Stephen E. Thorpe
Stephen E. Thorpe | |
|---|---|
| File:Stho002.jpg Thorpe at the University of Auckland in 2012 | |
| Born | 27 January 1970 Coventry, England, UK |
| Died | 24 August 2024 (aged 54) Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Alma mater | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Entomology |
| Institutions | |
Stephen Ernest Thorpe (27 January 1970 – 24 August 2024) was an English-born entomologist in New Zealand. He contributed vast amounts of data and analysis in many contexts, particularly to iNaturalist. Thorpe was a member of the research group that described the beetle genus Neodoxa in 2003. In 2011, he helped with describing the New Zealand marsh beetle species Stenocyphon neozealandicus by recognising the species among unsorted insect specimens at Auckland War Memorial Museum while he was volunteering. Thorpe was murdered on 24 August 2024 during his daily walk to search for insects and plants. Thirteen species were named after Thorpe.
Early life and education
Stephen Ernest Thorpe was born in England on 27 January 1970.[1] He held a degree in chemistry and an MA in philosophy from the University of Auckland.[2][1][3]
Career
Thorpe became an independent entomologist from the late 1990s.[2] He worked as a Research Associate at the University of Auckland from 2008 to 2011[1] and did contract work for Landcare Research and other organisations.[3] In his latter years he was based at the Whau River Catchment Trust offices at the Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club in Auckland,[1] and had told acquaintances that he thought he was on the autism spectrum.[3] Thorpe contributed 12,000 specimens to Auckland War Memorial Museum.[2] He was a part of the research group who described the beetle genus Neodoxa in 2003.[4] A new species of New Zealand beetle, Cyparium thorpei, was named after him in 2004.[5] In 2011, Thorpe was instrumental in describing the New Zealand marsh beetle species Stenocyphon neozealandicus, having recognised the species among unsorted insect specimens at Auckland War Memorial Museum as a volunteer.[6] He contributed to biosecurity in New Zealand by reporting 39 species not previously found in the country to the Ministry for Primary Industries.[7] He was a contributor to a number of taxonomic projects, including iNaturalist, Taxacom, Wikispecies, and ZooBank.[1]
Death
On 24 August 2024 Thorpe was murdered by an apparent intruder at the Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club and recreation area where he used an office for his work as he left on his daily walk to look for insects and plants. Police said that there was a "violent struggle" between Thorpe and his attacker. Thorpe was aged 54 at the time of his death.[1][8][9] His only living family was his elderly father who lived in Brisbane.[10] A 26-year-old local man was arrested on 28 August 2024 and charged with the murder.[11] A karakia that was attended by dozens of community members was held at the scene where Thorpe was killed.[12] Thorpe's funeral service was held on 2 September 2024 at the same tennis club where he had worked and died. It was attended by around 200 people.[13]
Eponymy
Thorpe had thirteen species named in his honour.[7]
- Alloxysta thorpei Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar, 2012[14]
- Bocchus thorpei Olmi, 2007[15]
- Chorebus thorpei Berry, 2007[16]
- Cryptoxilos thorpei Shaw & Berry, 2005[17]
- Cyparium thorpei Löbl & Leschen, 2003[18]
- Kaurimyia thorpei Winterton & Irwin, 2008[19]
- Sagola thorpei Park & Carlton, 2014[20]
- Scorpiurus thorpei Masunaga, 2017[21]
- Sierola thorpei Magnacca, 2019[22]
- Spathius thorpei Belokobylskij & Austin, 2013[23]
- Uropoda thorpei Kontschán, 2012[24]
- Zealantha thorpei Roháček, 2007[25]
- Zelostemma thorpei Buhl, 2017[26]
Selected publications
- No label or title -- debug: Q54555452, Wikidata Q54555452
- No label or title -- debug: Q54588073, Wikidata Q54588073
- No label or title -- debug: Q33284109, Wikidata Q33284109
- No label or title -- debug: Q129806544, Wikidata Q129806544
- No label or title -- debug: Q54588064, Wikidata Q54588064
- No label or title -- debug: Q28938028, Wikidata Q28938028
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "In memory of Stephen Thorpe". iNaturalist NZ. 26 August 2024. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Morton, Jamie (29 August 2024). "Slain Blockhouse Bay scientist: Why would anyone have killed Stephen Thorpe?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Davison, Isaac (25 August 2024). "Blockhouse Bay homicide: Victim was killed in attack on his daily walk to look for insects". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q54555452, Wikidata Q54555452
- ↑ Collins, Simon (27 January 2004). "Hillary caught up in scientists' beetle mania". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q129806544, Wikidata Q129806544
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Oliver, Katie (28 August 2024). "Blockhouse Bay homicide: Victim Stephen Thorpe remembered by fellow entomologists as an inspiration with rare talent". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ↑ Davison, Isaac (25 August 2024). "Blockhouse Bay homicide: Victim was a 'beautiful soul', tennis club says". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ↑ Franks, Raphael (26 August 2024). "Blockhouse Bay homicide: Police formally identify Stephen Thorpe, 54, as victim". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- ↑ Franks, Raphael (2 September 2024). "Blockhouse Bay stabbing victim's funeral: Scientist Stephen Thorpe remembered at tennis club". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- ↑ Clark, Poppy (29 August 2024). "Man arrested over death of Auckland bug expert in Blockhouse Bay". Stuff. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ↑ "Stephen Thorpe death: Police investigating how offender left Blockhouse Bay". Radio New Zealand. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ↑ "Funeral for Blockhouse Bay victim Stephen Thorpe today, elderly father to watch on livestream". NZ Herald. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q54630873, pp. 7–8, Wikidata Q54630873
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q58623356, Wikidata Q58623356
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q44986211, Wikidata Q44986211
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q29031757, Wikidata Q29031757
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q45009830, pp. 17–18, Wikidata Q45009830
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q97483398, Wikidata Q97483398
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q54554278, Wikidata Q54554278
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q42294009, Wikidata Q42294009
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q104453748, Wikidata Q104453748
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q54623218, Wikidata Q54623218
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q129809014, Wikidata Q129809014
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q97481491, Wikidata Q97481491
- ↑ No label or title -- debug: Q129861891, Wikidata Q129861891
External links
- 1970 births
- 2024 deaths
- 2024 murders in New Zealand
- Academic staff of the University of Auckland
- New Zealand entomologists
- People associated with the Auckland War Memorial Museum
- University of Auckland alumni
- 21st-century British biologists
- Deaths by stabbing in New Zealand
- New Zealand murder victims
- New Zealand Wikimedians
- 21st-century New Zealand biologists