Richard Highton
{{Short description|American zoologist (1927–2025)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Richard Highton
| image =
| image_size = 150px
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|12|24}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|02|19|1927|12|24}}
| nationality =
| field = Biology
| work_institutions = University of Maryland, College Park
| alma_mater = University of Florida
| thesis_title = On the relationships of the salamanders of the genus Plethodon
| thesis_url =
| thesis_year = 1956
| influences =
| doctoral_advisor =
| doctoral_students = Stephen Blair Hedges
| known_for = His research in herpetology
| prizes =
}}
Richard Highton (December 24, 1927 – February 19, 2025) was an American herpetologist,{{cite news|last=Laidman|first=Jenni|title=Questions Surround Disappearance Of Salamanders|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sswpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hgQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6883,1295481&dq=richard-highton&hl=en|accessdate=25 November 2010|newspaper=Toledo Blade|date=6 August 2006}}{{cite news|title=The great federal rhino repository|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062802531.html|accessdate=25 November 2010|newspaper=Washington Post|date=19 January 1993|author=Joel Achenbach}} an expert on the biological classification of woodland salamanders.{{citation|title=The Origin then and now: an interpretive guide to the Origin of species|publisher=Princeton University Press|first=David N.|last=Reznick|year=2009|isbn=978-0-691-12978-5|page=160|quote=Richard Highton has devoted his career to the classification of salamanders in the genus Plethodon}}.
Background
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.{{cite web |title=Biographical Sketch and Bibliography of Richard Highton: Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service 151|url=https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/33892/2017.SHIS151.Highton.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |website=Smithsonian Institution |access-date=20 April 2022}} He received his master's degree and Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Florida.{{cite web|url=http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/UF-herp/alumni/highton.htm
|title=Richard Highton
|accessdate=24 November 2010 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070608055459/http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/UF-herp/alumni/highton.htm |archivedate = 8 June 2007}}
In 1950 he married Anne Adams and they had four children together. Highton died on February 19, 2025, at the age of 97.{{Cite web |title=Obituary information for Richard Highton |url=https://www.goinghomecares.com/obituaries/Richard-Highton?obId=38286085 |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=www.goinghomecares.com |language=en}}
Career
A field visit to the southern Appalachians mountains in 1948 with Carl Gans was the start of his work on salamanders.
In 1956 he joined the Zoology Department University of Maryland College Park, with emphasis on genetics and was Professor Emeritus in Biology.{{cite book|title=The biology of plethodontid salamanders|year=2000|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-0-306-46304-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLPJx7O1ROwC&dq=Richard+Highton&pg=PA3|author=Richard C. Bruce|author2=Robert Jaeger |author3=Lynne D. Houck |accessdate=25 November 2010|page=3}} On his retirement in 1998, his collection of approximately 140,000 salamander specimens was donated to the Smithsonian Institution.
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.
Honours and awards
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.
The intestinal parasite of salamanders Isospora hightoni was named in his honour.{{cite news| url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002332102_algae13.html| title=Algae gives professor a taste of immortality |newspaper=Seattle Times| date=June 13, 2005| accessdate=2011-02-25}}
References
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Category:University of Florida alumni