Scott A. Thomson Explained

Scott A. Thomson
Nationality:	Australian
Workplaces:	Institute for Applied Ecology at University of Canberra, Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, Chelonian Research Institute
Alma Mater:	University of Canberra (B.Sc., M.Sc.)

Scott A. Thomson is an Australian herpetologist, paleontologist, and taxonomist, specialising in turtles of the family Chelidae.

Education

Thomson attended the University of Canberra for both his bachelor's and master's degrees in applied sciences, studying zoology and mathematics.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Career

Thomson is a researcher at the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo and curator at the Chelonian Research Institute in Oviedo, Florida.^[4] He is active in resolving nomenclatural issues, a member of the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group of the IUCN's Species Survival Commission, and co-author of the 2015 checklist of extinct Pleistocene and Holocene turtles.^{[2] [5] [6] [7]} Thomson advocates for science-based rather than political- or conservation-driven taxonomy.^{[8] [9]}

Thomson has described several extant and fossil turtles, including:^{[6] [10] [11]}

• Chelodina burrungandjii Thomson, Kennett, and Georges 2000 – Arnhem snake-necked turtle, sandstone snake-necked turtle
• Chelodina canni McCord and Thomson 2002 – Cann's snake-necked turtle
• Chelodina (Chelydera) Thomson and Georges 2020
• Elseya (Hanwarachelys) Thomson et al. 2015
• Elseya albagula Thomson, Georges, and Limpus 2006 – white-throated snapping turtle, southern snapping turtle
• Elseya flaviventralis Thomson and Georges 2016 – yellow-bellied snapping turtle
• †Elseya nadibajagu Thomson and Mackness 1999 – ancient snapping turtle
• Elseya rhodini Thomson et al. 2015 – southern New Guinea stream turtle, Rhodin's stream turtle
• Myuchelys Thomson and Georges 2009
• †Rheodytes devisi Thomson 2000 – DeVis' river diver

External links

• Thomson's website

Notes and References

1. Diggins . Chloe . 2016 . Going Global . Monitor . Canberra . University of Canberra . 2018-10-13.
2. News: Butler . Marcus . Snapping turtle helps UC researcher make his mark . 2018-10-13 . 8 January 2016 . en-AU.
3. Web site: Authors . carettochelys.com . Gondwanan Turtles Information Network . 2018-10-13.
4. News: IAE post on October 10, 2016. 2018-10-13 . Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra . 2016-10-20 . en.
5. Web site: Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. www.iucn-tftsg.org . International Union for Conservation in Nature, Species Survival Commission, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group . 2018-10-13.
6. Rhodin . A. G. J. . Thomson . S. . Georgalis . G. L. . Karl . H.-V. . Danilov . I. G. . Takahashi . A. . de la Fuente . M. S. . Bourque . J. R. . Delfino . M. . Bour . R. . Iverson . J. B. . Shaffer . H. B. . van Dijk . P. P. . Turtles and Tortoises of the World During the Rise and Global Spread of Humanity: First Checklist and Review of Extinct Pleistocene and Holocene Chelonians . Chelonian Research Monographs . 5 . 2015 . 5 . 10.3854/crm.5.000e.fossil.checklist.v1.2015 . 978-0-9653540-9-7 . free .
7. News: Jones . Benjamin . A Few Bad Scientists Are Threatening to Topple Taxonomy . 2018-10-13 . Smithsonian . 2017-09-07 . en.
8. S. A. Thomson . etal . Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation . PLOS Biology . 14 March 2018 . 16 . 3 . e2005075 . 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005075. 29538381 . 5851535 . free .
9. News: Russell . R. A. . Leave taxonomy to the taxonomists and biologists: Q & A with Nathan Lujan . 2018-10-13 . University of Toronto Scarborough - News and Events . 2015-03-14 . en.
10. Rhodin AG, Iverson JB, Bour R, Fritz U, Georges A, Shaffer HB, van Dijk PP . . 2017 . Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status . Rhodin, A.G.J. . Iverson, J.B. . van Dijk, P.P. . Saumure, R.A. . Buhlmann, K.A. . Pritchard, P.C.H. . Mittermeier, R.A. . 3 . Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group . 8 . Chelonian Research Monographs . 7 . 1–292 . 10.3854/crm.7.checklist.atlas.v8.2017. 978-1-5323-5026-9.
11. Thomson. S.. Mackness. B.. 1999 . Fossil Turtles from the Early Pliocene Bluff Downs Local Fauna, with a description of a new species of Elseya. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 123. 3. 101–105.