James E. Deacon

James E. Deacon was an American biologist, teacher, and environmental advocate best known for his work on endangered desert fishes, especially the Devils Hole pupfish. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in 1960 and joined the University of Nevada, Las Vegas that same year, building a long academic career there.

At UNLV, he served in biological sciences and later helped establish environmental studies, including new degree programs in both fields. Sources from UNLV, archival collections, and professional organizations describe him as a leading figure in desert fish research and conservation, with a career devoted to freshwater species and water issues in the Southwest.

Deacon also wrote and edited influential work on extinction, biodiversity, and fish conservation, and he remained closely connected to the Desert Fishes Council, where he served as president. He died on February 23, 2015, and is remembered as both a careful scientist and a determined defender of desert ecosystems.