Leo Brongersma

Leo Daniel Brongersma (May 17, 1907, North Holland – July 24, 1994, Leiden) was a Dutch zoologist, author, and lecturer.

Brongersma was born in Bloemendaal, Netherlands and earned his PhD at the University of Amsterdam in 1934. He was probably best known for his book "European Atlantic Turtles", which was published in 1972, but he also served as the director of the Natural History Museum, Leiden and lectured at Leiden University until he retired at age 65. In the 1950s he led several expeditions to collect zoological specimens in New Guinea, and is credited with identifying several new species including the Boelen's Python, "Morelia boeleni" and the Savu Python, "Liasis mackloti savuensis". He was also a Member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and an Honorary Foreign Member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. He died at his home in Leiden in 1994.

Brongersma has been honored in herpetological taxonomic nomenclature, having several species named after him, including the Red Blood Python, "Python brongersmai" and Brongersma's Pit Viper, "Trimeresurus brongersmai".

References

* [http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/B/BrongersmaLD.htm Nationaal Herbarium Nederland]
* [http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn67/mtn67p12.shtml Marine Turtle Newsletter: Leo Brongersma - an Appreciation]