Albert Günther

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albert Günther
Born
Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther

3 October 1830
Died1 February 1914
NationalityGerman
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
OccupationZoologist
AwardsLinnean Medal (1904)

Albert Günther FRS, (Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther, 3 October 1830 – 1 February 1914), was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. Günther is currently ranked the second-most productive reptile taxonomist. He described more than 340 reptile species.[1]

He joined the British Museum in 1857, under Richard Owen and John Edward Gray. His first task was to classify 2000 snake specimens. After the death of Gray in 1875, Günther was appointed Keeper of Zoology at the Natural History Museum, a position he held until 1895.

The major work of his life was the eight-volume Catalogue of Fishes (1859–1870, Ray Society). He also worked on the reptiles and amphibians in the museum collection. In 1864, he founded The Zoological Record and was editor for six years.[2]

References[change | change source]

  1. Uetz P. 2010. The original descriptions of reptiles. Zootaxa 2334: 59–68. [1]
  2. M, WC 1915. "Obituary Notices of Fellows Deceased. A.C.L.G. Günther, 1830–1914". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B. 88 (608): xi–xxvi.