Ailsa McGown Clark

Ailsa McGown Clark (1926–2014) was a British zoologist, who principally studied echinoderms (such as starfishes and sea urchins) and was a specialist on asteroidea. She worked at the Natural History Museum for most of her career.

Life Line drawings of crinoids by Ailsa M. Clark in the Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Ailsa McGown Clark was born in Hendon. From 1948, Clark was curator of Echinoderms at the British Museum (Natural History).

It is noted that Ailsa McGown Clark was one of a number of unrelated Clarks who became experts in echinoderms. Libbie Hyman made reference to this 'odd circumstance' in a review of Starfishes and their relations for the Quarterly Review of Biology. Clark illustrated the text with 'a series of line drawings of the species' described, which offered 'a more precise means of comparing material with the descriptions'.

Clark retired aged 60 in 1986, but remained active.

Legacy The species Ophiolepsis ailsae was named for Clark, 'in recognition of a highly esteemed student of the Echinodermata on her retirement from the British Museum (Natural History)'. The World Asteroidea Database (WAD) is largely drawn from the "Asteroid Names List", developed principally by Clark.

Former colleagues believed that Clark's major legacy would be 'the revisions and faunistic works she and various other co-workers produced'.