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Alfred Edwards Emerson
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Alfred Edwards Emerson

American zoologist
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Quick Facts
Born:
Dec. 31, 1896, Ithaca, N.Y., U.S.
Died:
Oct. 3, 1976, Huletts Landing, N.Y. (aged 79)
Subjects Of Study:
termite
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Alfred Edwards Emerson (born Dec. 31, 1896, Ithaca, N.Y., U.S.—died Oct. 3, 1976, Huletts Landing, N.Y.) was a U.S. zoologist noted for his definitive work on termites and his contributions to biological systematics, the study of the evolutionary and genetic relationships among life-forms and their phenotypic similarities and differences.

Emerson conducted extensive field studies of termites in Africa and South America, particularly those of the family Termitidae (the most advanced termite group), and discovered various new genera. He also devoted considerable work to fossil species of the family Rhinotermitidae, a group of subterranean termites. In addition, he developed a method of termite phylogenetic inference (i.e., identifying the directions and relative evolutionary rates of certain traits of organisms) by means of the nest characteristics of the genus Apicotermes.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.