Evolution and adaptation: a tribute to Richard Essex Barwick

Abstract

Richard (Dick) Essex Barwick was an influential researcher whose interests spanned many branches of biology and zoology, including herpetology, vertebrate morphology, palaeontology and evolutionary biology. Although born and raised in New Zealand, he spent much of his career in Australia and made considerable contributions to Australian zoology. Born in Christchurch in 1929, Dick spent many hours in his youthwatchingandstudyinganimalsthatwerelocaltotheregion. After earning his bachelor’s degree at Victorian University College (later Victorian University of Wellington (VUW)), he thencompletedanMSc(Honours)thatinvestigatedthelifecycles and ecology of scincid lizards. This work marked the beginning of Dick’s career in herpetology, although this was only one area in which he applied his tireless efforts. After completing his MSc in the mid-1950s, Dick was appointed a junior lecturer at VUW, which sparked his second major area of investigation. He was one of four adventurers (along with Colin Bull, Barry McKelvey and Peter Webb) who initiated studies of the biology and geology of the dry valleys of the Antarctic. Dick was the biologist and artist on three Antarctic summer trips and developed an affinity for all things Antarctic as a result (Fig. 1). The VUW Antarctic Expedition named Barwick Valley in the dry region (77 � 21 0 0 00 S, 161 � 10 0 0 00 E) in his honour.