THE LIFE AND WORK OF CLARK,EUGENIE - DEVOTED TO DIVING AND SCIENCE

Eugenie Clark is an ichthyologist with a talent for communicating abou t marine life. Her life had three principal periods, (1) studies under Charles Breder, Carl Hubbs, Lester Aronson and Myron Gordon, (2) dire ctorship of the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory sponsored by the Vanderbil ts, and (3) professorship and inspired teaching at the University of M aryland. Genie proved that sharks have surprising learning abilities a nd that, contrary to popular opinion, none are vicious killers. During her studies on reproductive behavior, territoriality, and ecology of tropical marine sand-dwelling fishes of the Caribbean and Red seas, am ong many other phenomena, she discovered the cross-fertilizing hermaph rodite Serranus subligarius, the Moses and peacock soles producing tox ins that repel sharks and other predators, and sharks 'sleeping' in un derwater caves in Mexico and Japan. She combined a love for swimming a nd diving with the study of marine fishes - from hard-hat diving and s norkeling to using SCUBA and submersibles. Professor emerita since 199 2, she has ridden whale sharks and participated in dives using submers ibles to 3 600 m depths. She is a recipient of over 25 honors and awar ds, participated in 24 television specials, and the current IMAX film on sharks. She is the author of the Lady with a Spear and The Lady and the Sharks which are of considerable popular fame.