Embrik Strand
Encyclopedia
Embrik Strand was an arachnologist who classified many insect
and spider
species, including the greenbottle blue tarantula
.
He studied at the University of Kristiania (now University of Oslo
). Around 1900 he focused on collecting insect specimens from Norway
. These are now deposited at the university's museum, where he worked as a curator from 1901 to 1903.
After studying at the University of Oslo
Strand traveled in Norway from 1898 to 1903 collecting a great number of insect
s. For part of this time (1901-1903) he was a conservator
in the museum of zoology of the university.
He then left for Germany
where he continued his studies of zoology at the University of Marburg (1903), then he worked with Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart http://www.naturkundemuseum-bw.de/(1905) and, later, that of Tübingen
and then with Senckenberg Museum
in Frankfurt
. From 1907, he worked with Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In 1923, he accepted the post of professor of zoology at the University of Riga and where he directed the Institute of zoology and hydrobiology.
Strand was the author of many publications, mainly on insects and spiders and was the descriptor of several hundred new species
. He edited, 1910 to 1929, the review Archiv für Naturgeschichte and was the founder, in 1928, of Folia zoologica and hydrobiologica. Pierre Bonnet (naturalist)
indicates, in his Bibliographia araneorum (pages 150-153), that a record number of new taxa were dedicated to Strand. Strand himself was the editor of a book in three volumes listing these, to celebrate his jubilee. There are indeed several hundreds of species which bear his name in all the possible forms: Strandi, Strandella, Embriki, Embrikiellus, Embrik-Strandella, etc. In the same way, Bonnet reproached Strand renaming already described species, but of which he, Strand, considered the name incorrect: Strand draws up a list of these, in 1926, where he renames nearly 1, 700 taxa
of spiders.
He was a prolific author, the list of his publications which he published in 1918 (after only twenty years of activity) is 1, 200 titles.
Strand's collection of insects and spiders from Norway is in the Zoological Museum of the University of Oslo http://www.toyen.uio.no/toyensider/engelsk.html. His types
are in the German Entomological Institute and the Museum für Naturkunde.
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
and spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
species, including the greenbottle blue tarantula
Greenbottle blue tarantula
The Greenbottle Blue Tarantula , a native of Venezuela, has some of the most dramatic coloring of any spider species...
.
He studied at the University of Kristiania (now University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
). Around 1900 he focused on collecting insect specimens from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. These are now deposited at the university's museum, where he worked as a curator from 1901 to 1903.
After studying at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
Strand traveled in Norway from 1898 to 1903 collecting a great number of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. For part of this time (1901-1903) he was a conservator
Conservator
A Conservator is a judge delegated by the pope to defend certain privileged classes of persons — as universities, Roman Catholic religious orders, chapters, the poor — from manifest or notorious injury or violence, without recourse to a judicial process...
in the museum of zoology of the university.
He then left for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where he continued his studies of zoology at the University of Marburg (1903), then he worked with Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart http://www.naturkundemuseum-bw.de/(1905) and, later, that of Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
and then with Senckenberg Museum
Senckenberg Museum
The Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt is the second largest museum of natural history in Germany. It is particularly popular with children, who enjoy the extensive collection of dinosaur skeletons: Senckenberg boasts the largest exhibition of large dinosaurs in Europe. One particular treasure is...
in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. From 1907, he worked with Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In 1923, he accepted the post of professor of zoology at the University of Riga and where he directed the Institute of zoology and hydrobiology.
Strand was the author of many publications, mainly on insects and spiders and was the descriptor of several hundred new 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...
. He edited, 1910 to 1929, the review Archiv für Naturgeschichte and was the founder, in 1928, of Folia zoologica and hydrobiologica. Pierre Bonnet (naturalist)
Pierre Bonnet (naturalist)
Pierre Bonnet was a French arachnologist who wrote Bibliographia Araneorum, an immense work listing publications on spiders. It was the result of forty years work....
indicates, in his Bibliographia araneorum (pages 150-153), that a record number of new taxa were dedicated to Strand. Strand himself was the editor of a book in three volumes listing these, to celebrate his jubilee. There are indeed several hundreds of species which bear his name in all the possible forms: Strandi, Strandella, Embriki, Embrikiellus, Embrik-Strandella, etc. In the same way, Bonnet reproached Strand renaming already described species, but of which he, Strand, considered the name incorrect: Strand draws up a list of these, in 1926, where he renames nearly 1, 700 taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
of spiders.
He was a prolific author, the list of his publications which he published in 1918 (after only twenty years of activity) is 1, 200 titles.
Strand's collection of insects and spiders from Norway is in the Zoological Museum of the University of Oslo http://www.toyen.uio.no/toyensider/engelsk.html. His types
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
are in the German Entomological Institute and the Museum für Naturkunde.
Sources
- Natvig, L. R. 1943 [Strand, E.] Norsk ent. Tidsskr. 7(1/2) 58-61, Portr. + Schr.verz.
- Pfaff, G. & Wrede, O. H. 1934 [Strand, E.] Festschrift, 50jähriges Bestehen I.E.V. 11, Portrait.
- Bonnet, P. 1945) Bibliographia araneorumthe brothers Doularoude (Toulouse): 62.
External links
- University of Oslo
- DEI ZALF Portrait