Jacques Amand Eudes-Deslongchamps
Encyclopedia
Jacques Amand Eudes-Deslongchamps (17 January 1794 – 17 January 1867) was a French
naturalist and palaeontologist.
He was born at Caen
in Normandy
. His parents, though poor, contrived to give him a good education, and he studied medicine in his native town to such good effect that in 1812 he was appointed assistant-surgeon in the navy, and in 1815 surgeon assistant major to the military hospital of Caen. Soon afterwards he proceeded to Paris to qualify for the degree of doctor of surgery, and there the researches and teachings of Cuvier
attracted his attention to subjects of natural history
and palaeontology.
In 1822 he was elected surgeon to the board of relief at Caen, aod while he never ceased to devote his energies to the duties of this post, he sought relaxation in geological
studies. Soon he discovered remains of Teleosaurus
in one of the Caen quarries, and he became an ardent palaeontologist. He was one of the founders of the museum of natural history at Caen, and acted as honorary curator
; he was likewise one of the founders of the Socité linnenne de Normandie (1823), to the transactions of which society he communicated papers on Teleosaurus, Poekilopleuron
(Megalosaurus
), on Jurassic
mollusca
and brachiopoda. In 1825 he became professor of zoology
to the faculty of sciences, and in 1847, dean.
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...
naturalist and palaeontologist.
He was born at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. His parents, though poor, contrived to give him a good education, and he studied medicine in his native town to such good effect that in 1812 he was appointed assistant-surgeon in the navy, and in 1815 surgeon assistant major to the military hospital of Caen. Soon afterwards he proceeded to Paris to qualify for the degree of doctor of surgery, and there the researches and teachings of Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
attracted his attention to subjects of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and palaeontology.
In 1822 he was elected surgeon to the board of relief at Caen, aod while he never ceased to devote his energies to the duties of this post, he sought relaxation in geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
studies. Soon he discovered remains of Teleosaurus
Teleosaurus
Teleosaurus was an extinct genus of teleosaurid crocodyliform that lived during the Middle Jurassic. It was approximately in length. Teleosaurus had highly elongate jaws, similar to those of a modern gharial. It had a long, slender, body, with a sinuous tail that would have helped propel it...
in one of the Caen quarries, and he became an ardent palaeontologist. He was one of the founders of the museum of natural history at Caen, and acted as honorary curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
; he was likewise one of the founders of the Socité linnenne de Normandie (1823), to the transactions of which society he communicated papers on Teleosaurus, Poekilopleuron
Poekilopleuron
Poekilopleuron is an extinct genus of large basal tetanuran theropod dinosaur, perhaps belonging to the clade Allosauroidea. It measured 9 metres long and 1 ton in mass...
(Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus is a genus of large meat-eating theropod dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic period of Europe...
), on Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
mollusca
Mollusca
The Mollusca , common name molluscs or mollusksSpelled mollusks in the USA, see reasons given in Rosenberg's ; for the spelling mollusc see the reasons given by , is a large phylum of invertebrate animals. There are around 85,000 recognized extant species of molluscs. Mollusca is the largest...
and brachiopoda. In 1825 he became professor of zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
to the faculty of sciences, and in 1847, dean.