Editorial

Abstract

A. J. (Sandy) Bruce was fascinated by animal life from his schooldays in southern England (and probably earlier), with interests in birds and freshwater crustaceans which, after completing his medical degree (‘Dr’ Bruce) and then compulsory National Service in Glasgow, led Sandy to join EAMFRO (East African Marine Fisheries Research Organisation) in Zanzibar in 1959. This was his first exposure to the tropics and the rich world of coral reefs and, most importantly of course, their as yet hardly studied shrimp fauna. This was the start of an enduring fascination with Pontoniinae and other shrimp taxa, which so far (production is not declining) has resulted in the description of one new family, 63+ new genera and 250+ new species, totalling approximately 7% of global shrimp diversity. Other crustacean groups also received attention, especially in the early years, with regular contributions appearing on the taxonomy of Brachyura, Stomatopoda, Isopoda, Rhizocephala, Mysidacea, and all major lobster groups. In a scientific career spanning over five decades, Sandy has produced in excess of 300 papers, routinely publishing 6-8 titles per year, and in some years as many as 12-14. Remarkably, until 1975 when Sandy took up the directorship at Heron Island Research Station, his taxonomic research was done almost entirely at home in his ‘spare time’.