Raymond Robert Forster
Encyclopedia
Raymond Robert Forster (1922-2000) was a spider
expert.
He wrote his first paper on spiders at the age of 17. He studied at Victoria University
. He was an entomologist at the National Museum
in Wellington from 1940 through 1947, with an interruption for military service.
More than 100 scientific papers and volumes were published bearing his name, including the definitive six-volume Spiders of New Zealand, in co-authorship with international colleagues. He also published Small Land Animals and co-authored NZ Spiders, An Introduction.
He researched and classified many of New Zealand
's thousands of native spiders. He set up the Otago Museum
's spider collection.
In 1961, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
and also received the society's highest honors, the Hutton and Hector medals, for outstanding scientific work in biological research.
In 1984 Dr Forster was recognized for his services to science and museology with a Queen's Service Order
, and had earlier received the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.
A valley in Fiordland
, Forster Burn, is named after him.
He was survived by a wife, two daughters, and two sons.
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
expert.
He wrote his first paper on spiders at the age of 17. He studied at Victoria University
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. He was an entomologist at the National Museum
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
in Wellington from 1940 through 1947, with an interruption for military service.
More than 100 scientific papers and volumes were published bearing his name, including the definitive six-volume Spiders of New Zealand, in co-authorship with international colleagues. He also published Small Land Animals and co-authored NZ Spiders, An Introduction.
He researched and classified many of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's thousands of native spiders. He set up the Otago Museum
Otago museum
The Otago Museum is situated in Dunedin, New Zealand. It was founded in 1868 and has a collection of over two million artefacts and specimens from the fields of natural history and ethnography...
's spider collection.
In 1961, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal Society of New Zealand
The Royal Society of New Zealand , known as the New Zealand Institute before 1933, was established in 1867 to co-ordinate and assist the activities of a number of regional research societies including the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of...
and also received the society's highest honors, the Hutton and Hector medals, for outstanding scientific work in biological research.
In 1984 Dr Forster was recognized for his services to science and museology with a Queen's Service Order
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
, and had earlier received the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.
A valley in Fiordland
Fiordland
Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand that is situated on the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the western-most third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes and its ocean-flooded, steep western valleys...
, Forster Burn, is named after him.
He was survived by a wife, two daughters, and two sons.