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Gilbert Percy Whitley

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(Redirected from Gilbert Whitley) British born Australian ichythyologist and zoologist

Gilbert Percy Whitley (9 June 1903 – 18 July 1975) was a British-born Australian ichthyologist and malacologist who was curator of fishes at the Australian Museum in Sydney for about 40 years.

Early life and education

Gilbert Percy Whitley was born on 9 June 1903 at Swaythling, Southampton, England, the eldest child of Percy Nathan Whitley and Clara Minnie (née Moass).

He was educated first at King Edward VI School, Southampton and then Osborne House School in Romsey, Hampshire.

Whitley migrated with his family to Sydney in 1921. He started working at the Australian Museum in 1922, while studying zoology at Sydney Technical College and the University of Sydney.

Career

In 1925 Whitley was formally appointed to the title of ichthyologist (later renamed curator of fishes) at the Museum, a position he held until retirement in 1964. During his term of office he doubled the size of the ichthyological collection to 37,000 specimens through many collecting expeditions.

After his retirement, another eminent ichthyologist, Frank Talbot, was appointed to his position, later becoming director of the museum for around 10 years.

Other activities

Whitley served as president of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales during 1940–41, 1959–60, and 1973–74, and edited its publications from 1947 to 1971.

He served on the councils of the Royal Australian Historical Society and the Anthropological Society of New South Wales. He was a member of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, and served as president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales from 1963 to 1964.

He also had involvement with the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science.

Publications

Scholia has a profile for Gilbert Percy Whitley (Q1524045).

Recognition

Death and legacy

Whitley died in Sydney on 18 July 1975.

The Whitley Awards for zoological literature were named in his honour, established in 1979 by the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and continuing to this day (as of 2024).

His zoological author abbreviation was "Whitley".

Taxa named in his honour

Taxa described by him

References

  1. ^ Murray, Maree; Roach, John, "Whitley, Gilbert Percy (1903–1975)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
  2. "Mr. Gilbert Whitley retires from museum". Fisheries Newsletter. 23 (9). Canberra: Fisheries Branch, Department of Primary Industry (Commonwealth Government). September 1964.
  3. "Vale Professor Frank Talbot AM". The Australian Museum. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  4. "Whitley Awards". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  5. "Whitley Awards 2024". Royal Zoological Society of NSW - Home. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  6. "Australian Faunal Directory:Acentronura breviperula". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  7. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order MYCTOPHIFORMES (Lanternfishes)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  8. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order PERCIFORMES: Suborder COTTOIDEI: Infraorder COTTALES: Family LIPARIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  9. Christopher Scharpf (21 August 2024). "Order TETRAODONTIFORMES: Families MOLIDAE, BALISTIDAE, MONACANTHIDAE, ARACANIDAE and OSTRACIIDAE". Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
Awards
Preceded bySamuel Warren Carey Clarke Medal
1970 		Succeeded byNancy Tyson Burbidge
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