.
    • He trained as a stonecutter and had no formal education, but became an outstanding authority on the natural history of TX.
    • 1903 Appointed Curator, Museum of Baylor U. Began working at the current Strecker Museum when it was located in the basement of Carroll Science Hall.
    • 1904+ Traveled through TX in search of birds, mammals and reptiles.
    • -1907 Had arranged the collections into eight divisions with thousands of specimens, including "war relics", meteorites, archaeological items, vertebrate and invertebrate specimens.
    • 1911 Arranged first display of Museum material at TX Cotton Palace Exhibition.
    • 1911-1930 Head of Poultry Department, Texas Cotton Palace Exposition.
    • 1915 Married Mary Ruby Boyd, Oct. 27th.
    • 1915 Wrote "Reptiles and Amphibians of TX," thesis.
    • 1917 Ran for mayor of Waco, but withdrew from the race because of his Germanic origins.
    • 1919 Moved museum into new 50' x 60' wood frame building.
    • 1919-1933 Head Librarian, Baylor U. Received honorary MS, Baylor.
    • 1926 After a fire in an adjoining frame building, the museum was moved to space in the masonry University Library Building.
    • Member of American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Mammalogists, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Texas Folklore Society, Mason, Oddfellows and former consul of Woodmen of the World.
    • Published about 100 titles, of which 60 were on reptiles, and 23 on birds.
    • 1933 Died of heart disease.

  166. Switak, Karl H. ( - ) Anarbylus switaki Murphy, 1974 "This species is named for Karl H. Switak, Supervising Herpetologist of the Steinhart Aquarium, who discovered and collected the sole specimen."
    • 1963-1974 Staff Herpetologist at the Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco, CA. Involved with the creation of its extensive reptile collection and contributed in the fields of captive breeding and husbandry.
    • 1987-? Curator of Reptiles at the Transvaal Snake Park, South Africa


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  167. Tanner, Vasco Myron (1892-1989) Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri Tanner and Lowe, 1989
    • 1892 Born October 29, Payson Utah.
    • 1909 Graduated Fairview School, attended Brigham Young High School
    • 1912 Finished H.S. at Mount Pleasant
    • 1915 AB, Brigham Young University
    • 1917 Married Annie Atkin June 5 with whom he would have Carol, Gloria, Marilyn, Carmela, and Vasco Jordan.
    • 1916-1923 Taught at Dixie College in St. George.
    • 1920 MA, University of Utah
    • 1925 Chairman of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Young University where he served for nearly 50 years
    • 1926 Ph.D., Stanford.
    • 1931 "Amphibians of Utah"
    • 1938 Described the Utah Blind Snake Leptotyphlops humilis utahensis
    • 1962-1964 One term in Utah state legislature
    • "He was a member of Chamber of Commerce committee of Provo for thirty years, and took an active part on the boards of health and hospital boards in the city. J.N. Stuart"

