Julio Francisco Lamilla Gómez (1954 – 31 March 2016) was a Chilean

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

, researcher and conservationist. Lamilla was a former student of Liceo Armando Robles Rivera in

Valdivia Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder, Pedro de Valdivia, and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and ...

before graduating from the

Austral University of Chile Austral University of Chile ( or UACh) is a Chilean research university based primarily in Valdivia, with satellite campuses in Puerto Montt and Coyhaique. Founded on September 7, 1954, it is one of the eight original Chilean Traditional Universi ...

in Biology and Chemistry in which he majored in

Zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

. He became a teacher and researcher at the university in 1979 and held numerous posts through his life as a conservationist and shark expert. He died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

in March 2016. '' Dipturus lamillai'', a species of skate first described in 2019, was named in Lamilla's honour.

References

1954 births 2016 deaths Academic staff of the Austral University of Chile Chilean marine biologists People from Valdivia Austral University of Chile alumni {{Chile-bio-stub