Phillipe d'Everard (paleontologist): Difference between revisions

{{About|the paleontologist||Phillipe d'Everard (disambugation)}}

| death_place        = [[Lariana]], [[Talionia]]

d'Everard was a prodigious writer, with 1,400 papers published over his lifetime. A lifelong and highly dedicated field worker, d'Everard died suddenly from complications associated with {{wpl|pneumonia}} 72 years old on February 2, 1938 in [[Lariana]], [[Talionia]], while leading a paleontological expedition. His proposal for the origin of mammalian molars is notable among his theoretical contributions. "d'Everard's rule", however, the hypothesis that mammalian lineages gradually grow larger over geologic time, while named after him, is "neither explicit nor implicit" in his work.<ref>Fürster, Johann: ''Mammalian derivation of the Permian period'', pg. 11-14. 1999.</ref>

The [[joanusaurid]] dinosaur ''[[Everardtadens]]'' and ceratopsian dinosaur ''[[Everardceratops]]'' are both named in honour of d'Everard. His son was the [[Marshal of Yonderre]] [[Rachet d'Everard]] (1903-1997) and his only daughter the acclaimed ballet dancer [[Sophie d'Everard]] (1907-2002).

Phillipe Edmond d'Everard was born on October 22, 1865, as the eldest son of famed physicist [[Rachet d'Everard (physicist)|Rachet d'Everard]] (1838–1922) and his wife Sophie, née d'Auguste (1843–1940). Phillipe harboured a strong interest in natural science from an early age and kept several exotic animals as pets. He attended a private Catholic boys school in [[Sainte-Catherine]] operated by the [[Prokopites|Order of St. Prokop]]. He explored pits and quarries in the surrounding areas, discovering ammonites, shells of sea urchins, fish bones, coral, and worn-out remains of dead animals. Reaching 18 years of age, d'Everard served his conscription with the [[11th Infantry Division (Yonderre)|11th Infantry Division]] of the [[Yonderian Defence Force|Yonderian Army]] from 1883-84 during which time he was known to his comrades as "Eddie" due to there being five men named Phillipe in his company.

[[File:Denversaurus.jpg|thumb|Skull and osteoderms of the ''[[Testudosaurus]]'' specimen "Phillipe" found by d'Everard's team in [[Talionia]] in 1937, housed in [[Collinebourg Natural History Museum]]]]

Despite the on-going [[Second Great War]] and against his wife's wishes, d'Everard hired a team and funded an expedition to [[Talionia]] out of his own pocket in 1937. After lengthy negotiations with the local government, d'Everard's team was permitted to dig north of [[Lariana]] in June of 1937. Initial finds were mostly of crocodillomorphs, the description of one of which, ''[[Larianasuchops]]'', was published posthumously, written mostly by d'Everard.<ref>d'Everard, Phillipe E.: ''Larianasuchops'', [[University of Collinebourg]]. 1938.</ref> Traces fossils of ''[[Caphirosaurus]]'' including footprints were discovered in July, while most of a femur and some vertebrae of a ''[[Caphirosaurus]]'' were found in early August. The team continued to excavate fossils of small mammals and amphibians throughout the field season. A partial ''[[Testudosaurus]]'' was discovered by chance in a hillside, discovered to be nearly 60% complete once excavated by the middle of September.  

Due to the on-going war however, d'Everard's team was unable to return to [[Yonderre]] for the time being and forced to remain in [[Talionia]] for the winter. The fossil haul was stored away under armed guard in [[Lariana]] and d'Everard and his team set up temporary offices in a hotel downtown to begin describing the specimens. d'Everard fell ill with pneumonia in December of 1937 and became at times delirious. He continued his work however, aided by his team, and continued to describe and categorize specimens. d'Everard started experiencing lucid fever dreams in January of 1938. When he read in a letter in late January that his son [[Rachet d'Everard|Rachet]] had been wounded fighting for the [[Burgoignesc Foreign Legion]], d'Everard muttered that it was preposterous that the [[Burgundie|Burgoignesc]] would allow boys as young as Rachet to fight.<ref>[[Rachet d'Everard]] was 34 years old at the time.</ref> The bedridden Phillipe d'Everard died in his sleep and was found by his aide in the morning of Februaury 2nd, 1938. His still body still clutched a half-full glass of [[Burgundie|Burgoignesc]] [[Xerie]] in the left hand, d'Arvinne's ''On the Origin of Species'' was open on his stomach and he was still wearing reading glasses.

The [[joanusaurid]] dinosaur ''[[Everardtadens]]'' and ceratopsian dinosaur ''[[Everardceratops]]'' are both named in honour of d'Everard, as are the specific names of several species of salamanders and amphibians. The ''[[Testudosaurus]]'' discovered by d'Everard's team in [[Talionia]] in 1937 is nicknamed "Phillipe" after him.

The [[Primo Kino]] movie ''[[Swallowing Dust]]'' from 2008 is a dramatization of d'Everard's final expedition to [[Talionia]], with [[Jean-Yves Forvert]] playing the role of d'Everard.