Johann Jakob Heckel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johann Jakob Heckel
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Johann Jakob Heckel
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| Born | 23 January 1790 |
| Died | 12 March 1857 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | Naturhistorisches Museum |
Johann Jakob Heckel (born January 23, 1790 – died March 1, 1857) was an important Austrian scientist. He was a taxidermist (someone who prepares animal specimens), a zoologist (who studies animals), and an ichthyologist (who studies fish). He came from a town called Mannheim.
A Life Dedicated to Fish
Even though Johann Heckel didn't go to a special university for biology, he worked very hard. He became the director of the Fish Collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna. This museum is a big place where natural history items are kept.
Unlike many scientists of his time who traveled the world, Heckel mostly stayed in Vienna. He studied and organized animal specimens that other explorers sent to him. Some of these explorers included Karl Alexander Hügel, Joseph Russegger, and Theodor Kotschy. They brought him amazing specimens from places like Kashmir, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. These collections made the Vienna museum much richer.
Heckel's main focus was fish. He worked with many famous fish scientists of his time. These included Cuvier, Valenciennes, Bonaparte, Müller, and Troschel.
Heckel made big contributions to how we classify and name animals, especially fish. He wrote more than 60 books and papers. His most famous work was about "The freshwater fishes of the Austrian Danubian monarchy." He spent over 24 years working on this book. Sadly, he passed away before it was finally published. He likely got sick from studying a large animal skeleton.
Important Works
Johann Jakob Heckel wrote many important books and papers about fish. Here are some of his notable works:
- Cyprinen, Scaphirhynchus und andere ichthyologica (1836–1840), with Johann Natterer – This work was about Cyprinidae (a family of fish) and Scaphirhynchus (a type of sturgeon), along with other fish topics.
- Fische aus Caschmir, (1838), with Karl Alexander Hügel – This book described fish found in Kashmir.
- Die Süßwasserfische der österreichischen Monarchie, mit Rücksicht auf die angränzenden Länder bearbeitet (with 204 woodcuts) – This major work was about the freshwater fish of the Austrian monarchy and nearby countries. He worked on it with Rudolf Kner (published in 1858).
- Beiträge zur kenntniss der fossilen fische Österreichs, (1856) – This book contributed to understanding fossil fish found in Austria.
- Neue Beiträge zur Kenntniss der fossilen Fische Österreichs, (1861), with Rudolf Kner – This was a new contribution to the knowledge of Austrian fossil fish.
Legacy and Recognition
Johann Jakob Heckel's work was so important that several fish species were named in his honor. This is a common way for scientists to remember and respect others who have made big contributions to their field.
Fish named after him include:
- The cichlid Acarichthys heckelii (named by J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1849).
- The Pike Cichlid Crenicichla heckeli (named by Ploeg, 1989).
See also
In Spanish: Johann Jakob Heckel para niños
- Category:Taxa named by Johann Jakob Heckel
