José H. Leal is a Brazilian-born malacologist and American citizen residing in the United States since 1984.
He was an assistant editor for Sea Frontiers Magazine, (Miami), a visiting professor at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris), and postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (Washington, DC).
Dr. Leal holds honorary faculty positions at the University of Miami and Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers), where he is an affiliate member of the Coastal Watershed Institute.
He has numerous scientific publications, and is also the editor of the malacological journal The Nautilus.
In 2023, Dr. Leal received the prestigious Neptunea Award from Conchologists of America, for his services to the global community of shell enthusiasts.