Richard Kilburn, Date of Birth, Date of Death

    

Richard Kilburn

South African malacologist

Date of Birth: 07-Jan-1942

Date of Death: 26-Jul-2013

Profession: malacologist

Nationality: South Africa

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn


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About Richard Kilburn

  • Richard (β€˜Dick’) Neil Kilburn (Port Elizabeth, 7 January 1942– 26 July 2013) was a South African malacologist. He attended the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, majoring in zoology and botany and graduated in 1967.
  • After a brief spell as a teacher, he started his career at a malacological position at the East London Museum.
  • Already 18 months later he became the malacologist at the Natal Museum, where he would spend the rest of his career.
  • Under his stewardship the Mollusca collection of this museum was to become by far the largest such collection in Africa.
  • He increased the catalogued lot from 9000 specimens to nearly 150,000.
  • He expanded considerably the book collection of the museum on key literature to establish a molluscan research centre, essential for research in these pre-computer days.
  • He started an active programme of field research on Mollusca.
  • In later life he specialized in the description and research of species in the family Turridae, continuing during his retirement. He is the author or co-author of 363 new species and subspecies names and of 27 new genera and subgenera.
  • Most of these concerned taxa from South Africa or Mozambique.
  • Many of these new species were obtained, in collaboration with D.G.
  • Herbert, during the Natal Museum Dredging Programme (1981–1993).
  • His publications on South African marine Mollusca are numerous in peer-reviewed journal articles (102 publications), 2 books and 11 book chapters authored or co-authored by him.
  • The publication of Seashells of Southern Africa, published in 1982, was a landmark in his career. The World Register of Marine Species lists 416 taxa of marine species named by Kilburn.Fifty-one marine species were named after him in recognition of his work, including species of hermit-crab, holothurians and fish.

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