Alexander Grant Ruthven (April 1, 1882 – January 19, 1971) was a herpetologist, zoologist and the President of the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

from 1929 to 1951.

Biography

Alexander Grant Ruthven was born in 1882 in

Hull, Iowa Hull is a city in Sioux County, Iowa. The population was 2,384 at the time of the 2020 census. History The first settlers in the Hull area arrived in 1872. The city was incorporated on May 15, 1886. Hull was named for John A. T. Hull, a membe ...

. He graduated from Morningside College in 1903. In 1906, he received a Ph.D. 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 ...

from the University of Michigan.The Michigan Saga
/ref> He worked as a professor, director of the University Museum, and Dean. He became the President in 1929. As such, he promoted a corporate administrative structure. He also approved of police raids against

bootleggers A bootleg is the upper part (or shaft) of a boot. Bootleg, bootlegging or bootlegger(s) may also refer to: Common meanings * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages * Moonshine, illicitly made an ...

at fraternities. He was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 1931. He retired in 1951, and died in 1971. He is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery which is adjacent to the university. The work of Ruthven on the familiar

garter snake Garter snake is the common name for small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus ''Thamnophis'' in the Family (biology), family Colubridae. They are native to North America, North and Central America, ranging from central Canada in the no ...

s, published in 1908, may regarded as founding an essentially new school of

herpetology 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 ...

in the United States. This was a revision of a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

, carried out by the examination of large numbers of specimens, and evaluated largely in geographic terms. Ruthven attracted many students of

reptiles Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

to the

, his most brilliant pupils being Frank N. Blanchard and Helen T. Gaige. Ruthven described and named 16 new species of reptiles, including three with Gaige.

Legacy

Ruthven is commemorated in the

scientific names In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

of seven reptiles: '' Geophis ruthveni'', '' Holbrookia maculata ruthveni'', ''

Lampropeltis ruthveni ''Lampropeltis ruthveni'' (common name: Ruthven's kingsnake) is a species of kingsnake in the family Colubridae. The species was described by Frank N. Blanchard in 1920 and named after American herpetologist Alexander Grant Ruthven. Beolens B ...

'', ''

Lepidoblepharis ruthveni ''Lepidoblepharis ruthveni'' is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species is endemic to northwestern South America. Etymology The specific name, ''ruthveni'', is in honor of American herpetologist Alexander Grant ...

'', '' Macropholidus ruthveni'', '' Masticophis schotti ruthveni'', and ''

Pituophis ruthveni ''Pituophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes, which are endemic to North America. They are often yellow or cream in color with dark spots and a dark line across their ...

''.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . ("Ruthven", p. 230).

Writings

*''Miscellaneous Papers on the Zoology of Michigan'', W.H. Crawford Co., 1916 *''A Naturalist in a University Museum'', 1931 *''Laboratory Directions in Principles of Animal Biology'', by Aaron Franklin Shull, George Roger Larue, Alexander Grant Ruthven, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc, 1942 *''Naturalist in Two Worlds. Random Recollections of a University President'', 1963 *
The Herpetology of Michigan
' *''Description of a New Salamander from Iowa'' *''Variations and Genetic Relationships of the Garter-Snakes'' *''The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Columbia, etc. With map''

Biography

Legacy

Writings

References

Further reading