Robert Henry Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Robert Henry Gibbs, Jr. was an American
ichthyologist. He was a long-standing curator
at the National Museum of Natural History
and devoted much of his career to the study of pelagic
and deep-sea fishes. He was also an avid conservationist
and a member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
for over 30 years.
The Society honored him posthumously with the Robert H. Gibbs Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Systematic Ichthyology, whose recipients have included shark
authority Leonard J.V. Compagno, and anglerfish
authority Theodore W. Pietsch
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ichthyologist. He was a long-standing curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
at the National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
and devoted much of his career to the study of pelagic
Pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live near the surface or in the water column of coastal, ocean and lake waters, but not on the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish which are associated with coral reefs.The marine pelagic...
and deep-sea fishes. He was also an avid conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and a member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists is an international organization devoted to the scientific studies of ichthyology and herpetology...
for over 30 years.
The Society honored him posthumously with the Robert H. Gibbs Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Systematic Ichthyology, whose recipients have included shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
authority Leonard J.V. Compagno, and anglerfish
Anglerfish
Anglerfishes are members of the teleost order Lophiiformes . They are bony fishes named for their characteristic mode of predation, wherein a fleshy growth from the fish's head acts as a lure; this is considered analogous to angling.Some anglerfishes are pelagic , while others are benthic...
authority Theodore W. Pietsch
Theodore W. Pietsch
Theodore Wells Pietsch III is an American systematist and evolutionary biologist made famous by his studies of anglerfishes. Pietsch has described 65 species and 12 genera of fishes and published numerous scientific papers focusing on the relationships, evolutionary history, and functional...
.