- Listenly
- Public Library
- All Authors
- John M. Legler
author
John M. Legler
Best known for his lifelong study of turtles, this American herpetologist also became a beloved anatomy teacher whose work reached generations of students. His research blended field science, conservation, and careful observation in ways that still matter today.
4 Audiobooks
A New Tortoise, Genus Gopherus, From North-central Mexico
by John M. Legler
A New Snake of the Genus Geophis From Chihuahua, Mexico
by John M. Legler
About the author
John M. Legler, also known as John Marshall Legler, was an American herpetologist and biology professor born in Minneapolis in 1930. He studied at Gustavus Adolphus College and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Kansas before joining the University of Utah, where he taught for decades and later became professor emeritus.
His scientific reputation rests largely on his work with turtles, especially the land and freshwater turtles of Mexico and Central America. He is associated with major studies including The Life History of the Slider Turtle and, later, The Turtles of Mexico, written with Richard Vogt. He also described several new turtle species and helped develop research methods that reduced harm to animals during field studies.
Alongside his research, Legler was remembered as an influential educator. The University of Utah credits him with transforming human anatomy teaching there, and former students recalled his lasting impact on their careers. He died in Salt Lake City in 2014.