Charles Chilton

Charles Chilton (1860-1929) was a New Zealand zoologist and carcinologist born in England who emigrated to New Zealand as a child, lost his left leg to amputation early in life, and became the first person awarded a Doctor of Science degree in New Zealand. He specialized in crustacean research, particularly amphipods, isopods and decapods from New Zealand, subterranean and sub-Antarctic waters, publishing roughly 130 scientific papers and describing the isopod Phreatoicus typicus, the first known example of the suborder Phreatoicidea. He held the Chair of Biology at the University of Canterbury from 1903, was the first rector appointed in Australasia, and received the Mueller Medal in 1922 and the Hector Medal in 1917 from the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science.