  168. Taylor, Edward Harrison (1889-1978) Sceloporus occidentalis taylori Camp, 1916 Lampropeltis triangulum taylori Tanner and Loomis, 1957
    • 1889 Born in Maysville, MO, April 23.
    • c1894 An early trip with his mother to CO awakened his interest in traveling.
    • 1908 Entered U KS, Lawrence in the class of 1912.
    • 1909 Contracted malaria while on a field trip in southeastern KS.
    • 1910 Explored central KS with a U KS Museum of Natural History paleontological group.
    • 1912-1916 Graduated U KS (AB), passed civil service exam for service in the Philippines. Sent there via San Francisco, Hawaii and Nagasaki, Japan.
    • Accepted a teaching post in a remote village in central Mindano. He collected thoroughly in the area around the school and its fields. Assigned supervisor of teachers in the western part of the island of Negros, in the Visayan group. Climbed Canlaon, the local 8000 foot volcano.
    • 1915-1928 Published 19 papers on the herpetology of the Philippine Islands.
    • 1916-1920 Returned to U KS, Lawrence for summer school to finish MA. Married Hazel Clark. They returned to the Philippines through San Francisco, Hawaii, Tokyo and Kyoto before reaching Manila.
    • Appointed Chief of Fisheries working out of offices in the Bureau of Science in Manila.
    • Travelled widely in the islands on geological and mineralogical surveys. Studied the fish and reptiles wherever the surveys stopped.
    • c1918 Spent 1 to 2 years, in government service, in Siberia.
    • 1920 Returned to the US for a vacation, but went back to the Philippines as head of the Zoology Department, lived in Manila.
    • 1927 Head Department Zoology, U KS, Lawrence.
    • 1928-1934 Associate Professor Zoology, U KS, Lawrence.
    • 1929-1936 Researched the relationships of the genus Eumeces culminating in the publication of a taxonomic and distribution study in 1936.
    • 1932-1933 Gave 10 successful radio talks about herpetology and his travels.
    • 1935 VP, American Society Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1937-1948 Explored Mexico with students and coworkers in a series of marginally reliable vehicles, collecting at every planned and unplanned stop.
    • 1945-1946 Worked for the government in Indonesia and southeast Asia during WWII.
    • 1945 Wrote "An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico" with H. Smith.
    • 1947 Published a new species of Typhlops found in Ceylon.
    • 1949-1956 Travelled in Costa Rica, collecting and observing.
    • 1957-1964 Collected reptiles and amphibians in Thailand.
    • 1965+ Began his researches on caecilians after discovering a new species on a tiny island in the Sea of Celebes, Brazil.
    • 1968 Published a taxonomic review of the caecilians of the world.
    • His collections are at the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard), The Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) and the Museum of Natural History at U of IL in Urbana. His library is housed at the U KS library. His personal publications total 9295 pages. His Philippine collections are at the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg, PA.

  169. Temminck, Coenraad Jacobus (1778-1858) Macroclemys temminckii (Harlan, 1835)
    • Co-authored reptile volume in Philipp Von Siebold's "Fauna Japonica" series, with Hermann Schlegel.
    • Director, Academy of Sciences, Haarlem, Netherlands and Director, Royal Natural History Museum, Leyden.

  170. * Tennison, Helen ( - ) Carphophis amoenus helenae (Kennicott, 1859)
    • She collected for Kennicott in MS, resided in Monticello, MS.
    • Many of her specimens are in the collection of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

  171. Tremblay, Jean-Louis (1906- ) Ambystoma tremblayi Comeau, 1943
    • 1906 Born in Les Eboulements, Charleraoix, Quebec, Canada.
    • 1931 Graduated Chemistry, Laval U.
    • 1934 Graduated Biology, University of Strasbourg, France.
    • 1934-1935 Professor, Chemistry, Medical School of Laval U.
    • 1935 PhD, Laval U.
    • 1938+ Professor Biology, Faculty of Science. Founded the Biology Department.
    • 1974+ Professor Emeritus, Laval U.
    • Director of the Biology Section, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada and a member of many scientific societies.

  172. Troost, Gerard (1776-1850) Pseudemys scripta troostii (Holbrook, 1836)
    • 1776 Born in the Netherlands.
    • 1801 Trained in medicine and pharmacology.
    • Studied at the School of Mines with the celebrated mineralogist, Abbe Hauy, Paris, France.
    • 1809 Member of the Dutch Scientific Expedition to Java.
    • 1810 Arrived in the US, settled in Philadelphia, PA.
    • 1812-1817 One of the founders and 1st President of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.
    • 1816+ Visited Dr. Fowler at Sterling Hill, NJ, studying the minerals of that unique formation.
    • 1825-1827 Moved to New Harmony on the Wabash River in IN with Thomas Say.
    • 1827 Moved to Nashville, TN.
    • 1828-1850 Professor Mineralogy and Chemistry, U Nashville, TN.
    • 1831-1850 State Geologist of TN.
    • Sent living specimens of Chrysemys concinna hieroglyphica and Chrysemys scripta troostii to Holbrook from TN.

  173. True, Frederick William (1858-1914) Ascaphus truei Stejneger, 1899 "Named in honor of Dr. F.W. True, head curator of the Department of Biology, U.S. National Museum."
    • 1858 Born in Middletown, CT.
    • 1878 BS, U City of NY.
    • 1878 Clerk with the US Fish Commission.
    • 1879 Worked for the fisheries branch of 10th Census.
    • 1880 Custodian of Exhibits, US Fish Commission at Berlin.
    • 1881 MS, NY U.
    • 1881-1883 Librarian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
    • 1883-1909 Curator of Mammals, Smithsonian.
    • 1894 Executive Curator, Smithsonian.
    • 1897 Head Curator of Department of Biology, Smithsonian.
    • 1897-1911 LLD, New York University.
    • 1911-1914 Asst. Secretary, Smithsonian.


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  174. Van Denburgh, John (1872-1924) Trimorphodon biscutatus vandenburghi Klauber, 1924; Diadophis punctatus vandenburgii Blanchard, 1923 and Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus Cope, 1896
    • 1872 Born in San Francisco, August 23rd.
    • 1888 His first published paper appeared in the Oologist, a study of quail eggs.
    • 1890 Organized the Cooper Club with three other students at the U of the Pacific.
    • 1891 Entered Stanford U when it opened. Organized the Stanford Zoology Club.
    • 1894 AB, Stanford U.
    • 1894 Organized an Expedition to southern CA.
    • 1895 Organized the Department of Herpetology at the CA Academy of Science.
    • 1895 AM, Stanford U.
    • 1895 "Review of the Herpetology of Lower CA."
    • 1897 "Reptiles of the Pacific Coast and Great Basin."
    • 1897 PhD, Stanford U.
    • 1902 MD, Johns Hopkins, returned to San Francisco and practiced medicine. Again curator of herpetology at the CA Academy of Sciences.
    • 1906 After the San Francisco Earthquake, saved 10 type specimens, 3 miscellaneous specimens, the Catalog of the department, and Jan's "Iconographie< from the oncoming fire. Immediately began rebuilding the collections.
    • 1922 "Reptiles of Western North America."
    • 1924 "Notes on herpetology of New Mexico."
    • 1924 Died while on vacation in Hawaii.

  175. Van Dyke, Edwin Cooper (1869-1952) Plethodon vandykei Van Denburgh, 1906 "In a small collection of amphibians secured in Washington by Dr. Edwin Cooper Van Dyke, Curator of the Department of Entomology, is an apparently undescribed species of salamander, which I take pleasure in naming, in honor of its collector."
    • 1869 Born in Oakland, CA.
    • 1893 BS, U CA.
    • 1895 MD, Cooper Medical College, Stanford U.
    • 1895-1913 Practiced medicine, San Francisco, CA.
    • pre1906 Collected the type specimen of Plethodon vandykei.
    • 1913-1915 Instructor, Entomology, U CA.
    • 1915-1921 Asst. Professor, Entomology, U CA.
    • 1921-1927 Assoc. Professor, Entomology, U CA.
    • 1927-1939 Professor, Entomology, U CA.
    • 1939+ Professor Emeritus, U CA.
    • Honorary Curator, CA Academy of Sciences.

  176. Viosca, Paul Percy, Jr. (1892-1961) Pseudotriton ruber vioscai Bishop, 1928 "...named in honor of the collector..."
    • 1892 Born in New Orleans, LA.
    • 1913 BS, Tulane U, New Orleans, LA. Studied morphology, taxonomy and ecology of local plants and animals.
    • 1913-1917 Instructor of Biology, Tulane U.
    • 1915 MS, Tulane U.
    • 1915-1926 Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, Curator of Fishes; LA State Museum.
    • 1917 President, South Biology.
    • 1917-1923 Biologist, LA State Department of Conservation.
    • 1923-1924 Entomolgist, New Orleans, LA Board of Health.
    • 1923-1926 Instructor, Tulane U.
    • 1924-1926 Biologist, LA State Department of Conservation.
    • 1926-1929 Director of Fisheries, LA.
    • 1933 Published "Louisiana Out of Doors."
    • 1936-1942 Senior Biologist, Fisheries, LA.
    • 1937 Southern Biology Supply House, New Orleans, LA.
    • 1937 Published "Pondfish Culture."
    • 1939 Vice President, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
    • 1942 Independent consulting biologist for companies having pollution problems.
    • 1948 President, LA Academy of Science.
    • 1953+ Fisheries Biologist, LA.
    • 1961 Named "Tulane Biologist of the Year" by his alma mater.


