Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

Biographies of Kansas Herpetologists

Kansas is exceptional in its history of noted herpetologists; many were born here, some lived in Kansas during formative periods of their lives, while others made significant discoveries just while passing through. These biographies acknowledge their individual efforts and provide context to their life and times. They also attempt, as possible, to put faces to the names listed often in the KHA. The cumulative results of their work are simultaneously inspirational and humbling.


Stan Roth ca. 1987. Photo by Larry L. Miller.

ROTH, STANLEY D.
Stanley David Roth (21 May 1935 — 3 August 2024)

Stan’s fascination with amphibians and reptiles began in high school in the early 1950s when his father obtained a copy of Hobart Smith’s Reptiles and Amphibians of Kansas (first edition), the first natural history volume published by the Kansas Biological Survey. This book, followed by companion volumes on mammals and birds, became a formative influence.
As a Boy Scout in Olathe, Stan was the member unafraid to handle snakes encountered on campouts—always catching them alive and moving them away from camp. He was also deeply engaged in ham radio, a pursuit that initially led him to consider engineering when he entered Kansas State Teachers College (KSTC, now Emporia State University) in 1953.
The summer after his freshman year, Stan encountered a large Timber Rattlesnake on a county road near Olathe. He dispatched it, preserved the specimen following Smith’s directions using purchased formalin, and included data on a slip of paper in the jar. Later, while assisting in biology at KSTC, Bob Clarke informed him that this specimen represented the first record of the Timber Rattlesnake for Johnson County. This became one of Stan’s first contributions to Kansas herpetology.
At KSTC, Stan shifted from engineering to biology education and worked as a student assistant in biology, managing preserved and live herpetological collections. He surveyed specimens for county records to be submitted to the Kansas Biological Survey and completed a Master’s thesis project on microclimate differences near the ground and their relation to herpetofauna in the Flint Hills.
Stan began teaching biology at Lawrence High School, where he transformed his classroom into a living laboratory of snakes, turtles, lizards, and even a prairie dog. His goal was to instill respect for, rather than fear of, snakes. To help students recognize dangerous from harmless species, he maintained live specimens of venomous snakes alongside non-venomous ones.
Several students became inspired under his mentorship, including Eric M. Rundquist, who—along with Stan—helped persuade J. T. (Joe) Collins at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum to establish a statewide herpetological organization. This vision led to the formation of the Kansas Herpetological Society (KHS) in 1974. Eric Rundquist served as its first president, with early members including Robert Clarke (Emporia State) and Ray Ashton (KU). Another of Stan’s former students, David Reber, later served as KHS president as well.
Stan himself served as KHS President in 1996, during a period of major membership growth. He participated in KHS field trips, annual meetings, and was a prolific contributor of county records to the KU Natural History Museum. Joe Collins once remarked that Stan had added more county records (“dots on the map”) than anyone else at the time.
Beyond reptiles and amphibians, Stan conducted extensive field studies of birds of prey for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Nongame Program. His 30-year study of Ferruginous Hawks resulted in the definitive Kansas paper on the species (Roth & Marzluff, 1989). He also participated in long-term studies of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals across western Kansas, particularly in the Smoky Hill River valley.
Stan taught biology at Lawrence High School for four decades and was honored with a State Teacher of the Year award. He was widely known for loading up school vehicles with students and embarking on weeks-long field excursions across western Kansas. Following retirement, he continued contributing as an adjunct naturalist for the Kansas Biological Survey.
Stan’s career bridged teaching, research, and mentorship, shaping generations of Kansas students and naturalists. His dedication to accurate record-keeping, fieldwork, and science education ensured his place among the most influential figures in Kansas herpetology.
Based on information conveyed by Stan on 7 February 2023.
Last Updated: 9/6/2025 7:56:44 PM
Relevant Literature: 2 publications
1959 Roth, Stanley D. The Comparative Microclimate of Four Habitats in Chase County, Kansas. Thesis. Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas. pp.
1979 Roth, Stanley D. and Joesph T. Collins. Geographic distribution: Bufo debilis insidior. Herpetological Review 10():118


Travis W. Taggart © 1999-2026 — w/ Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University