Jørgen Matthias Christian Schiødte (20 April 1815 – 22 April 1884), or Jørgen Christian Matthias Schiødte, was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, professor and museum curator.

Biography

Schiødte was born in Copenhagen and attended Borgerdydskolen in Christianshavn. From 1842, he was employed as curator of the

Natural History Museum of Denmark The Natural History Museum of Denmark ( da, Statens Naturhistoriske Museum) is a natural history museum located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was created as a 1 January 2004 merger of Copenhagen's Zoological Museum, Geological Museum, Botanical Muse ...

and was a professor at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

from 1845. J.C. Schiødte ''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon'' Retrieved December 1, 2020 His work was widely read "for, as Schiodte remarks: We accordingly look upon the subterranean faunas as small ramifications which have penetrated into the earth from the geographically limited faunas of the adjacent tracts, and which, as they extended themselves into darkness, have been accommodated to surrounding circumstances. Animals not far remote from ordinary forms, prepare the transition from light to darkness. Next follow those that are constructed for twilight; and, last of all, those destined for total darkness, and whose formation is quite peculiar''.' These remarks of Schiodte's it should be understood, apply not to the same, but to distinct species." -

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

His best known publications were *''Genera og species of Danmarks Eleutherata at tjene som fauna for denne orden og som indledning til dens anatomie og historie'' (1841) *''Naturhistoriske bidrag til en beskrivelse of Grønland'' / af J. Reinhardt, J.C. Schiødte, O.A.L. Mørch, C.F. Lütken, J. Lange, H. Rink. Særskilt aftryk af tillæggene til "''Grønland, geographisk og statistisk beskrevet''," af H. Rink. 1857 *''De metamorphosi eleutheratorum observationes : bidrag til insekternes udviklingshistorie / ved J. C. Schiødte.Kjøbenhavn'' Thieles Bogtrykkeri, 1861–72
online
In addition, he described numerous species of insects as well as the spider genus

Liphistius ''Liphistius'' is a genus of basal trapdoor spiders in the family Liphistiidae. They are found in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Etymology ''Liphistius'' is from the Greek ''leipo'' (lacking) and ''stios'' (equality). Biology Female body ...

References

Other sources

* * Groll, E. K. (Hrsg.): Biografien der Entomologen der Welt : Datenbank. Version 4.15 : Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, 201

1815 births 1884 deaths People from Copenhagen Academic staff of the University of Copenhagen Danish entomologists Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog Burials at Assistens Cemetery (Copenhagen) {{Entomologist-stub