Laurens Theodor Gronovius

LT Gronow around 1771 with his two sons Johannes (* 1764) and Samuel Ulrich (* 1768). Painting by Isaac L. la Fargue van Nieuwland.

Laurens Theodorus Gronovius (born June 1, 1730 in Leiden ; † August 8, 1777 there ; German Lorenz Theodor Gronow (etc.)) was a Dutch naturalist. He was the son of the botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius (1686–1762) and died like him as councilor of his city.

He was an eminent collector. His contributions to ichthyology were particularly significant, both with (around 200) species descriptions and systematic contributions ( Museum ichthyologicum , 1754). He was friends with Carl von Linné , but failed to include binary names in his initial descriptions . In the nomenclature it was therefore only included with generic names (such as Gonorynchus ) (author abbreviation : Gronov ). In 1757 he gave (in Uitgezogte negotiating ) a good description of the effect of the electricity of the South American "eel" ( Electrophorus ).

A method of taxidermy in fish still bears his name today - some of his "flat preparations" can still be viewed in the Natural History Museum in London. But his collections also included other groups of animals and plants, conchylia and minerals (an important collection of precious stones!). These are partly based on the Leiden Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie from 1820, which has been called " Naturalis " for short since 1998 (the fish are in London, however).

Publications (selection)

Index süpellectilis lapideae. 1750.
Museum ichthyologicum sistens piscium indigenarum et quorundam exoticorum. 1754-1756.
Bibliotheca regni animalis atque lapidei. 1760.
Bibliotheca botanica. 1760.
Flora Virginica exhibens plantas. Second edition of his father's work, 1762
Zoophylacium Gronovianum exhibens quadrupeda, amphibia, insecta, etc. 1763–1781, Lugdunum Batav. - Volume 1 vertebrates, volume 2 insects, volume 3 worms, molluscs, etc.

literature

Alwyne C. Wheeler (1956): The Zoophylacium of Laurens Theodore Gronovius. Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History 3: 152-157.
PJ Köhler, S. Finger, M. Piccolino (2009): The `` Eels '' of South America: Mid-18th-century Dutch contributions to the theory of animal electricity. Journal of the History of Biology: doi : 10.1007 / s10739-009-9186-z (online)

annotation

↑ It was previously thought that the shock effect of electric fish was based on a very effective, volatile poison which the fish excreted through the skin and which humans also ingest; but as soon as it was shown that the effect could be passed on through wire without a time delay, it was also clear that it could not be a (gross) material principle - rather, what the Leiden bottle produced, which was invented in 1746.

personal data
SURNAME	Gronovius, Laurens Theodor
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gronow, Lorenz Theodor
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Dutch naturalist
DATE OF BIRTH	June 1, 1730
PLACE OF BIRTH	Suffer
DATE OF DEATH	August 8, 1777
Place of death	Suffer

[1] It was previously thought that the shock effect of electric fish was based on a very effective, volatile poison which the fish excreted through the skin and which humans also ingest; but as soon as it was shown that the effect could be passed on through wire without a time delay, it was also clear that it could not be a (gross) material principle - rather, what the Leiden bottle produced, which was invented in 1746.