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  177. Wallace, Howard Keefer (1907- ) Haideotriton wallacei Carr, 1939 "...arachnologist of the Department of Biology, University of Florida..."
    • 1907 Born in Swissvale, PA.
    • 1929 BS, U FL.
    • 1932 MS, U Pittsburg, PA.
    • 1932-1941 Instructor, Biology and Geology, U FL.
    • 1938 PhD, U FL.
    • 1941-1945 Asst. Professor, U FL.
    • 1942-1945 From 2nd Lt. to Major, Adjutant Generals Department, US Army, Europe.
    • 1945-1949 Professor, U FL.
    • 1949-1972 Professor of Zoology, U FL.
    • 1955-1969 Head of the Department of Zoology, U FL.
    • Specialist in taxonomy and distribution of spiders in US.

  178. Webb, Thomas Hopkins, Dr. (1801-1866) Elgaria multicarinata webbii (Baird, 1858)
    • pre1858 Collector of the type specimen of Elgaria multicarinata webbii.
    • 1848-1855 US/Mexican Boundary Survey, made important natural history collections especially of fish, reptiles and insects.

  179. Webster, T. Preston, III (1947-1975) Plethodon websteri Highton, 1979 "I name the new species for my friend, the late T. Preston Webster, who 1st called my attention to the remarkable amount of electrophoretic divergence found in southern populations of P. dorsalis representing the new species."
    • Son of T. Preston Webster, Jr., a lawyer, AB Duke 1938, LLB Harvard 1942.
    • Student of Ernest E. Williams, Emeritus Professor of Biology, MCZ, Harvard who wrote "He published extensively while he was a graduate student, although he never finished his Ph.D. degree. He died in an auto accident in MT just after he had gone there as an Assistant Professor."

  180. Wehrle, Richard White (c1853-1937) Plethodon wehrlei Fowler and Dunn, 1917 "Named for Mr. R.W. Wehrle, who collected most of our examples and also presented many local collections of cold-blooded vertebrates to the [Philadelphia] Academy."
    • 1911 Collected the type of Plethodon wehrlei from Lick Hills, Indiana County, PA.
    • 1936 Netting wrote that naming the salamander was "a tribute to the oldest and best-loved naturalist of Indiana County (PA), Mr. R.W. Wehrle...an indefatigable collector of cold-blooded vertebrates... [a jeweler and naturalist]. Since (1925) Mr. Wehrle has sent over 500 salamanders to the Carnegie Museum."
    • Donated hundreds of specimens to the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Carnegie Museum.

  181. Weller, Worth Hamilton (c1913-1931) Plethodon welleri Walker, 1931 "...dedicated to the memory of its discoverer, Worth Hamilton Weller, with many pleasant recollections of his friendly and stimulating companionship. Through his tragic death at eighteen, herpetology has lost a student of extraordinary promise."
    • 1913 Born in Cincinnati, OH, May 28th.
    • 1930 Collected the type of Plethodon welleri with Ralph Dury on Grandfather Mountain, NC.
    • 1931 "Only a week before his death he had been graduated with high honors from Walnut Hills High School, and...arranged to enter Haverford College."
    • 1931 Died in a fall on Grandfather Mountain, near Linville, NC, after collecting additional specimens of this animal, June 22.

  182. Welter, Wilfred August (1906-1939) Desmognathus welteri Barbour, 1950 "This salamander is named in memory of my friend, the late Dr. W.A. Welter of Morehead State College, Morehead, Kentucky, who was a constant inspiration to many budding zoologists."
    • 1906 Born in Creighton, NB, March 29.
    • 1911 Moved with his family to a farm north of Verndale, MN, where he attended grammar and high school.
    • 1922 Graduated from Teacher's College, St. Cloud, MN.
    • 1926 BS, U MN.
    • 1927 MS, IA State College.
    • 1928-1929 IL State Teacher's College, DeKalb.
    • 1929-1930 MN State Teacher's College, St. Cloud, MN.
    • 1930-1932 PhD, Cornell U, Ithaca, NY
    • 1932-1939 Professor of Biology and head of the science department, Morehead State Teacher's College, KY.
    • 1939 Died in an auto accident 12/20/1939 while en route from KY to MN for the holidays.

