Hobart M. (Hobart Muir) Smith

Born in Iowa in 1912 and later adopted by Charles and Frances Muir Smith, Hobart Muir Smith grew into one of the most influential herpetologists of the 20th century. He earned his doctorate at the University of Kansas and went on to teach and conduct research at several universities before later joining the University of Colorado.

Smith was known for an extraordinary scientific output, producing a huge body of work on reptiles and amphibians over a long career. He described more than 100 new species and wrote extensively for both specialists and general readers, helping bring herpetology to a wider audience.

He remained active in science for many decades and died in 2013 at the age of 100. Today he is remembered as a major figure in zoology whose research, fieldwork, and books left a lasting mark on the study of reptiles and amphibians.