Paul Marais de Beauchamp facts for kids

Charles Alfred Paul Marais de Beauchamp (born March 3, 1883 – died January 30, 1977) was a French zoologist. He was known for studying tiny water creatures.

Life of Charles de Beauchamp

Paul Marais de Beauchamp was born in 1883 in Paris, France. He was the first son of Etienne Arthur Marais de Beauchamp. His father worked for the government department that handled public education and fine arts. His mother was Elisabeth Nicard.

Later in his life, in 1950, he became the president of the Zoological Society of France. This is a group for scientists who study animals in France.

His Work Studying Animals

Beauchamp was a specialist in studying two main types of tiny creatures. He focused on rotifers, which are very small animals often found in fresh water. They are sometimes called "wheel animalcules" because of the way they move.

He also studied turbellarians. These are a group of flatworms, which are simple, soft-bodied worms. Many turbellarians live in water, like ponds or oceans.

Platydemus manokwari is a type of flatworm that Beauchamp helped describe.

Honors and Namesakes

Some new groups of animals were named after him to honor his work. For example, a group of freshwater flatworms called Debeauchampia was named after him. Today, this group is known by a different name, Procerodes.

Also, a group of land flatworms called Beauchampius was named in his honor. This shows how important his studies were to the world of zoology.