Thomas Borgmeier (31 October 1892 – 11 May 1975) was a German-Brazilian priest and entomologist and became a specialist on the ants of Brazil and on the flies in the family Phoridae.
Borgmeier was born in Bielefeld, Germany and after studies at the local gymnasium he joined the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor and went to Brazil in 1910.
After studying philosophy in Curitiba and theology in Petropolis, he took an interest in ants which was furthered after meeting Professor Herman von Ihering of the Museu Paulista in Sao Paulo.
Discussing this with Jesuit priest and entomologist Hermann Schmitz led him to publish the first paper on the biology of Odontomachus affinis in 1920[1] and describe a new species of phorid Dohrniphora brasiliensis.
In 1922 Dr Arthur Neiva helped Borgmeier find more time to pursue entomology by allowing him to join the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro as an adjunct research scientist in 1923.