American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Encyclopedia
The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) is an international organization devoted to the scientific studies of ichthyology
(study of fish) and herpetology
(study of reptiles and amphibians). The primary emphases of the Society are to increase knowledge about these organisms, to communicate that knowledge through publications, conferences, and other methods, and to encourage and support young scientists who will make future advances in these fields. The programs of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists are part of a global effort to interpret, understand, and conserve the Earth's natural diversity and to contribute to the wise use of natural resources for the long-term benefit of humankind.
published the first issue of Copeia
, a scientific journal dedicated to the knowledge of fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Nichols named Copeia to commemorate Edward Drinker Cope
, a prominent 19th century ichthyologist and herpetologist. The first edition of Copeia was four pages in length and comprised five articles.
In an effort to increase the publication of Copeia and communication among ichthyologists and herpetologists, Nichols met with Henry Weed Fowler
and Dwight Franklin in New York City. Together, the three men founded the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; however, this achievement is often given to Nichols exclusively.
By 1923, the Society accommodated approximately fifty members. Furthermore, the length of Copeia extended to 120 pages and an editorial staff established by the Society assumed responsibility for the mass publication and expansion of this quarterly journal. Presently, the Society contains more than 2,400 members, and Copeia features 1,200 pages of informative content and is found in over 1,000 institutional libraries.
during the 2004 Society Annual Meeting. This conference extended from May 26 to May 31. A summation of the revised constitution is stated below:
. The officers of the Society shall include the following:
The Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting from among various members. Candidates are selected by the Nominating Committee. All nominations shall be accompanied by a brief statement of qualifications and a written statement supplying the consent of the nominee. The term of office shall commence on 1 January following the annual meeting at which the officers were elected. In the event of a tie, the decision is placed before the Executive Committee.
The death or incapacitation of the President during the term of office permits the President-Elect to become President. If the position of President-Elect becomes vacant, the person who received the second highest number of votes in the election will become President-Elect. A vacancy in either the Secretaryship or Treasurership may be occupied by an appointment made by the President.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, prior Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, Chair of the Long Range Planning and Policy Committee, and Chair of the Endowment and Finance Committee. Therefore, each President will serve a total of four years on the Executive Committee, as President-Elect, President, Past-President, and prior Past-President, respectively.
Ichthyology
Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish...
(study of fish) and herpetology
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
(study of reptiles and amphibians). The primary emphases of the Society are to increase knowledge about these organisms, to communicate that knowledge through publications, conferences, and other methods, and to encourage and support young scientists who will make future advances in these fields. The programs of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists are part of a global effort to interpret, understand, and conserve the Earth's natural diversity and to contribute to the wise use of natural resources for the long-term benefit of humankind.
History
On December 27, 1913, John Treadwell NicholsJohn Treadwell Nichols
John Treadwell Nichols was an American ichthyologist.-Biography:Nichols was born as son of John White Treadwell Nichols in Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts. In 1906 he studied vertebrate zoology at Harvard College where he graduated to Bachelor of Arts...
published the first issue of Copeia
Copeia
Copeia is a quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in ichthyology and herpetology that was named after Edward Drinker Cope, a prominent American researcher in these fields. It is the official journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists...
, a scientific journal dedicated to the knowledge of fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Nichols named Copeia to commemorate Edward Drinker Cope
Edward Drinker Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
, a prominent 19th century ichthyologist and herpetologist. The first edition of Copeia was four pages in length and comprised five articles.
In an effort to increase the publication of Copeia and communication among ichthyologists and herpetologists, Nichols met with Henry Weed Fowler
Henry Weed Fowler
Henry Weed Fowler was an American zoologist born in Holmesburg, Pennsylvania.He studied at Stanford University under David Starr Jordan...
and Dwight Franklin in New York City. Together, the three men founded the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; however, this achievement is often given to Nichols exclusively.
By 1923, the Society accommodated approximately fifty members. Furthermore, the length of Copeia extended to 120 pages and an editorial staff established by the Society assumed responsibility for the mass publication and expansion of this quarterly journal. Presently, the Society contains more than 2,400 members, and Copeia features 1,200 pages of informative content and is found in over 1,000 institutional libraries.
