Richard Sternfeld (8 February 1884, in
Bielefeld
Bielefeld () is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 341,755, it is also the most populous city in the administrative region (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Detmold and the ...
– 1943 in
Auschwitz) was a German-Jewish
herpetologist
Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians ( gymnophiona)) and rep ...
, who was responsible for
describing over forty species of
amphibians and
reptiles, particularly from
Germany's African and Pacific colonies (i.e. modern-day
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
,
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
,
Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
,
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
and
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
).
Education
Sternfeld was the son of a merchant in
Bielefeld
Bielefeld () is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 341,755, it is also the most populous city in the administrative region (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Detmold and the ...
,
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...
. He was educated in a local
gymnasium and initially entered university in 1903 to study medicine at
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...
, but he switched to studying natural science at
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...
. In 1907 he returned to Freiburg, to obtain his
Dr. Phil., with a dissertation on the biology of
mayflies
Mayflies (also known as shadflies or fishflies in Canada and the upper Midwestern United States, as Canadian soldiers in the American Great Lakes region, and as up-winged flies in the United Kingdom) are aquatic insects belonging to the order ...
under the guidance of evolutionary biologist
August Weismann
August Friedrich Leopold Weismann FRS (For), HonFRSE, LLD (17 January 18345 November 1914) was a German evolutionary biologist. Fellow German Ernst Mayr ranked him as the second most notable evolutionary theorist of the 19th century, after Cha ...
.
Museum employment and First World War
Sternfeld's first appointment was alongside herpetologist
Gustav Tornier at the
Zoological Museum at the University of Berlin. He worked on the herpetofaunas of the German colonies in Africa and the Southwest Pacific, producing 26 titles in 6.5 years. In 1913 he moved to the Senckenberg Museum at Frankfurt to replace herpetologist
Philipp Lehrs, and widened his geographical area of interest to include
Central Africa
Central Africa is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions. Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo ...
,
Japan,
Australia, the
Pacific Islands, and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
.
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
he was called up for service, serving his country in
Macedonia.
After the war, Sternfeld clashed with the Director of the Senckenberg and was fired at the end of 1920 after he attempted to unionize museum staff. His replacement was
Robert Mertens, arguably Germany's greatest 20th Century herpetologist.
Post-museum employment
Sternfeld was unable to conduct research following his departure from the Senckenberg Museum. From 1923 onwards, he worked as a horse race reporter for the German horse racing newspaper ''Sportwelt''. He developed into a leading and accepted expert in thoroughbred breeding in Germany.
In March 1937, Sternfeld lost this job because of his Jewish descent. Since March 1941 he was forced to perform hard labour in Berlin, and on 1 March 1943 he was deported by the
Nazis
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in N ...
to Auschwitz, where he was murdered later that year.
Contributions to herpetology
Between the years 1908-1925, Sternfeld described 42 species of snakes and lizards and five species of frogs that are still recognized today, although only seven of the reptiles retain their original names. The species list below begins with the currently accepted name, followed by Sternfeld's original name (some were placed in subgenera indicated by parentheses(). Subspecies are indicated by
trinomial names, and one variety is indicated by "var".
1908
* ''Dipsadoboa brevirostris'' as ''Dipsadomorphus brevirostris'' (West African short-snouted treesnake)
* ''
Lamprophis
''Lamprophis'' is a genus of medium-sized, nonvenomous snakes commonly referred to as African house snakes, in the family Lamprophiidae.
Description
Species of ''Lamprophis'' exhibit a wide variety of pattern variation, and may be spotted, strip ...
erlangeri'' as ''Boodon erlangeri'' (Erlanger's house snake)
* ''
Micrelaps bicoloratus'' (Kenyan two-headed snake)
* ''
Namibiana labialis
The Damara threadsnake (''Namibiana labialis'') is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae.McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 ...
'' as ''Glauconia labialis'' (Damara threadsnake)
* ''
Namibiana
''Namibiana'' is a genus of snakes in the family Leptotyphlopidae. All of the species were previously placed in the genus ''Leptotyphlops
''Leptotyphlops'' is a genus of nonvenomous blind snakes, commonly known as slender blind snakes and t ...
latifrons'' as ''Glauconia latifrons'' (Benguela threadsnake)
* ''
Typhlops zenkeri'' (Zenker's wormsnake)
1910
* ''
Letheobia
''Letheobia'' is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. Wallach, Van (2005) "''Letheobia pauwelsi'', a new species of blindsnake from Gabon (Serpentes: Typhlopidae)." ''African Journal of Herpetology'' 54 (1): 85-91.
Geographic ran ...
gracilis'' as ''Typhlops gracilis'' (gracile blindsnake)
* ''
Madatyphlops platyrhynchus'' as ''Typhlops platyrhynchus'' (Tanga wormsnake)
* ''
Scelotes
''Scelotes'' is a genus of small African skinks.
