John Percy Moore (1869–1965) was an American

zoologist Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the structure, embryology, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems. Zoology is one ...

who specialized in the research of leeches.

Biography

Born in

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 27,754. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...

in 1869, Moore was educated at the Central High School of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1886. A student at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree there in 1892 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 1896. After 1890, he was repeatedly employed by the

United States Fish Commission The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the Fishery, fisheries of the United St ...

. An instructor in biology at the

Hahnemann Medical College Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The medical school represents the consolidation of two medical schools: Hahnemann Medical College, orig ...

from 1896 to 1898, he served as an instructor in zoology at the

Marine Biological Laboratory The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research and education in biological and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution that was independent ...

Woods Hole Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwestern corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The population was 78 ...

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

after 1901. An instructor in zoology at Penn from 1892 to 1907, he served as an assistant professor from 1907 to 1909, and was then appointed as a professor. In 1902, he became assistant curator of the

Academy of Natural Sciences The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. It was founded in 1812, by many of the leading natur ...

in Philadelphia and worked for many years with

Witmer Stone Witmer Stone (September 22, 1866 – May 24, 1939) was an American ornithologist, botanist, and mammalogist. He worked for over 51 years in the Ornithology Department at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and served in multiple ro ...

. 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 1918. In 1939, he was appointed professor emeritus. Moore also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Academy of Natural Sciences] from 1938 to 1957. In 1957, he was made an Honorary Life Trustee.

Research

Moore's primary zoological interest was the study of leeches and their biological control. During his years of scientific activity (1893–1963), he wrote more than one hundred papers, sixty-two of which were about leeches. He conducted field research in India between 1930 and 1931 to study the life history of Indian land leeches. His association with the

United States National Museum The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

(USNM) began in the early 1900s when he started identifying specimens in the Museum's leech collection. In recognition of his work, he was appointed Honorary Collaborator in the Division of Marine Invertebrates, USNM, in 1930. On his death in 1965, Moore's collection of leeches was donated to the USNM.J. Percy (John Percy) Moore Papers, 1888-1965 and undated
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Species described

The following species were first described by J.P. Moore (also abbreviated J. Percy Moore): *'' Phytobdella catenifera'' *'' Haemadipsa interrupta'' *'' Diplocardia longa''

Taxon named in his honor

*''

Pseudochromis moorei ''Pseudochromis'' is a genus of fish in the family Pseudochromidae found in Indian and Pacific Ocean. Species There are currently 71 recognized species in this genus: * ''Pseudochromis aldabraensis'' Bauchot-Boutin, 1958 (Orange dottyback) * ...

'' the Jaguar dottyback,was named in his honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, John Percy University of Pennsylvania faculty People from Williamsport, Pennsylvania American zoologists 1869 births 1965 deaths United States Fish Commission personnel Members of the American Philosophical Society