Alexander, Charles P. 1889-1981

Charles Paul Alexander (September 25, 1889, Gloversville, New York – December 3, 1981) was an American entomologist who specialized in the Tipulidae family of craneflies. Charles Paul Alexander was the son of Emil Alexander and Jane Alexander (née Parker). Emil (the father) immigrated to the United States in 1873 and changed his surname from Schlandensky to Alexander. Charles entered Cornell University in 1909, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1913 and a Ph.D. in 1918. Between 1917 and 1919, he was entomologist at the University of Kansas, then from 1919 to 1922, at the University of Illinois. He then became professor of entomology at Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst. He studied Diptera, especially in the family Tipulidae. He described over 11,000 species and genera of flies, which translates to approximately a species description a day for his entire career. In 1920, Alexander became a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America.