Person
Mitchell, Francis John (1929 - 1970)
- Born
- 8 August 1929
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia - Died
- 23 February 1970
Belair, South Australia, Australia - Occupation
- Herpetologist and Museum curator
Summary
Francis Mitchell was a herpetologist most of whose career was at the South Australian Museum where he became Senior Curator of Vertebrates in 1965. His research focused on reptiles, particularly the dragon lizard and skink families (Agamidae and Scincidae). He discovered and named at least dozen previously unknown reptiles. Mitchell was active in scientific societies. He was a foundation member of the Australian Society of Herpetologists and served as President of the Royal Society of South Australia. In 1955 he published on the reptiles and amphibia collected during the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land (1948). Mitchell's bearded dragon (Pogona minor mitchelli Badham) was named in his honour.
Details
Chronology
- 1955 - 1956
- Career position - Assistant Curator of Reptiles, South Australia Museum
- 1956 - 1965
- Career position - Curator of Reptiles, South Australia Museum
- 1959 - 1967
- Career position - Treasurer, Royal Society of South Australia
- 1964 - 1970
- Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Society of Herpetologists
- 1965 - 1970
- Career position - Senior Curator of Vertebrates, South Australia Museum
- 1967 - 1968
- Career position - Vice-President, Royal Society of South Australia
- 1968 - 1969
- Career position - President, Royal Society of South Australia
- 1969 - 1970
- Career position - Vice-President, Royal Society of South Australia
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- Mitchell, Francis J., 'Reptiles and amphibians of Arnhem Land' in Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 4: zoology, R. L. Specht, ed. (Parkville, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1964), pp. 309-43. Details
Journal Articles
- Mitchell, F. J., 'Preliminary account of the reptilia and amphibia collected by the National Geographic Society-Commonwealth Government-Smithsonian Institution Expedition to Arnhem land (April - November 1948)', Records of the South Australian Museum, 11 (1955), 373-409. Details
- Mitchell, F. J., 'Obituary and Bibliography of Herbert Mathew Hale, OBE, 1895-1963', Records of the South Australian Museum, 15 (1) (1965), 1-8. Details
- Tyler, M. J., 'Obituary: Francis John Mitchell, 1929-1970', Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 94 (1970), 249, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25233709. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 5 August 2025, Last modified: 8 August 2025