Raymond B. Cowles

Raymond Bridgman Cowles (pronounced "coals"; 1896–1975) was a herpetologist and professor at University of California, Los Angeles. Born in the British Colony of Natal (in what is now KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) to American missionary parents, he emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. He attended Pomona College as an undergrad and earned his PhD at Cornell University under Albert Hazen Wright. He is known for his research on desert ecology and reptile thermoregulation, as well as his popular books on environmental conservation.[1][2][3] Cowles died of a heart attack in 1975 at the age of 79.[1] An obituary called him one of America's first ecologists and conservationists.[4] He is commemorated in the scientific names of the White Sands prairie lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) and Angolan coral snake (Aspidelaps lubricus cowlesi).[5]

Raymond B. Cowles
Born
Raymond Bridgman Cowles

(1896-12-01)December 1, 1896
Amanzimtoti, Natal, South Africa
DiedDecember 7, 1975(1975-12-07) (aged 79)
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
Known for
  • Reptile thermoregulation
  • Desert ecology
Scientific career
FieldsHerpetology
InstitutionsUCLA
Doctoral advisorAlbert Hazen Wright
Doctoral students
Other notable students

Books

  • Milne, Lorus J.; Milne, Margery (1960-02-12). "Zulu Journal. Field notes of a naturalist in South Africa. Raymond B. Cowles, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1959". Science. 131 (3398): 406–407. doi:10.1126/science.131.3398.406-a. ISSN 0036-8075.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Cowles, R.B.; Cowles, R.B.; Bakker, E.S. (1978). Desert Journal: Reflections of a Naturalist. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-03636-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

References

  1. Brattstrom, Bayard H. (1977). "Raymond Bridgman Cowles, 1896-1975". Copeia. 1977 (3): 611–612. JSTOR 1443305.
  2. Norris, Kenneth S.; Szego, Clara M.; Ball, Gordon H. (1977). "Raymond Bridgeman Cowles, Zoology: Los Angeles". University of California: In Memoriam. Academic Senate, University of California. pp. 57–58.
  3. Turner, J. Scott (1984). "Raymond B. Cowles and the Biology of Temperature in Reptiles". Journal of Herpetology. 18 (4): 421–436. doi:10.2307/1564105. JSTOR 1564105.
  4. AP/UPI Newswire (Dec 12, 1975). "Dr. Raymond Cowles, ecologist". St. Petersburg Times. p. 23B.
  5. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Cowles", pp. 60-61).
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