1781-1826

German explorer who explored large areas of the Amazon River basin. Spix was among the first northern Europeans to explore South America. With fellow Germans von Eschwege, von Wied, Saint-Hillaire, and Carl Martius, Spix used the Amazon as a gateway into the heart of South America, exploring large areas along the river's path and those of some tributaries. In doing this, he helped pave the way for more extensive future explorations of central South America.