André Marie Constant Duméril
Encyclopedia
André Marie Constant Duméril (January 1, 1774 – August 14, 1860) was a French
zoologist. He was professor of anatomy
at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology
and ichthyology
. His son Auguste Duméril
was also a zoologist.
André Marie Constant Duméril was born on January 1, 1774 in Amiens
and died on August 14, 1860 in Paris.
He became a very young doctor obtaining, at 19 years, the “prévot” of anatomy at the Medical school of Rouen
. In 1800, he left for Paris
and collaborated in the drafting of the comparative anatomy
lessons of comparative anatomy of Georges Cuvier
.
He replaced Cuvier at the Central School of the Panthéon
and had, for his colleague, Alexandre Brongniart
. In 1801, he gave courses to the Medical school of Paris. Under the Restauration
, he was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences (French Academy of Sciences) and succeeded, after 1803, Lacépède, who was occupied by his political offices, as professor of herpetology
and ichtyology at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
. But Duméril only officially received this chair 1825, after the death of Lacépède.
He published his Zoologie analytique in 1806. This covered the whole of the animal kingdom and which shows the relations between (then) genera but not species
.In 1832, Gabriel Bibron
(1806-1848), who became his assistant, was given the task of describing the species for an expanded version of Zoologie analytique while Nicolaus Michael Oppel
(1782–1820) assisted him with a revised higher (than species) systematics. After the death of Bibron, Auguste Duméril
, André’s son replaced him. But the death of Bibron delayed, for ten years, the publication of the new work. In 1851, the two Dumérils, father and son, published the Catalogue méthodique de la collection des reptiles (although the son, Auguste Duméril’ was apparently the true author) and in 1853, André Duméril alone, published Prodrome de la classification des reptiles ophidiens. This last book proposes a classification of all the snakes in seven volumes.
It was Duméril who, discovering a fish case in the attic of the house of Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon
finally described these species which had been collected by Philibert Commerson nearly 70 years earlier.
He, then published a very important work, l’Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des reptiles (nine volumes, 1834–1854). In this, 1,393 species are described in detail and their anatomy, physiology and bibliography are specified. It should however be noted that Duméril maintained the Amphibians among the reptiles in spite of the work of Alexandre Brongniart
or Pierre André Latreille
or the anatomical discoveries of Karl Ernst von Baer
(1792–1876) or of Johannes Peter Müller
(1801–1858).
He was interested all his life in the insects and published several memoires on entomology. His principal entomological work is Entomologie analytique (1860, two volumes). With his son Auguste Duméril, also a zoologist, he created the first vivarium for reptiles of the Jardin des Plantes
. Duméril always considered observations on animal behaviour of taxonomic significance.
After 1853, he began to cede his position to his son and he retired completely in 1857. He was made a commander of the légion d'honneur
two months before his death.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
zoologist. He was professor of anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
and ichthyology
Ichthyology
Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish...
. His son Auguste Duméril
Auguste Duméril
Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
was also a zoologist.
André Marie Constant Duméril was born on January 1, 1774 in Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and died on August 14, 1860 in Paris.
He became a very young doctor obtaining, at 19 years, the “prévot” of anatomy at the Medical school of Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
. In 1800, he left for Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and collaborated in the drafting of the comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
lessons of comparative anatomy of Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
.
He replaced Cuvier at the Central School of the Panthéon
Panthéon, Paris
The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens...
and had, for his colleague, Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart was a French chemist, mineralogist, and zoologist, who collaborated with Georges Cuvier on a study of the geology of the region around Paris...
. In 1801, he gave courses to the Medical school of Paris. Under the Restauration
Restauration
Restauration is French for restoration.Restauration can refer to:*European Restoration, the return of many monarchies after Napoleon's French were defeated.** Bourbon Restoration, the restoration of the French monarchy under Louis XVIII....
, he was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences (French Academy of Sciences) and succeeded, after 1803, Lacépède, who was occupied by his political offices, as professor of herpetology
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
and ichtyology at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
. But Duméril only officially received this chair 1825, after the death of Lacépède.
He published his Zoologie analytique in 1806. This covered the whole of the animal kingdom and which shows the relations between (then) genera but not species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.In 1832, Gabriel Bibron
Gabriel Bibron
Gabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He was born in Paris. Son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hired to collect vertebrates in Italy and Sicily. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant...
(1806-1848), who became his assistant, was given the task of describing the species for an expanded version of Zoologie analytique while Nicolaus Michael Oppel
Nicolaus Michael Oppel
Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles...
(1782–1820) assisted him with a revised higher (than species) systematics. After the death of Bibron, Auguste Duméril
Auguste Duméril
Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, André’s son replaced him. But the death of Bibron delayed, for ten years, the publication of the new work. In 1851, the two Dumérils, father and son, published the Catalogue méthodique de la collection des reptiles (although the son, Auguste Duméril’ was apparently the true author) and in 1853, André Duméril alone, published Prodrome de la classification des reptiles ophidiens. This last book proposes a classification of all the snakes in seven volumes.
It was Duméril who, discovering a fish case in the attic of the house of Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, and encyclopedic author.His works influenced the next two generations of naturalists, including Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Georges Cuvier...
finally described these species which had been collected by Philibert Commerson nearly 70 years earlier.
He, then published a very important work, l’Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des reptiles (nine volumes, 1834–1854). In this, 1,393 species are described in detail and their anatomy, physiology and bibliography are specified. It should however be noted that Duméril maintained the Amphibians among the reptiles in spite of the work of Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart was a French chemist, mineralogist, and zoologist, who collaborated with Georges Cuvier on a study of the geology of the region around Paris...
or Pierre André Latreille
Pierre André Latreille
Pierre André Latreille was a French zoologist, specialising in arthropods. Having trained as a Roman Catholic priest before the French Revolution, Latreille was imprisoned, and only regained his freedom after recognising a rare species he found in the prison, Necrobia ruficollis...
or the anatomical discoveries of Karl Ernst von Baer
Karl Ernst von Baer
Karl Ernst Ritter von Baer, Edler von Huthorn also known in Russia as Karl Maksimovich Baer was an Estonian naturalist, biologist, geologist, meteorologist, geographer, a founding father of embryology, explorer of European Russia and Scandinavia, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a...
(1792–1876) or of Johannes Peter Müller
Johannes Peter Müller
Johannes Peter Müller , was a German physiologist, comparative anatomist, and ichthyologist not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge.-Early years and education:...
(1801–1858).
He was interested all his life in the insects and published several memoires on entomology. His principal entomological work is Entomologie analytique (1860, two volumes). With his son Auguste Duméril, also a zoologist, he created the first vivarium for reptiles of the Jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes
The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France. It is one of seven departments of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. It is situated in the 5ème arrondissement, Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine and covers 28 hectares .- Garden plan :The grounds of the Jardin des...
. Duméril always considered observations on animal behaviour of taxonomic significance.
After 1853, he began to cede his position to his son and he retired completely in 1857. He was made a commander of the légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
two months before his death.