  183. Wilcox, Timothy Erastus (1840-1932) Tantilla wilcoxi Stejneger, 1902 "...which I take pleasure in naming for its discoverer, Col. Timothy E. Wilcox, surgeon, USA..." [abbreviation USA = U.S. Army]
    • 1840 Born in North Litchfield, NY, April 26.
    • 1861 AB, Union College, NY.
    • 1864 AM, Union College, NY.
    • 1864 MD, Albany Medical College, NY.
    • 1865 Asst. Surgeon, 6th NY Heavy Artillery.
    • 1867-1868 Assistant Surgeon, Regular Army.
    • 1868 Resigned Army.
    • 1874 Assistant Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1879 Captain, Assistant Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1879 On the Sheep-Eater Campaign in ID.
    • 1891 Major Surgeon, US Army.
    • 1891 At Pine Ridge Agency after the battle of Wounded Knee.
    • 1892 Collector of holotype, Fort Huachuca, AZ.
    • 1898 Lt. Colonel Chief Surgeon of Volunteers during the Spanish-American War.
    • 1901 Lt. Colonel, Deputy Surgeon General of the US.
    • 1903 Colonel, Assistant Surgeon General of the US.
    • 1904 Retired with rank of Brigadier General in recognition of his Civil War service.
    • 1932 Died in Washington and is buried in the National Cemetery at Arlington, VA.

  184. Wilder, Inez Luanne Whipple (1871-1929) Eurycea bislineata wilderae Dunn, 1920
    • 1871 Born in Diamond Hill, RI.
    • 1890 Graduated Rhode Island Normal School.
    • 1900 PhB, Brown U.
    • 1902+ From Teacher of Zoology to Professor, Zoology, Smith College.
    • 1904 MA, Smith College.
    • 1913 Wrote "Laboratory Studies in Mammalian Anatomy."
    • 1925 Wrote "Morphology of Animal Metamorphosis."
    • Also wrote on embryology and life history of Desmognathus.

  185. Wilkinson, Edward (1846-1918) Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii Cope, 1886
    • Amateur collector of historical relics and natural history specimens.
    • pre1886 Collected type of Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii, City of Chihuahua, Mexico.

  186. Willard, Francis Cottle (Frank C.) (1874-1930) Crotalus willardi Meek, 1905 "Named for Professor F.C. Willard, of Tombstone, AZ, its discoverer."
    • 1874 Born in Leipzig, Germany, April 30, while his parents were traveling. His father was an academician in Galesburg, IL.
    • 1896 Graduated from Knox College, Galesburg, IL, and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
    • 1896-1916 Lived in Tombstone, AZ, worked at his uncle's general store and taught in the village school.
    • 1916-1930 Entered a partnership with another uncle in the Willard Sand and Gravel Company in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY.
    • 1930 Died suddenly, at his office, of a heart attack.

  187. Wislizenius, Frederick Adolph (1810-1889) Gambelia wislizenii (Baird and Girard, 1852) "The specimen we have figured was caught near Santa Fe, by Dr. Wislizenius, during the Mexican war. To him we take great pleasure in dedicating it, in testimonial of his zeal for science, during the arduous duties of an army surgeon, while attached to Colonel Doniphan's command."
    • 1810-1833 Born in Koenigsee in Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Germany, studied at U of Jena, Gottingen and Tubingen, received MD at Zurich.
    • 1833 Fled to Switzerland to escape political unrest.
    • 1835 Arrived NY, moved to St. Clair County, IL.
    • 1839 Traveled through the West and Rockies.
    • 1840 Wrote "Journey to the Rocky Mountains in the Year 1839." Published in St. Louis in 1840. Translated to English and printed by the MO Historical Society of St. Louis in 1912.
    • 1840-1846 Practiced medicine in St. Louis.
    • 1846 Collected plants near El Paso, TX.
    • 1846 Joined trading caravan of Albert Speyer, carrying arms to the Mexican Army. Visited Santa Fe and Chihuahua. Pursued, but not caught, by General SW Kearny's army.
    • 1846 Captured and held in a small town near Chihuahua for six months by the Mexicans. The Mexicans permitted him to wander, on parole, as far as two leagues from Cosihuiriachi. Released when Doniphan's regiment occupied Chihuahua.
    • 1847 Joined Doniphan's Regiment as a surgeon.
    • 1848 Wrote "Memoir of a Tour to Northern Mexico."
    • 1848-1849 Practiced medicine at St. Louis during cholera epidemic.
    • 1850-1851 Visited Europe.
    • One of the founders of MO Historical Society and Academy of Sciences at St. Louis, MO.

