PHILIP CORBET WAS without doubt the world’s foremost odonatologist and one who has had the greatest influence in the burgeoning interest in dragonflies for the past 50 years. With his Reading B.Sc dissertation and Cambridge Ph.D thesis he made the first strides in a monumental research career involving dragonflies.
His varied and distinguished appointments included research positions with the East African High Commission in Uganda; Director to the Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture; Professorships with the Universities of Waterloo (Canada) and Canterbury (NZ); Commonwealth Visiting Professor (University of Cambridge); and Professor, University of Dundee from which he retired in 1990 as Professor Emeritus.
Corbet’s research interests emphasised periodicity, rhythmic behaviour and development in dragonflies and mosquitoes. These have been the co-ordinating strands in studies relating to taxonomy, morphology, life histories, arthropod-borne virus diseases, reproductive physiology, ecology of fishes and crocodiles, and arctic microclimates.
After retirement in 1990 he concentrated on the production of two major books: Dragonflies: Behaviour and Ecology of Odonata, published in 1999 is a definitive synthesis for which he was awarded the Neill Medal for Natural History by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This masterly volume appeared in Japanese translation in 2006. This fine current New Naturalist with Steve Brooks is a fitting closure to an extraordinary career.
Philip Corbet’s numerous awards include four higher doctorates: the Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement from the Entomological Society of Canada, election to Fellowships of three prestigious societies, Honorary memberships to three national dragonfly societies; and he was elected to the Presidency of the Worldwide Dragonfly Association 2001-2003.
Michael J. Parr
Inaugural President,
Worldwide Dragonfly Association.
1998-2001