George Crawford Hyndman

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George Crawford Hyndman (1796 - 1867) was an Irish auctioneer and amateur biologist

Hyndman from Belfast was mainly interested in marine zoology and marine botany (particularly molluscs and algae). His specimens of both groups may now be found in the Ulster Museum the algae in the Herbarium.In his early years Hyndman formed an insect collection (now in the same repository) and clearly had an interest in all ascpects of local natural history.

Hyndman was a member of the Belfast Dredging Committee (other members were G. Dickie, E. Waller and J.G. Jeffreys). This operated from 1857-1859, under grants from the British Association for the Advancement of Science. William Thompson described Panningia hyndmani , a hermit crab for him as the discoverer in Belfast Lough.

He was also a founder member of the Belfast Natural History Society and contributed to S.A.Stewart and T.H.Corry's Flora of the North-east.

Anapagurus hyndmanni (Bell ,1845) as well as A. laevis and Pagurus cuanensis were also discovered by Hyndman at Portaferry (and Bangor) and named by Thompson (q.v.) without formal descriptions.

Other hermit crab species named for Hyndman were:

• Escharina hyndmanni (Johnston, 1847)
• Iophon hyndmani (Bowerbank, 1858)
• Pseudione hyndmanni (Bate & Westwood, 1868).

References

• Foster, J. W. and Chesney, H. C. G (eds.), 1977: Nature in Ireland: A Scientific and Cultural History. Lilliput Press. ISBN 0-7735-1817-7.