Gerald Stokell
Gerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.
Early life
Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane. He lived there for his whole life. He attended Broadfields Primary School, and was a keen trout angler.Interest in freshwater fish
A keen angler, Stokell wrote a series of studies on trout in Lake Ellismere. Through this interest in angling, he also came across native fish species, but was unable to identify them due to a lack of published information. From 1938 onwards he began publishing papers on them, describing species and detangling the many names that had accrued. He described 10 species that are still accepted, although others turned out to be junior synonyms.Species described
Galaxias paucispondylus alpine galaxiasGobiomorphus breviceps upland bullyGalaxias prognathus longjaw galaxiasNeochanna diversus Black mudfishGalaxias vulgaris Canterbury galaxiasGalaxias anomalus Central Otago roundhead galaxiasGobiomorphus hubbsi bluegill bullyGalaxias divergens dwarf galaxiasGobiomorphus alpinus Tarndale bullyIn 1941 Stokell's smelt, Stokellia anisodon, was named after him.
Memberships
- Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society
- Staff of the Canterbury Museum
- Secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Their sole qualification for safe-guarding the welfare of wild creatures the possession of a desire to kill them.