NEW YORK — A well-known turtle researcher who was being honored last week for his lifelong scientific achievements ignited a controversy when he gave a presentation on river turtles that also included revealing photos of women in swimsuits.

The researcher, Richard Vogt, was being recognized as a distinguished herpetologist — a scientist who studies amphibians and reptiles — at an annual meeting of herpetologists and fish scientists in Rochester, N.Y.

His lecture Thursday contained photos of men and women doing research in water environments, including a handful of scantily clad women whose bodies were censored with blue boxes, according to people in attendance. The images were censored by staff at the conference, not Vogt. One of the women pictured was his wife.

The lecture by Vogt, who other herpetologists say has a history of behaving inappropriately toward colleagues and using provocative photos in scientific presentations, prompted some in attendance to walk out and was swiftly and vocally criticized within the herpetology community.

The Herpetologists’ League, a membership society for scientists in the field, rescinded Vogt’s award Friday and has formed a committee to address diversity and inclusion.

“Many members of all genders took strong offense to the images that were presented and to the awarding of this distinction to someone whose extremely inappropriate behavior toward other attendees has been long known,’’ the league said in a statement Sunday.

Vogt did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.

NEW YORK TIMES