William Roy Branch
William "Bill" Roy Branch (born March 12, 1946 in London ; † October 14, 2018 ), was a British-South African herpetologist . His research interests were in taxonomy , biogeography, and conservation of African reptiles.
Life
1968 became Branch of the Bachelor of Science and in 1971 he was with the dissertation Studies on a fetal-specific alpha-globulin [AFP] in the rabbit on the aspects of the fetal rabbit liver metabolism and its relationship with primary liver cancer at the University of Southampton for Ph.D . PhD. From 1972 to 1976 he was a medical assistant at the Department of Life Sciences at the Atomic Energy Agency in Pretoria, South Africa. In his postdoctoral phase from 1976 to 1979 he was a research fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Southampton. From 1979 to 2011 he was a curator at the Herpetological Department of the Port Elizabeth Museum. Werner Conradie was his successor . Since 2010 he has been a research fellow at Nelson Mandela University .
Branch went on excursions to 20 African countries, including Tanzania , Kenya , Somalia , Namibia , Mozambique , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Ivory Coast , Gabon , Angola , Lesotho , Madagascar and South Africa . He first described more than 40 reptile species , including 18 in collaboration with Aaron M. Bauer , as well as the three frog species Vandijkophrynus robinsoni , Hyperolius chelaensis and Hyperolius raymondi .
From 1997 to 2003, Branch was chairman of the IUCN / SSC African Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group.
Branch died of complications from motor neuron disease in October 2018 .
Dedication names
In 2012 the agamen species Acanthocercus branchi and the frog species Breviceps branchi were named after William Roy Branch. In 2019 Branch was honored in the species epitheta of the snake species Atractaspis branchi from the family Lamprophiidae and the frog species Tomopterna branchi .
Fonts (selection)
- South African Red Data Book - Reptiles and Amphibians, 1988
- Bill Branch's Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa, 1988
- The Dangerous Snakes of Africa: Natural History, Species Directory, Venoms and Snakebite, 1995
- A Photographic Guide to Southern Africa Snakes and Other Reptiles, 1998
- Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa, 1998
- Traveller's Wildlife Guides - Southern Africa: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Southern Mozambique, 2003
- Photographic Guide to Snakes and Reptiles of East Africa, 2005
- Tortoises, Terrapins & Turtles of Africa, 2008
- A photographic guide to snakes: Other reptiles and amphibians of East Africa, 2014
- Atlas and Red Data Book of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, 2014 (with Michael F. Bates, Aaron M. Bauer, Marius Burger, Johan Marais, Graham J. Alexander & Marienne S. de Villiers)
- Pocket Guide: Snakes & Reptiles of South Africa, 2016
literature
- Interview: Wiliam R. Branch In: Fabrizio Li Vigni: A Life for Reptiles and Amphibians , Edition Chimaira, 2013, ISBN 978-3-89973-199-6 , pp. 65–70
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Branch, William Roy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Branch, Bill |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British-South African herpetologist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 12, 1946 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 14, 2018 |