Stephen Thorpe

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. Fourteen species were named after Thorpe.

Thorpe was murdered on 24 August 2024 during his daily walk to search for insects and plants. Early life and education Stephen Ernest Thorpe was born in England on 27 January 1970. In his latter years he was based at the Whau River Catchment Trust offices at the Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club in Auckland, and had told acquaintances that he thought he was on the autism spectrum. and in the same year, collected a specimen of gecko from Muriwai that would later become the holotype for the korowai gecko, when the species was formally described in 2023. A new species of New Zealand beetle, Cyparium thorpei, was named after him in 2004. 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. His only living family was his elderly father who lived in Brisbane. A 26-year-old local man was arrested on 28 August 2024 and charged with the murder. A karakia that was attended by dozens of community members was held at the scene where Thorpe was killed.

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.

In 2025, the suspect was found unfit to stand trial, for reasons that were ordered by the judge to be suppressed, under section 10 of New Zealand's Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act. The judge also found that on the balance of probabilities he had killed Thorpe. He was ordered to be detained indefinitely at a secure psychiatric facility.

Eponymy Thorpe had thirteen species named in his honour before his death, with another subsequently.

Alloxysta thorpei Bocchus thorpei Chorebus thorpei Cryptoxilos thorpei Cyparium thorpei Kaurimyia thorpei Micromegistus thorpei Scorpiurus thorpei Sierola thorpei Spathius thorpei Uropoda thorpei Zealantha thorpei Zelostemma thorpei

Selected publications