Harry Lee (shell collector)

Harry G. Lee was an American shell collector and physician. Over the course of his life, Lee named 36 species of Mollusca and has had 18 others named for him. ^{[1] [2]} He was considered one of the top amateur experts in the field of mollusks. ^[3] He donated his extensive collection, one of the world's largest, to the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida. ^[3]

Lee attended Millburn High School, Williams College, and Weill Cornell Medicine. He started his medical career in 1974 and practiced internal medicine for 31 years. ^[4]

Lee lived in Florida and was married with three children. ^[2] He died on January 8, 2024, at the age of 83 after suffering a stroke a month earlier. ^[4]

Selected publications

• Lee, Harry G. (2009). Marine shells of northeast Florida. Jacksonville Beach, Florida: Jacksonville Shell Club. ISBN   978-0-9671254-0-4. OCLC   434869184.
• Lyons, William G., and Harry G. Lee. "Fasciolaria gigantea Kiener, 1840 (currently Triplofusus giganteus; Mollusca, Gastropoda, Fasciolariidae): the correct name for the horse conch of the southeastern United States and Mexico." The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 75, no. 1 (2018): 195–203.
• Lee, Harry G. "Genera of American Strombid Gastropods (Gastropoda: Strombidae) and Remarks on Their Phylogený." Veliger 49, no. 4 (2007): 256–264.
• Lee, Harry G. "Partulid snails, their collectors, and a prodigious dynasty of French naturalists." American Conchologist 40, no. 1 (2012): 10–19.
• Lee, Harry G. "Shelled land snails of the Calusa shell mound, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, and of Lee County, Florida." Florida Scientist (2014): 2–14.

References

1. "The man behind the world's largest private shell collection". Florida Museum. June 27, 2018.
2. Pittman, Craig (September 13, 2019). "Florida man with largest private shell collection now ready to give it away". Tampa Bay Times.
3. Strickland, Sandy (February 5, 2020). "Jacksonville physician who traveled the globe seeking shells is donating them to UF museum". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
4. "Harry G. Lee M.D." The Florida Times-Union . Jacksonville, Florida. January 10, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

Further reading

• Brandenburg, Susan D. (June 6, 2007). "Playing shell game a passion for collectors: The Jacksonville Shell Club is holding its annual show Saturday and Sunday". Florida Times-Union .
• Halton, Beau (July 11, 2001). "Shell fascination surpasses walk on the beach". Florida Times-Union .
• "Jacksonville collector donates shells to museum". The Orlando Sentinel . Associated Press. February 2, 1989. pp. D-4 – via Newspapers.com.
• Patton, Charlie (May 26, 2009). "Harry Lee: His love for shells sparks lifelong collection". The Florida Times-Union .