“The Indo-Pacific region is home to the world’s greatest concentration of fish species biodiversity, and we are pleased to join the Engelhardt Foundation in continuing the process of discovery and preservation in this remarkable region,” said Bill Brown, president and CEO of Bishop Museum. “With Dr. Randall’s return to the Museum we look forward to significant growth in this area of research.”
Randall was appointed curator of fishes at the Museum in 1966, and served as senior ichthyologist until his retirement in 1997. During his tenure the Museum’s Ichthyology Collection grew from 10,000 specimens to over 100,000, which were collected on nearly 100 field expeditions led by Randall in Hawai‘i and throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Under his leadership, the Museum today has one of the most important collections of Indo-Pacific in the world.
Randall has authored over 630 publications related to his ichthyology work at the Bishop Museum. In addition, he has named more new species of fish than any other living ichthyologist and more valid reef fish species than anyone else in history. During his recent “retirement,” he wrote two major books on reef and shore fishes in the Hawaiian Islands and the South Pacific.
A treasured resource of Hawaiian history and heritage Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop as a tribute to his wife Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty. Located at 1525 Bernice Street, the Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14.95 for adults; $11.95 for youth 4-12 years, special rates for kama‘aina, seniors and military; children under 4 years and Bishop Museum Association members are free. For information, call 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.