| Birth Date: | 27 January 1970 |
| Birth Place: | Coventry, England, UK |
| Death Place: | Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Fields: | Entomology |
Stephen Ernest Thorpe (27 January 1970 – 24 August 2024) was an English-born entomologist in New Zealand. He contributed vast amounts of data and analysis in many contexts, particularly to iNaturalist. Thorpe was a member of the research group that described the beetle genus Neodoxa in 2003. In 2011, he helped with describing the New Zealand marsh beetle species Stenocyphon neozealandicus by recognising the species among unsorted insect specimens at Auckland War Memorial Museum while he was volunteering. Thorpe was murdered on 24 August 2024 during his daily walk to search for insects and plants. Thirteen species were named after Thorpe.
Stephen Ernest Thorpe was born in England on 27 January 1970. He held a degree in chemistry and an MA in philosophy from the University of Auckland.[1]
Thorpe became an independent entomologist from the late 1990s.[1] He worked as a Research Associate at the University of Auckland from 2008 to 2011 and did contract work for Landcare Research and other organisations.[2] In his latter years he was based at the Whau River Catchment Trust offices at the Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club in Auckland,[3] and had told acquaintances that he thought he was on the autism spectrum.[2]
Thorpe contributed 12,000 specimens to Auckland War Memorial Museum.[1] He was a part of the research group who described the beetle genus Neodoxa in 2003. A new species of New Zealand beetle, Cyparium thorpei, was named after him in 2004.[4] In 2011, Thorpe was instrumental in describing the New Zealand marsh beetle species Stenocyphon neozealandicus, having recognised the species among unsorted insect specimens at Auckland War Memorial Museum as a volunteer. He contributed to biosecurity in New Zealand by reporting 39 species not previously found in the country to the Ministry for Primary Industries. He was a contributor to a number of taxonomic projects, including iNaturalist, Taxacom, Wikispecies, and ZooBank.
On 24 August 2024 Thorpe was murdered by an apparent intruder at the Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club and recreation area where he used an office for his work as he left on his daily walk to look for insects and plants. Police said that there was a "violent struggle" between Thorpe and his attacker. Thorpe was aged 54 at the time of his death.[3] [5] [6] His only living family was his elderly father who lived in Brisbane.[7] A 26-year-old local man was arrested on 28 August 2024 and charged with the murder.[8] A karakia that was attended by dozens of community members was held at the scene where Thorpe was killed.[9]
Thorpe's funeral service was held on 2 September 2024 at the same tennis club where he had worked and died. It was attended by around 200 people.[10]
Thorpe had thirteen species named in his honour.[11]