The Fish Department - Research

Gilbert Percy Whitley

Gilbert Whitley examining a fish in 1941. Photo © Australian Museum

1903-1975
Curator of Fishes: 1922-1964

Gilbert Whitley was the Australian Museum Fish Curator for 42 years. He is remembered as a man of great wit and charm.

He published 550 papers, with over 300 on fishes and many others of an historical nature.

Whitley was a prodigious describer of new species. He described over 320 species of fishes.

He traveled extensively, making over 80 trips within Australia and internationally.

Whitley identified, tagged and registered over 37,000 specimens.