740-828

Arab philologist who wrote on zoology, anatomy, botany, and animal husbandry. Among his writings was the Kitab al-insan, concerning human anatomy. Al-Asmai is credited as the first significant Arab writer on zoology, botany, and animal husbandry, subjects destined to become highly popular among scientists under the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258). During the ninth and tenth centuries, a number of Arab scholars consulted his work.