Maureen Downey Explained

Maureen Elizabeth Downey (May 1, 1921 – May 14, 2000) was an American zoologist who worked for three decades at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Known as "The Starfish Lady," she was an authority on sea stars and other echinoderms, co-founding the International Echinoderm Conference in 1972. Among her discoveries is Midgardia xandaros, the world's largest starfish.

Maureen Downey
Alma Mater:George Washington UniversityDuke UniversityUniversity of Washington
Known For:Authority on sea stars and echinodermsDiscovered Midgardia xandaros (the world's largest starfish)

Early life and education

Maureen Downey was born in Washington, D.C., in 1921.[1] [2] [3] [4] She had an early fascination with animal biology, bringing insect specimens to be identified at the National Museum of Natural History.

She studied at George Washington University, then Duke University and the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories.

Career

Downey was an international authority on echinoderms, particularly sea stars, earning her the nickname "The Starfish Lady." While she occasionally studied other groups, such as brittle stars, her work primarily focused on sea stars.[5] Her work with echinoderms began in the 1940s, when she worked briefly at the Duke University Marine Laboratory in North Carolina.

She began her career in Washington, D.C., serving as a civil servant at the Central Intelligence Agency and later at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1957, she joined the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History as a secretary. Over time, she transitioned to a museum technician role, focusing on echinoderms. Her dedication and expertise led to a promotion to museum specialist, where she conducted research on starfish and improved the accessibility of the museum's echinoderm collection. She also authored two comprehensive catalogs, covering echinoids and ophiuroids found in major collections throughout North America, during her 30-year tenure at the museum.

In 1967, she co-founded the Echinoderm Newsletter, and in 1972 she co-organized the first International Echinoderm Conference at the National Museum of Natural History.[6] [7] [8] Downey discovered several new species of sea stars, notably the deep-water , which was confirmed as the world's biggest starfish.[9] [10] In 1992, she published the book Starfishes of the Atlantic. Co-written with Ailsa McGown Clark, it became a classic of the field.[11]

She retired in 1987 to San Juan Island, where she lived until her death in 2000 at age 79.

Publications

References

  1. News: Pawson. David L.. 2000. "The starfish lady", Maureen Elizabeth Downey, 1921-2000. The Echinoderm Newsletter. 25. 2021-05-03.
  2. Web site: Miscellaneous San Juan County, WA Obituaries. 2021-05-03. Obitcentral.
  3. News: 2000-05-31. Obituaries. en-US. Washington Post. 2021-05-03. 0190-8286.
  4. Web site: Maureen E. Downey (1921-2000). 2021-05-03. GulfBase.
  5. Singletary. Robert L.. A New Species of Brittle Star from Florida. 1973. Florida Scientist. 36. 2/4. 175–178. 24319456. 0098-4590.
  6. Ziegler. Alexander. Mirantsev. Georgy V.. Jangoux. Michel. Kroh. Andreas. 2014-03-28. Historical aspects of meetings, publication series, and digital resources dedicated to echinoderms. Zoosystematics and Evolution. en. 90. 1. 45–56. 10.3897/zse.90.7201. 1860-0743. free.
  7. Ziegler. Alexander. Kroh. Andreas. 2012. Echinoderm conferences and symposia: a concise history and bibliography. Zoosymposia. 7. 1–24. 10.11646/zoosymposia.7.1.2.
  8. Book: David. Bruno. Echinoderms Through Time. Guille. Alain. Feral. Jean-Pierre. 2020-12-17. CRC Press. 978-1-000-12367-8. en.
  9. Downey. Maureen E.. 1971. A New Starfish from the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 84.
  10. Web site: Midgardia xandaros Downey, 1972. 2021-05-03. World Register of Marine Species.
  11. Web site: Starfishes of the Atlantic / Ailsa M. Clark, Maureen E. Downey. 2021-05-03. Smithsonian Institution. en.