Roy Alexander Harrison (1918 – 18 June 2006) was a New Zealand entomologist who is best known for his extensive research on flies.
Early life Harrison was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1918. He went to Avondale Primary School and completed his schooling at Mount Albert Grammar School. Harrison then studied at Auckland Teachers’ College to become a teacher. During this time and afterwards, he completed a BSc part time at Auckland University College.
After World War 2 began, he served in the army from 1941 until 1945 and rose to the rank of staff sergeant.
Career After completing his military service during World War 2, Harrison began working at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Harrison was one of the first members of the Entomological Society of New Zealand and served as its president from 1959 to 1961. He was also responsible for creating the societies 21st Anniversary Research Fund alongside Alan Lowe.
In 1961, Harrison became a senior lecturer at Lincoln University (then Lincoln College). In 1969 he was promoted to a professor and became the Chair of Entomology, which he remained as until his retirement in 1979.
Throughout his career, he published extensively on fly taxonomy and insect pest control. He also had numerous students, some of whom went on to become noted entomologists (such as Alan Lowe and Rod Macfarlane).
Death Harrison died on 18 June 2006 in Amberley, New Zealand. Species described Harrison described around 61 new species. Some of which include:
Brevicornu brunnea (Harrison, 1964) Dilophus alpinus Harrison, 1990 Diplotoxa neozelandica Harrison, 1959 Fenwickia affinis Harrison, 1959 Minilimosina knightae (Harrison, 1959) Mycetophila campbellensis Harrison, 1964 Phthitia thomasi (Harrison, 1959) Spilogona sorenseni (Harrison, 1955) Thoracochaeta zealandica (Harrison, 1959) Zygomyia submarginata Harrison, 1955
Selected publications Harrison, R.A. (1947). Embryology of Temnocephala novaezealandiae Haswell. Nature 160 (4075): 798-799. https://doi.org/10.1038/160798B0 Harrison, R.A. (1952). New Zealand Drosophilidae (Diptera). 1. Introduction and descriptions of domestic species of the genus Drosophila Fallen. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 79(3-4): 505-517. Harrison, R.A. (1955). The Diptera of Auckland and Campbell Islands Part 1. Records of the Dominion Museum Wellington 2(4): 205-231. Harrison, R.A. (1959). Acalypterate Diptera of New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 128. 382pp. Harrison, R.A. (1970). The present status of taxonomic entomology in New Zealand. Summing up. New Zealand Entomologist 4(3): 60-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/00779962.1970.9722919 Harrison, R.A. (1990). Bibionidae (Insecta: Diptera). Fauna of New Zealand 20. https://doi.org/10.7931/J2/FNZ.20
References