  188. * Wood, Nelson R.( -1920) Sceloporus woodi Stejneger, 1918 1912 Collector of the type specimen, Polk County, FL.
    • Taxidermist at the U.S. National Museum.

  189. Woodhouse, Samuel Washington (1821-1904) Bufo woodhousii Girard, 1854
    • 1821 Born in Philadelphia, PA, June 27. His father, Commodore Samuel Woodhouse of the US Navy may well have been the collector of Scincella lateralis, described by Say in 1823 as collected in Cape Girardeau, MO by SW Woodhouse.
    • At an early age frequented the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and assisted when it moved its collections to Broad and Samsom Streets in 1840.
    • 1847 MD, U PA. Assistant resident physician at Philadelphia Hospital until 1848.
    • 1849 Appointed Assistant Surgeon in the Army and accepted a position on the Creek and Cherokee boundary survey as surgeon and naturalist.
    • 1849-1850 Conducted survey under First Lieutenant Lorenzo Sitgreaves. In 1850, the survey continued under First Lieutenant Israel C. Woodruff.
    • 1851 Served under Sitgreaves, exploring the Zuni River. They traveled from San Antonio, via El Paso to Santa Fe and then west to the Zuni. They reached San Francisco in February 1852. He returned from CA via Nicaragua and prepared his report on the birds and animals collected.
    • 1851 On the Sitgreave's Survey, exploring the Zuni and Colorado Rivers, he was pierced by an Indian arrow and bitten by a rattlesnake. Girard named Bufo woodhousii in his honor.
    • c1851 Collected type of Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosa, in "NM" or AZ, described by Hallowell.
    • pre1852 Collected type of Masticophis taeniatus, San Juan County, NM.
    • pre1852 Collected type of Nerodia rhombifer, on the Arkansas river, near northern boundary.
    • 1853-1854 Surgeon, Inter-ocean Canal, Railroad and Mining Company Expedition to Nicaragua and Honduras.
    • 1854-1856 Served at Fort Delaware under Major J. Sanders of the Corps of Engineers.
    • 1856 Resigned his commission.
    • 1856-1859 Served as surgeon on various expeditions in Central America and as surgeon in the PA militia and at the Eastern Penitentiary.
    • 1859-1860 Surgeon on Cope's line of boats between Philadelphia and Liverpool. During the Civil War, he was resident physician at the Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
    • 1862 Reappointed Acting Assistant Surgeon, US Army.
    • Manuscript diaries at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science

  190. Woodin, William Hartman, III (1925- ) Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini Tanner, 1953
    • 1950 BA, U AZ.
    • 1952-1971 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ.
    • 1954-1971 Director, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ.
    • 1956 Wrote Master's thesis on Lampropeltis pyromelana, Dr. Tanner knew of his interest in the species and named the subspecies for Mr. Woodin.
    • 1956 MA, Zoology, U CA.
    • 1972+ Director Emeritus, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ.
    • 1981+ President, Woodin Laboratory, Tucson, AZ.

