Christopher T. McAllister

Christopher T. McAllister
Born Little Rock, Arkansas
Residence Oklahoma, United States
Nationality United States
Fields Biology
Institutions Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain County Campus in Idabel
Alma mater

Christopher T. McAllister (born in Little Rock, Arkansas), is an American herpetologist and parasitologist and professor of biology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain County Campus in Idabel.[1] His research spans herpetoparasitology (parasites of amphibians and reptiles) and mammalian parasitology, especially helminth and coccidial parasites. He collaborates on millipedes and centipedes in with Rowland Shelley (North Carolina State Museum of Natural History), bats with Robert Dowler and Loren Ammerman (Arizona State University), amphibians and reptiles with Stanley E. Trauth, and parasitology with Chuck Bursey (Pennsylvania State University).[2] He has also studied microscopic parasites known as coccidians.[3]

Education

McAllister earned a B.S. in biology in 1978 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Then, he earned a M.S. in Biology in 1981 from Arkansas State University (1981) under V. Rick McDaniel, and completed his Ph.D. in 1989 at the University of North Texas under Lloyd C. Fitzpatrick. He held a postdoctoral fellowship in internal medicine (Diabetes Research) from 1990 to 1995 under John H. Johnson and Roger H. Unger, in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

Research

McAllister has produced more than 200 publications in his 30 year career.

Parasitology

As of 2006, McAllister had named about 50 parasites new to science, including Eimeria trauthi which he named for frequent collaborator Stanley E. Trauth. He has published over 150 papers on parasitology. Two parasites have been named after him: a tape worm in recognition of Chris McAllister's contributions to parasitology in amphibians and reptiles; and a protozoan parasite. In 1997-98, he served as president of the Southwestern Association of Parasitologists from 1997-1998.[4] His focusing primarily on Eimeriidae of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.[3]

Herpetology

McAllister has had a distinguished career in herpetology.[5][6] McAllister had a fascination with amphibians and reptiles since he was a child in Little Rock, Arkansas. "I used to bring snakes home and my mom would freak out," said McAllister in an Interview.[7] James R. Dixon called McAllister one of the largest contributors to the herpetology of Texas alongside Hobart Muir Smith,[6] and Stanley E. Trauth et al. demonstrated that McAllister ranked #2 for numbers of publications on Arkansas herpetofauna[8] In 1995, he was bitten by a captive Diamondback Rattlesnake, which required 27 vials of antivenin. "It was my fault," Said McAllister, after the snake was released to the wild.[7]

Mammalogy

He has published at least 30 papers on mammals, mostly on bats but also on armadillos, rodents, and various other groups.

Myriapodology

He has published at least 12 papers on millipedes and 14 papers on centipedes. He is listed among the notable living myriapodologists.[9]

Teaching

McAllister teaches across many areas of biology (excluding botany).[4] Prior to teaching at Southeastern Oklahoma University-Idabel, he had taught at Angelo State University, Texas Wesleyan University, several Texas community colleges and spent five years teaching upper level biology courses at Texas A&M University at Texarkana.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Science & Mathematics Faculty & Staff, Eastern Oklahoma State College
  2. ↑ McAlliser, C.T. 2008. Chadron State College: Chris T. McAllister. Newsletter of the 26th annual meeting of the Texas Society of Mammalogists Pp. 8-9.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Donald W. Duszynski, Steve J. Upton, and Lee Couch. 1998. Coccidiologists of the World.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Anonymous. 2006. "NEWS: CSC science professor has several accomplishments". September 6.
  5. ↑ Front Street Books
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dixon, J.R. 2000. Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas. Texas A&M University Press. 2nd Ed. 432 pg.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Haag, J. 2008. "News: Professor's passion leads to discovery". February 15.
  8. ↑ Trauth, S. E., H. W. Robison, and M. V. Plummer. 2004. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Arkansas.University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville. xviii + 421 pp.
  9. ↑ Shelley, R. Myriapodologists-Living. The Myriapoda (Millipedes, Centipedes) Featuring the North American Fauna.
  10. ↑ Prior to teaching at Angelo State last year, he had taught at Texas Wesleyan University, several Texas community colleges and spent five years teaching upper level biology courses at Texas A&M University at Texarkana.