Richard Thomas (herpetologist)

Richard Thomas (1938 – 2011) was an American herpetologist specializing in the herpetofauna of the West Indies, particularly the Lesser Antilles. He was Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science from 1965 until his retirement in 2004.

Thomas made significant contributions to the taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. His research focused on the evolutionary relationships and distributions of various genera, including Sphaerodactylus (dwarf geckos), Anolis (anoles), and Eleutherodactylus (rain frogs). He described numerous new species and subspecies during his career.

Thomas published extensively, with a large body of scientific papers and monographs detailing his research findings. He was known for his meticulous fieldwork, thorough descriptions, and insightful analyses of evolutionary patterns. His work significantly advanced understanding of the complex herpetofaunal diversity of the West Indies and continues to be cited by researchers in the field. His collection of specimens at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science remains an important resource for herpetological research.