  191. Wright, Albert Hazen (1879-1970) Batrachoseps wrighti (Bishop, 1937) (see Margaret Wright) Urosaurus ornatus wrighti (Schmidt, 1921) and Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido, 1944 (see AA Wright)
    • 1879 Born in Hamlen, NY, August 15.
    • 1904 AB, Cornell U, Ithica, NY.
    • 1905 AM, Cornell U.
    • 1905-1908 Instructor, Cornell U.
    • 1908 PhD, Cornell U.
    • 1908-1915 Instructor, Cornell U.
    • 1910 Married Anna Allen who was to be his companion in field and study for the next 46 years.
    • 1914 Wrote an article about the last known sightings of the Passenger Pigeon.
    • 1915-1925 Asst. Professor, Cornell U.
    • 1925-1946 Professor, Cornell U.
    • c1944 Professor, Vertebrate Zoology, Cornell U.
    • 1947+ Professor Emeritus, Cornell U.
    • 1949 "Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the US and Canada."
    • 1957 "Handbook of Snakes of the US and Canada."
    • Member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, and other professional societies.

  192. * Wright, Anna Allen (1882-1964) Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido, 1944
    • 1901-1910 Buffalo School.
    • 1909 AB, Cornell U.
    • 1910-1912 Assistant, Cornell U.
    • 1912+ Ithaca.

  193. Wright, George Melendez (1904-1936) Desmognathus wrighti King, 1936 "in honor of George M. Wright, former Chief of the Wildlife Division, National Park Service, whose untimely death at Deming, NM 2-25-36, brought an end to a career which held so much of friendship and professional promise. His deep concern for American wildlife, together with his unusual ability to accomplish his ends, made him respected by all with whom he dealt. His loss is greatly to be lamented."
    • 1904 Born in San Francisco, CA, June 20th.
    • Received his early education in the public and high schools of San Francisco.
    • 1926 Traveled to the Mount McKinley region in Alaska with Joseph S. Dixon.
    • 1927 Graduated U CA, College of Forestry.
    • Appointed a ranger in Yosemite National Park. Founded junior park naturalists. Organized, at his own expense, the first wild life survey of the National Parks for three years.
    • 1934 Appointed Chief of the Wildlife Division of the National Park Service.
    • 1936 Died in a car accident near Deming, NM along with Roger Toll, Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, February 25th.

  194. * Wright, Margaret R.( - ) Batrachoseps wrighti (Bishop, 1937) "The species [Plethopsis wrighti] is named in honor of Dr. AH Wright of Ithaca and Miss Margaret R. Wright of Rochester, NY." [Plethopsis wrighti]
    • need bio


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  195. Xantus, John a/k/a Louis deVesey (1825-1894) Phyllodactylus xanti Cope, 1863 and Xantusia Baird, 1858
    • 1825 Born in Csokoyna, Somogy County, Hungary, October 15.
    • Educated at Gyor, Hungary and was Vice-Notary in the county of Somogy.
    • 1848 Served in Hungarian War of Independence against the Austrians and was captured in 1849.
    • 1849-1850 Ransomed by his mother's influence, joined a group of emigres in Prague. He was arrested again and forced to serve in the Austrian Army. He escaped to England.
    • 1850 Arrived in US with $7.00 in his pocket.
    • 1853-1854 Worked a variety of jobs in New Orleans.
    • 1855 Enlisted in the Army as a Hospital Steward. Stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas Territory. Worked under WA Hammond. Collected specimens for Baird. During this time he used the assumed name of Louis de Vesey. Some authors have assumed he was embarrassed by his lowly position, or was hiding from someone in Europe. In any case, he asked Baird to identify his specimens under Xantus, as that was the name by which he was known in Hungary. Assigned to the US Survey Expedition as a hospital steward. Xantus collected for the Smithsonian including 300 snakes, 200 lizards, 700 fishes and 40 boxes of plants.
    • 1856 Elected to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia on the strength of his contribution of natural history specimens.
    • 1857-1859 Stationed at Fort Tejon, CA under Major Blake. Collected Xantusia on one of his trips to and from Los Angeles during this time. Collected type of Lichanura trivirgata on Cape San Lucas, Baja, CA.
    • 1859 Left Fort Tejon for San Francisco. Appointed a tidal observer under the US Coast Survey. His Superintendent, Professor Bache stated that most of the tidal rolls collected by Xantus were worthless. However, Bache later wrote a letter of recommendation for Xantus.
    • 1861-1862 Left NY for Hungary and returned to the US in 1862.
    • 1862 Appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon in the US Army, serving as an assistant to WA Hammond.
    • 1862-1863 Appointed US Consul at Manzanillo, Mexico. He was dismissed in 1863. He collected and stuffed birds and other creatures while waiting for his successor to show up. On his way home, he collected in Panama.
    • 1864 Traveled to Europe. Visited zoological gardens in Belgium and Holland.
    • 1866 Appointed Director of the Zoological Garden of Budapest. His bust stands at the main entrance to the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden.
    • 1869-1871 Only Hungarian member of an Austro-Hungarian expedition to Ceylon, Singapore, Siam, Borneo, and Japan. Had a falling out with the leader of the expedition and left to collect on his own. Mailed a rich collection from S.E. Asia to the Hungarian National Museum.
    • 1872-1894 Keeper of the ethnographical division of the National Museum at Budapest.
    • 1891 President of the Hungarian committee for correspondence of the 2nd International Ornithological Congress held in Budapest.
    • Xantus apparently was a romantic. His writings were in many cases fanciful and occasionally completely false. However, Baird wrote that his collections are believed to be much larger and more complete with reference to the localities, than any ever before made in America during an equal space of time by a single individual.
    • His two books, "Letters from North America" and "Travels in Southern California" have been published in English by Wayne State University Press, 1975 and 1976, respectively.
    • Biography: Madden, Henry M. 1949, "Hungarian naturalist in the pioneer west," Palo Alto, CA.

