RIP Robert Stebbins

I don’t expect this thread to attract much attention, nor am I sure of forum placement. But since he was most famous for his field guide, I’ll go with Cafe Society.

Robert Stebbins, a huge figure in modern American herpetology ( the study of reptiles and amphibians :slight_smile: ) has passed away. He is best known for his excellent Field Guide to the Western Reptiles and Amphibians, which if you’ve ever studied those critters in the western U.S. you had a copy of. In addition if you’ve ever studied evolution in a college setting, you’ve probably come across the concept of ring species and the example of the Ensatina salamander complex, which Dr. Stebbins was the first to discover. He was also a fantastic illustrator.

Hardly a familiar or household name to the teeming millions, but as a former herpetology student myself I thought he deserved a thread. RIP Dr. Stebbins.

After Roger Conant, he was the most important herpetologist to my youthful, city-bound self. His field guide expanded my horizons beyond Baltimore even more than Conant’s did, and I am grateful for the effect his guide had on my life. RIP.

Aww crap, another one gone! I’m getting old enough to be losing all my childhood heroes, and more and more of my adult heroes as well. RIP indeed.

And thanks Crotalus for the heads-up, else I would have missed it.

Thanks to Tamerlane for the thread. It caused me to dig out my copy of the Stebbins field guide and put it on my night stand. I haven’t read it for a long time, and look forward to enjoying it again. And yes, I read field guides for pleasure, not just to look up a species. If you think that’s weird, my wife agrees.