Achille Valenciennes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Achille Valenciennes
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| Born | 9 August 1794 |
| Died | 13 April 1865 (aged 70) Paris, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Scientific career | |
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| Institutions | Muséum national d'histoire naturelle |
Achille Valenciennes (born August 9, 1794 – died April 13, 1865) was a famous French zoologist. He spent his life studying animals, especially fish and worms. His work helped us understand many different species, both living and from fossils.
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Achille Valenciennes: A French Zoologist
Achille Valenciennes was born in Paris, France. He studied under a very important scientist named Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes became an expert in studying parasitic worms that live in humans. This was a big step forward in understanding these tiny creatures.
He also worked on classifying many different animals. He found ways to connect animals that are alive today with those that only exist as fossils. This helped scientists see how species have changed over time.
Working with Famous Scientists
Valenciennes worked closely with Georges Cuvier on a huge project. They wrote a 22-volume book series called "Histoire Naturelle des Poissons". This means "Natural History of Fish." It was a massive collection of information about fish.
When Cuvier passed away in 1832, Valenciennes continued the work by himself. He finished the rest of the books. In the same year, he took over a special job at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. This museum is a famous place for studying nature in Paris. He became the head of the department that studied mollusks, worms, and zoophytes.
Discovering New Species
Early in his career, Valenciennes had an exciting task. He had to classify animals that Alexander von Humboldt had described. Humboldt was a famous explorer who traveled through the American tropics from 1799 to 1803. Valenciennes and Humboldt became good friends through this work.
Valenciennes is known for officially naming many types of fish. For example, he named the bartail jawfish. When a scientist names a species, they become its "binomial authority." This means they were the first to give it its scientific two-part name.
He also worked in the field of herpetology. This is the study of reptiles and amphibians. He described two new species of reptiles during his career.
Things Named After Achille Valenciennes
Some interesting things in the animal world are named after Achille Valenciennes.
- The organ of Valenciennes is a part of the body of a female Nautilus. A Nautilus is a type of sea creature with a spiral shell. Scientists still don't know what this organ is for!
- A species of lizard, Anolis valencienni, is also named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Achille Valenciennes para niños
- Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes
