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In memoriam: Michael H. Thurston (1937-2025)
Added on 2026-01-05 17:12:21 by Vandepitte, Leen
The last day of 2025 was a dark and sad day for the Amphipoda community. Another one of their giants – Michael (Mike) Thurston - passed away: a deep-sea biologist, taxonomist, mentor and friend to many.Michael Thurston, Emeritus Fellow at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), a respected oceanographer and world authority on deep-sea amphipods, passed away on 31 December 2025 at the age of 88. He was internationally recognised as a leading authority on deep-sea amphipods and a pioneer in benthic biology.
Mike’s research career has taken him in many directions, including overwintering in the Antarctic for two years as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (now known as BAS) and more than 50 expeditions and programmes. Through it all, he kept loyal to his true fascination: Amphipods. He focused on the taxonomy and ecology of deep-sea amphipods, particularly scavenging taxa. He described more than 75 new taxa, including one superfamily, two families, 13 genera, and 59 species (some remain in press). His name is commemorated in eight taxa, notably the genus Thurstonella and the family Thurstonellidae. He authored or co-authored more than 90 scientific papers and reports. His most recent works, even in his late eighties, included papers on revisions of amphipod genera and descriptions of new species from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic abyssal plains, as well as editing key groups for the World Amphipoda Database. His dedication never waned; he continued publishing until 2025.
Beyond taxonomy, Mike contributed extensively to deep-sea ecology and advancing knowledge of necrophagous communities and abyssal biodiversity. He was also deeply committed to the stewardship of biological collections.
Following his formal retirement in 1997, he remained active as an Honorary/Emeritus Research Fellow at NOC, publishing and mentoring until late 2025. Since 2001, Mike has collaborated closely with Dr. Tammy Horton, our former WoRMS Steering Committee Chair, conducting research on scavenging amphipods at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain and inspiring a new generation of taxonomists.
The WoRMS DMT extends its heartfelt condolences to Michael his family, friends, and colleagues.
His full obituary and a list of taxa he described can be found at the link below.
Mike’s research career has taken him in many directions, including overwintering in the Antarctic for two years as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (now known as BAS) and more than 50 expeditions and programmes. Through it all, he kept loyal to his true fascination: Amphipods. He focused on the taxonomy and ecology of deep-sea amphipods, particularly scavenging taxa. He described more than 75 new taxa, including one superfamily, two families, 13 genera, and 59 species (some remain in press). His name is commemorated in eight taxa, notably the genus Thurstonella and the family Thurstonellidae. He authored or co-authored more than 90 scientific papers and reports. His most recent works, even in his late eighties, included papers on revisions of amphipod genera and descriptions of new species from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic abyssal plains, as well as editing key groups for the World Amphipoda Database. His dedication never waned; he continued publishing until 2025.
Beyond taxonomy, Mike contributed extensively to deep-sea ecology and advancing knowledge of necrophagous communities and abyssal biodiversity. He was also deeply committed to the stewardship of biological collections.
Following his formal retirement in 1997, he remained active as an Honorary/Emeritus Research Fellow at NOC, publishing and mentoring until late 2025. Since 2001, Mike has collaborated closely with Dr. Tammy Horton, our former WoRMS Steering Committee Chair, conducting research on scavenging amphipods at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain and inspiring a new generation of taxonomists.
The WoRMS DMT extends its heartfelt condolences to Michael his family, friends, and colleagues.
His full obituary and a list of taxa he described can be found at the link below.
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