1745-1808

Danish Entomologist and Economist

Johann Christian Fabricius was one of the most distinguished entomologists of the eighteenth century and an outstanding theoretical natural scientist. His research greatly increased and organized knowledge about insects as a class of animals. Fabricius established his scientific reputation in the field of descriptive taxonomy as the founder of a system of insect classification. Instead of basing his system on the characteristic of insect wings, he focused his attention on the structure of the organs of the mouth. His attempts to study the effect of the environment on the development of insect species led some scholars to call him the "Father of Lamarckism."

Johann Christian Fabricius was born in Tondern, Denmark. He was the son of a physician. Fabricius was educated in Altona and Copenhagen. After completing his studies, he spent two years with the great taxonomist Carl Linnaeus...