Species
The following 21 species are recognized as being valid. www.reptile-database.org
*'' Scelotes anguinus'' ( Boulenger, 1887) – Algoa dwarf burrowing skink, Boulenger's burrowing skink,
...
schebeni'' (Scheben's legless skink)
1911
* ''
Lygodactylus
''Lygodactylus'' is a genus of diurnal geckos with 72 species. They are commonly referred to as dwarf geckos. They are mainly found in Africa and Madagascar although two species are found in South America. ''Lygodactylus picturatus'', the best ...
grotei'' (red-tailed dwarf gecko)
* ''
Pedioplanis breviceps'' as ''Eremias breviceps'' (short-headed sandveld lizard)
* ''
Trachylepis
''Trachylepis'' is a skink genus in the subfamily Mabuyinae found mainly in Africa. Its members were formerly included in the " wastebin taxon" ''Mabuya'', and for some time in ''Euprepis''. As defined today, ''Trachylepis'' contains the clade ...
boulengeri'' as ''Mabuya diesneri boulengeri'' (Boulenger's sun skink)
1912
* ''
Cnemaspis quattuorseriata'' as ''Gonatodes quattuorseriatus'' (Sternfeld's day gecko)
* ''Cynisca schaeferi'' as ''Chirindia schaeferi'' (Cameroon worm-lizard)
* ''
Dasypeltis atra'' as ''Dasypeltis scabra'' var. ''atra'' (montane egg-eating snake)
* ''Geocalamus acutus'' (Wedge-snouted worm-lizard)
* ''
Kinyongia
''Kinyongia'' (derived from the group's name in Kiswahili language) is a chameleon genus recently established for several plesiomorphic species found in forest and woodland in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and far eastern DR Congo. All excep ...
adolfifriderici'' as ''Chamaeleon adolfi-friderici'' (Ituri chameleon)
* ''
Leptosiaphos
''Leptosiaphos'' is a genus of skinks endemic to West Africa.
Species
The following 18 species are recognized:. www.reptile-database.org.
*'' Leptosiaphos aloysiisabaudiae'' - Uganda five-toed skink
*'' Leptosiaphos amieti'' - Cameroon five ...
graueri'' as ''Lygosoma graueri quinquedigitata'' (Rwanda five-toed skink)
* ''
Leptotyphlops latirostris'' as ''Glauconia latirostris'' (Uvira threadsnake)
* ''
Letheobia
''Letheobia'' is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. Wallach, Van (2005) "''Letheobia pauwelsi'', a new species of blindsnake from Gabon (Serpentes: Typhlopidae)." ''African Journal of Herpetology'' 54 (1): 85-91.
Geographic ran ...
graueri'' as ''Typhlops graueri'' (Sternfeld's blindsnake)
* ''
Lygodactylus
''Lygodactylus'' is a genus of diurnal geckos with 72 species. They are commonly referred to as dwarf geckos. They are mainly found in Africa and Madagascar although two species are found in South America. ''Lygodactylus picturatus'', the best ...
scheffleri'' (Scheffler's dwarf gecko)
* ''
Trioceros
''Trioceros'' is a genus of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. ''Trioceros'' was considered a subgenus of the genus ''Chamaeleo'' until 2009, when it was elevated to full genus level.
Species and subspecies
The following species and subspecie ...
schubotzi'' as ''Chamaeleon schubotzi'' (Mt. Kenya montane dwarf chameleon)
1913
* ''
Gerrhopilus depressiceps'' as ''Typhlops depressiceps'' (lowland beaked blindsnake)
* ''
Toxicocalamus
''Toxicocalamus'' is a genus of snakes in the family Elapidae. The genus is endemic to New Guinea.
Description
Most species of ''Toxicocalamus'' are relatively small, the largest specimen known being the holotype of the recently described ''T ...
buergersi'' as ''Ultrocalamus bürgersi'' (Torricelli forest snake)
* ''
Toxicocalamus
''Toxicocalamus'' is a genus of snakes in the family Elapidae. The genus is endemic to New Guinea.
Description
Most species of ''Toxicocalamus'' are relatively small, the largest specimen known being the holotype of the recently described ''T ...
preussi'' as ''Ultrocalamus preussi'' (Preuss’ forest snake)
1917
* ''
Kassina maculosa'' as ''Megalixalus maculosus'' (marbled running frog)
* ''
Ptychadena tellinii'' as ''Rana schubotzi'' (Tellini's grass frog)
1918
* ''
Cryptoblepharus africanus'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii africanus'' (East African snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Cryptoblepharus aldabrae'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii aldabrae'' (Aldabran snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Cryptoblepharus australis'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii australis'' (Inland snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Cryptoblepharus caudatus'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii caudatus'' (Juan de Nova Island snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Cryptoblepharus pulcher'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii pulcher'' (elegant snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Cryptoblepharus voeltzkowi'' as ''Ablepharus boutonii voeltzkowi'' (Voeltzkow's snake-eyed skink)
* ''
Emoia
''Emoia'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the subfamily Eugongylinae. The genus ''Emoia'' belongs to a group of genera mainly from the southwestern Pacific-Australian region.
