Juan A. Rivero

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Dr. Juan Arturo Rivero Quintero, the founder of the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo at the University of Puerto Rico's Mayagüez Campus, was born on March 5, 1923 in Puerto Rico.

Education

Dr. Rivero obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez in 1945. In 1942 he joined the Beta-Activo Chapter of Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity. In 1951 he obtained an M.S. from Harvard University, followed by a Ph.D. from that same institution in 1953.

Academic career

After obtaining his bachelors degree, Dr. Rivero served as an Assistant Plant Physiologist, Instructor, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor before becoming a full Professor of Biology at UPR-Mayagüez in 1958. After founding the institution's zoo in 1954, he served as its first director, as well as founder and director of the UPR's Institute of Marine Biology. From 1959 to 1960 he served as director of the Biology Department and from 1962 to 1966, as Dean of Arts and Sciences, oversaw the work of over 200 faculty members and a two million dollar annual budget. Between 1966 and 1968, he served as a Research Associate at Harvard University and Visiting Scientist at the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Investigation.

Other accomplishments

In addition to founding the Mayagüez Zoo, Puerto Rico's only zoological garden, it was named after him in 1998. [1]

He has discovered over a hundred animal species, particularly amphibians and reptiles.

He is the founder and first president of the Puerto Rico Zoological Society, as well as of the Association of Island Marine Laboratories.

In addition to writing over 200 papers and articles, he has written numerous books, including:

Los coquíes de Puerto Rico
El Coquí Dorado de Puerto Rico y otras Ranas de Hábitos Reproductivos Peculiares
Anfibios y Reptiles de Puerto Rico
Anfibios y Reptiles de Nuestro Folklore
Los Machos, las Hembras y los Intersexos
Biología del Sexo
Principios de Evolución Orgánica
Los Helechos Cuernos de Alce o Platicerios
Salientia de Venezuela
Expedición de la UPR a las Selvas del Alto Orinoco 1950
El Dolor de la Espalda Baja

He wrote the Phi Sigma Alpha "Brindis" or toast.

Species named after Dr. Rivero

Several species have been named to honor Dr. Rivero's contributions to science, including:

Geomelania riveroi Clench
Hemitrochus riveroi Tuner (molluses)
Glomiredismus riveroi Chamberlin (miriapod)
Ballophilus riveroi Chamberling (miriapod)
Phostherapis riveroi Danoso Barros (frog)
Atractus riveroi (snake)
Hyla riveroi Cochran and Going (frog)
Processa riveroi Manning & Chace (crustacean)
Leptodactylus riveroi Heyer (frog)
Manshalkla riveroi
Eleutherodactylus juanariveroi

See also

  • List of famous Puerto Ricans
  • Puerto Rican scientists and inventors

References

  1. ↑ "Ley 32 del 19 de enero de 1998. Para disponer que el Zoológico de Mayagüez sea designado como "Zoológico Dr. Juan A. Rivero".". 1998-01-19. Retrieved January 2, 2012. 
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