Patrick J. Couper (born 1958) is a

herpetologist Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ...

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

, Australia. Born in New Zealand, he migrated to Australia in 1981. Couper began his career at the

Queensland Museum The Queensland Museum Kurilpa is the state museum of Queensland, funded by the government, and dedicated to natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. The museum currently operates from its headquarters and general museu ...

in 1984. He was initially employed in display construction, and became a research assistant in herpetology in 1986 under the direction and mentorship of the admired senior curator and head of Vertebrate Zoology, Jeanette Covacevich. Since 1993 he has been Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Queensland Museum. A major research focus has been leaf-tailed geckos that inhabit rainforest and rock habitats in eastern Queensland and

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. A species of lizard, '' Lampropholis couperi'', is named in honour of Patrick J. Couper. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Couper, P., p. 60).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Couper, Patrick J. 1958 births Living people Scientists from Queensland New Zealand emigrants to Australia Australian herpetologists