Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Richard Highton
View on WikipediaRichard Highton (December 24, 1927 – February 19, 2025) was an American herpetologist,[1][2] an expert on the biological classification of woodland salamanders.[3]
Key Information
Background
[edit]Highton was born in Chicago. His father encouraged his son to have an interest in herpetology. In 1950 he was awarded a bachelor's degree in biology, mathematics and sociology from New York University, with his studies interrupted by military service.[4] He received his master's degree and Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Florida.[5]
In 1950 he married Anne Adams and they had four children together.[4] Highton died on February 19, 2025, at the age of 97.[6]
Career
[edit]A field visit to the southern Appalachians mountains in 1948 with Carl Gans was the start of his work on salamanders.[4] In 1956 he joined the Zoology Department University of Maryland College Park, with emphasis on genetics and was Professor Emeritus in Biology.[5][7] On his retirement in 1998, his collection of approximately 140,000 salamander specimens was donated to the Smithsonian Institution.[2][4]
Since 1999 he has been a member of the Committee on Standard and English Scientific Names for North American Amphibians and Reptiles. He is the author or co-author of over 90 scientific publications.[4]
Honours and awards
[edit]He was president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in 1976 and President of the University of the Maryland Chapter of Sigma Xi from 1979 to 1980.[4] The intestinal parasite of salamanders Isospora hightoni was named in his honour.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Laidman, Jenni (6 August 2006). "Questions Surround Disappearance Of Salamanders". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ a b Joel Achenbach (19 January 1993). "The great federal rhino repository". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ Reznick, David N. (2009), The Origin then and now: an interpretive guide to the Origin of species, Princeton University Press, p. 160, ISBN 978-0-691-12978-5,
Richard Highton has devoted his career to the classification of salamanders in the genus Plethodon
. - ^ a b c d e f "Biographical Sketch and Bibliography of Richard Highton: Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service 151" (PDF). Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Richard Highton". Archived from the original on 8 June 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
- ^ "Obituary information for Richard Highton". www.goinghomecares.com. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Richard C. Bruce; Robert Jaeger; Lynne D. Houck (2000). The biology of plethodontid salamanders. Springer. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-306-46304-4. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "Algae gives professor a taste of immortality". Seattle Times. June 13, 2005. Retrieved 2011-02-25.