Horton H. Hobbs, Jr.

Infobox scientist
name = Dr. Horton Hobbs

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image_size = 150px
birth_date = March 29, 1914
birth_place =
nationality =
field = Carcinologist
work_institutions = United States National Museum
University of Virginia
alma_mater = University of Florida
doctoral_advisor =
doctoral_students =
known_for = Curator at the United States National Museum
prizes =

Horton Holcombe Hobbs, Jr. (March 29, 1914 – March 22, 1994) was an American carcinologist, specialising in freshwater decapods. He was also a capable artist, musician, cook and botanist.

Hobbs was born in Alachua County, Florida on 1914-03-29 cite web |url=http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/resshow/perry/bios/HobbsHorton.htm |title=Horton Holcombe Hobbs, Jr. |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=2007-08-20] . He received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida where he taught until 1946, when he moved to the University of Virginia, becoming director of the Mountain Lake Biological Station for four years. In 1962, he moved to the United States National Museum to be the Head Curator of the Department of Zoology, and two years later was made Senior Scientist in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, a position he held until his retirement in 1984 cite web |url=http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/Keys/hobbs.htm |title=Horton H. Hobbs, Jr. |publisher=Carnegie Museum of Natural History |date=2004-09-10 |author=James W. Fetzner, Jr.] .

Hobbs described a total of 286 species (including 168 crayfish species and 104 entocytherid ostracods), 38 genera and subgenera (29 for crayfish, 8 entocytherids and "Neopalaemon", a shrimp), and one new family, Cambaridae cite journal |quotes=no |url=http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/Keys/DOCS/hobbs_PBSW.pdf |title=Horton H. Hobbs, Jr. (29 March 1914 – 22 March 1994). Biographical notes |author=Karen Reed & Raymond B. Manning |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |volume=111 |issue=3 |pages=473–503 |year=1998] . His work massively increased the knowledge of crayfish biology, and he authored or co-authored over 40% of the recognized species of North American crayfish cite journal |quotes=no |url=http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/Keys/DOCS/hobbs2_JCB.pdf |title=Horton H. Hobbs, Jr. (29 March 1914–22 March 1994) |author=J. F. Fitzpatrick, Jr. |journal=Journal of Crustacean Biology |volume=15 |issue=4 |year=1995 |pages=797–799] .

Hobbs died on 1994-03-22 of heart disease .

References