These small skinks are commonly known as emoias or skinks.
Species
...
boettgeri'' as ''Lygosoma (Emoia) boettgeri'' (Boettger's emo skink)
1919
* ''
Ctenotus
''Ctenotus'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). The genus belongs to a clade in the ''Sphenomorphus'' group which contains such genera as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus''.
Lizards in the gen ...
leonardii'' as ''Lygosoma (Hinulia) leonhardii'' (Leonhard's ctenotus)
* ''
Ctenotus
''Ctenotus'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). The genus belongs to a clade in the ''Sphenomorphus'' group which contains such genera as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus''.
Lizards in the gen ...
quattuordecimlineatus'' as ''Lygosoma (Hinulia) quattuordecimlineatum'' (fourteen-lined ctenotus)
* ''
Eremiascincus
''Eremiascincus'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Australia, Indonesia, and East Timor.
Species
The genus contains the following 15 valid species, listed alphabetically by specific name. intermedius'' as ''Lygosoma (Hinulia) fasciolatus intermedium'' (northern narrow-banded skink)
* ''
Lerista
''Lerista'' is a diverse (~ 90 species) genus of skinks endemic to Australia, commonly known as sliders. The genus is especially notable for the variation in the amount of limb reduction. The variation ranges from short-bodied forms with la ...
desertorum'' as ''Lygosoma (Rhodona) planiventale desertorum'' (central deserts robust slider)
* ''
Liopholis
''Liopholis'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. Species of the genus are found in the Australian region. They were previously placed in the genus ''Egernia''.
Description
''Liopholis'' are smallish to largish-sized skink ...
striata'' as ''Egernia striata'' (nocturnal desert skink)
* ''
Pogona minor
''Pogona minor'' is a species of agamid lizard from a group commonly known as bearded dragons, and is found on the southwest coast and interior of Western Australia. This taxonomic name includes the widespread type known as western bearded drago ...
'' as ''Amphibolurus barbatus minor'' (dwarf bearded dragon)
* ''
Simoselaps anomalus'' as ''Rhynchelaps anomalus'' (northern desert banded snake)
* ''
Tiliqua multifasciata'' as ''Tiliqua occipitalis multifasciata'' (Centralian blue-tongued skink)
1920
* ''
Batrachylodes vertebralis'' as ''Chaperina friedicii'' (striped Solomons frog)
* ''
Batrachylodes wolfi'' as ''Sphenophryne wolfi'' (Wolf's Solomons frog)
* ''
Bothrops medusa'' as ''Lachesis medusa'' (Venezuela forest pitviper)
* ''
Palmatorappia solomonis'' as ''Hylella solomonis'' (Solomons palm frog)
1925
* ''
Tympanocryptis centralis'' (Central Australian earless dragon)
Only two species described in honour of Richard Sternfeld, are recognised today:
* ''
Phrynobatrachus sternfeldi'' (Sternfeld's river frog)
* ''
Trioceros
''Trioceros'' is a genus of lizards in the family Chamaeleonidae. ''Trioceros'' was considered a subgenus of the genus ''Chamaeleo'' until 2009, when it was elevated to full genus level.
Species and subspecies
The following species and subspecie ...
sternfeldi'' (Tanzanian montane dwarf chameleon)
Published works
In 1912 he published his best known work, a book on Central European herpetofauna titled "''Die Reptilien und Amphibien mitteleuropas''". Sternfeld include wrote approximately 35 herpetological papers, some quite extensive, during his museum career and immediately afterwards, including:
* ''Die Schlangenfauna Togos'', 1908 – Snakes native to
Togoland
Togoland was a German Empire protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana, approximately 90,400 km2 (29,867 sq mi) in size. During the period kn ...
.
* ''Die Schlangen Deutsch-Ostafrikas'', 1910 – Snakes native to
German East Africa.
* ''Zur Herpetologie Südostafrikas'', 1911 – Herpetology of southeastern Africa.
* ''Zur Tiergeographie Papuasiens und der pazifischen Inselwelt'', 1920 –
Zoogeography
Zoogeography is the branch of the science of biogeography that is concerned with geographic distribution (present and past) of animal species.
As a multifaceted field of study, zoogeography incorporates methods of molecular biology, genetics, mor ...
involving
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
and islands of the Pacific.
* ''Beiträge zur Herpetologie Inner-Australiens'', 1925 – Contribution to the herpetology of
Australia's interior.
Google Search
(publications)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sternfeld, Richard
1884 births
1943 deaths
Scientists from Bielefeld
German herpetologists
Scientists active at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
20th-century German zoologists
Jewish German scientists
Jewish biologists
German Jews who died in the Holocaust
German people who died in Auschwitz concentration camp
German Jewish military personnel of World War I
Jewish trade unionists
German sports journalists
Horse racing writers and broadcasters
Jewish German writers
German World War II forced labourers