Constitution
The present constitution of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists was composed within Norman, OklahomaNorman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
during the 2004 Society Annual Meeting. This conference extended from May 26 to May 31. A summation of the revised constitution is stated below:
Article I
Name- Article I states that the name of the Society shall be The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Furthermore, the Society shall be incorporated within the District of Columbia.Article II
Object- Article II establishes the objectives of the American Society. The primary emphasis is to advance the science of the study of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Secondary information states that the Society shall be operated as a nonprofit corporation.Article III
Membership- Article III asserts that membership is applicable for those persons interested within the object of the Society. In addition, the nomination for membership shall be upon the recommendation of an existing constituent.Article IV
Officers- Article IV states the Society HierarchyHierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
. The officers of the Society shall include the following:
- President - The President shall assume the duties of this office for a one-year subsequent to a term as President-Elect.
- President-Elect - The President-Elect serves a one-year term and is alternatively occupied by an ichthyologist and herpetologist. This office shall be ineligible for another term until two years shall have elapsed from the end of a term as President.
- Additional offices include the Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor.
The Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting from among various members. Candidates are selected by the Nominating Committee. All nominations shall be accompanied by a brief statement of qualifications and a written statement supplying the consent of the nominee. The term of office shall commence on 1 January following the annual meeting at which the officers were elected. In the event of a tie, the decision is placed before the Executive Committee.
The death or incapacitation of the President during the term of office permits the President-Elect to become President. If the position of President-Elect becomes vacant, the person who received the second highest number of votes in the election will become President-Elect. A vacancy in either the Secretaryship or Treasurership may be occupied by an appointment made by the President.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, prior Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, Chair of the Long Range Planning and Policy Committee, and Chair of the Endowment and Finance Committee. Therefore, each President will serve a total of four years on the Executive Committee, as President-Elect, President, Past-President, and prior Past-President, respectively.
Article V
Board of Governors- The Board of Governors includes Past Presidents, members of the Executive Committee, Officers, and fifty members. This board is permitted to make administrative decisions for the benefit of the Society.Article VI
Meeting of the Society- The Society shall hold annual meetings open to all members. These meetings are operated by various committees and are located in the vicinity established by the Board of Governors. A notice of the meeting is mailed to all members of the Society at least three months prior to the conference.Article VII
Southeastern Division- Membership in the Southeastern Division is open to members in the following states:| Flag | State |
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Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland... |
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Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... |
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Florida |
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Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
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Kentucky Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth... |
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Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... |
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Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi... |
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North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... |
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South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... |
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Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area... |
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Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
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District of Columbia |
Article VIII
Quorum- At an annual meeting, one hundred members shall constitute a quorum of the Society and thirty members compose the quorum of the Board of Governors.Article IX
Amendments to the Constitution- Amendments to the Society Constitution may be proposed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee or a petition signed by twenty-five members. The proposal may be accepted if two-thirds of the Board of Governors approves and two-thirds of the members approve.Bylaws
The bylaws of the Society supply further information established in the Constitution. These laws give detailed descriptions of Society protocol and operation.Bureaucracy
| President | John G. Lundberg |
| President-Elect | James Hanken |
| Past-President | Henry R. Mushinsky |
| Prior Past President | Richard L. Mayden |
| Secretary | Maureen A. Donnelly |
| Treasurer | Margaret A. Neighbors |
| Editor | Scott A. Schaefer |
| Historian (Ichthyology) | David G. Smith |
| Historian (Herpetology) | Joseph C. Mitchell |
| Editorial Board | Editorial Board |
|---|---|
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| Ecology and Ethology | Stanley F. Fox and Christopher M. Taylor |
| Editor | Scott A. Schaefer |
| General Herpetology | Michael J. Lannoo and Tod W. Reeder |
| General Ichthyology | Jonathan W. Armbruster and Donald G. Buth |
| Genetics, Development and Morphology | Joseph M. Quattro and Robert M. Wood |
| Herpetology Book Review | Kentwood D. Wells |
| Ichthyology Book Review | Marlis R. Douglas |
| Physiology and Physiological Ecology | Steven J. Beaupre |
| Subject Index | Frances Cashner |
| Taxonomic Index | Jay W. Orr |
Affiliated Organizations
| Organizations | Organizations |
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North American Native Fishes Association The North American Native Fishes Association is a non-profit, tax-exempt U.S. corporation that serves to bring together professional and amateur aquarists, anglers, fisheries biologists, ichthyologists, fish and wildlife officials, educators and naturalists who share an interest in the... Integrative and Comparative Biology Integrative and Comparative Biology is the scientific journal for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology . Prior to volume 42 , the journal was known as American Zoologist .... World Conservation Union The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of... |