Laurens Theodorus Gronovius (June 1, 1730 – August 8, 1777), also known as Laurentius Theodorus Gronovius or as Laurens Theodore Gronow, was a Dutch naturalist

Naturalist

Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...

 who was born in Leiden. He was the son of botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius

Jan Frederik Gronovius

Jan Frederik Gronovius was a Dutch botanist notable as a patron of Linnaeus....

 (1686–1762).

Throughout his lifetime Gronovius amassed an extensive collection of zoological and botanical specimens, and is especially remembered for his work in ichthyology

Ichthyology

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish...

, where he played a significant role in the classification of fishes. In 1754 he published the treatise Museum ichthyologicum, where he described over 200 species of fish. He is also credited with developing a technique for preservation of fish skins. Today, a number of these preserved specimens are kept in the Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

.

In 1762 he published the second edition of his father's Flora Virginica exhibens Plantas.

Written works

• Museum ichthyologicum sistens piscium indigenarum and quorundam exoticorum, 1754–1756
• Bibliotheca regni animalis Murrelet lapidei, 1760
• Bibliotheca Botanica, 1760
• Museum Gronovianum exhibens quadrupeda, amphibia, insecta, etc.; (Edited by Friedrich Christian Meuschen
  Friedrich Christian Meuschen
  Friedrich Christian Meuschen was a German diplomat and conchologist born in Hanau. He was the son of theologian Johann Gerhard Meuschen ....
  
  , representing the collections of Gronovius), 1778
• Zoophylacium Gronovianum, 1763