  196. Yarrow, Henry Crecy (1840-1929) Sceloporus jarrovii Cope, 1875 "Dedicated to Dr. H.C. Yarrow, the surgeon and zoologist of the Expedition for `Explorations west of the 100th meridian.'"
    • 1840 Born in Philadelphia, PA, November 19.
    • Studied in PA and Geneva, Switzerland.
    • 1861 MD, U PA.
    • 1861-1862 Asst. Surgeon, 5th PA Cavalry. Served in Virginia.
    • 1862 Resigned this commission, appointed Acting Asst. Surgeon. Worked as the executive officer of the Broad and Cherry Street Hospital of Philadelphia.
    • 1866 Appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon. Ordered to Atlanta, GA. Served through a severe cholera epidemic. Aided troops suffering from cholera on Tybee Island, near Savanna.
    • 1867 Served at Fort Wood in NY Harbor during a cholera outbreak there.
    • Served at Baltimore, MD, and NC. Met Elliott Coues in 1871. It may be that Coues awakened Yarrow's interest in ornithology.
    • 1871-1876 Participated in Wheeler's Survey West of the 100th Meridian, surgeon and naturalist. Collected in portions of NV, CA, CO and NM.
    • 1876-1891 Assistant to the commander of the model military hospital at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA. Served in the Surgeon General's Office, War Department and was assigned to the Section of Comparative Anatomy at the Army Medical Museum. Additionally he was in charge of the Barnes Hospital, US Soldier's Home.
    • 1889 Appointed to accompany Pan American delegates on their travels in the US. Remained as a medical officer of the Pan American Congress until its adjournment.
    • Appointed Professor of Dermatology at the National Medical College (Geo. Washington University Medical Department).
    • 1905 Appointed a trustee of George Washington University.
    • Appointed Curator of the Division of Reptiles at the US National Museum (Smithsonian).
    • 1908 Joined the Medical Reserve Corps of the US Army as a First Lieutenant.
    • 1917 Major, Medical Section of the Officers' Reserve Corps.
    • Before the end of WWI promoted to Lt. Colonel, Medical Corps of the Army of the US.

  197. * Zug, George Pseudemys gorzugi Ward, 1984 "named in honor of George Zug, a good friend." "Named after George R. Zug, Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, National Museum of Natural History." Ernst (1990) Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept. 461
    • need Bio
My new book!
Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained

Salamanders . Frogs and Toads . Turtles . Alligators and Crocodiles . Lizards . Snakes
Mythological Appendix . Acknowledgements


Ellin Beltz ebeltz@ebeltz.net
January 15, 2007
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