Alexander von Nordmann (24 May 1803 in Ruotsinsalmi (now Kotka), Finland – 25 June 1866 in Helsinki) was a 19th-century Finnish

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual cell, a multicellular organism, or a community of interacting populations. They usually specialize in ...

, who contributed to zoology, parasitology, botany and paleontology.Leikola A (2001
Nordmann, Alexander von (1803 - 1866) - eläintieteen professori, todellinen valtioneuvos
Kansallisbiografia. SKS Biografiakeskus

Biography

Nordmann was a son of an officer of the Russian army at the Ruotsinsalmi fortress, SE Finland. He started academic studies at the Imperial Academy of Turku, and at that time also acted as a curator of the entomological collections. In 1827 he continued studies in Berlin with the famous parasitologist and anatomist Karl Rudolphi. His first major work was a microscopical description of tens of parasitic worms and crustaceans from the eyes and other organs of fishes and other animals, including man. These included the enigmatic monogenean ''

Diplozoon paradoxum ''Diplozoon paradoxum'' is a flatworm (platyhelminth) from the class Monogenea. It is found in freshwater fishes in Asia and Europe and known for its complete monogamy. This parasite is commonly found on the gills of European cyprinid fishes. It ...

''. In 1832 he was appointed a professor (teacher) at the Lyceum Richelieu in

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

, Ukraine, and in 1834 also the director of the Odessa Botanical Garden and the associated Central Gardening School. He participated in several expeditions and collected natural history specimens in southern Russia and adjacent regions. Later, in 1849, he became professor of Zoology and Botany at the Imperial Alexander University in Finland ( Helsinki). He died of

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...

on 25 June 1866.

Taxa

The cladoceran ''

Evadne nordmanni In Greek mythology, Evadne (; Ancient Greek: Εὐάδνη) was a name attributed to the following individuals: *Evadne, a daughter of Strymon and Neaera, wife of Argus (king of Argos), mother of Ecbasus, Peiras, Epidaurus and Criasus. *Evadne, ...

'', the Nordmann fir '' Abies nordmanniana'' and at least seven other species and one genus ('' Nordmannia'') have been named after him. The standard author abbreviation Nordm. is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.

Major works

* ''Mikrographische Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte der wirbellosen Thiere I - II''. Berlin 1832 * ''Voyage dans la Russie méridionale et la Crimée, par la Hongrie, la Valachie et la Moldawie, exécuté en 1837, sous la Direction de M. Anatole de Demidoff. III. Observations sur la Faune pontique. Paris 1840 * ''Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. III. Entozoa.'' Paris 1840 * ''Versuch einer Natur- und Entwickelungsgeschichte des Tergipes Edwardsii.'' - Mémoires présentés à l'Académie Impériale des Science de St. Petersbourg IV. St. Petersburg 1845 * ''Palaeontologie Südrusslands I - IV.'' 1858 - 1860

References

ALEXANDER DAVIDOVICH VON NORDMANN
cybertruffle.org.uk Finnish zoologists Finnish paleontologists Academic personnel of the University of Helsinki 1803 births 1866 deaths People from Kotka Botanists with author abbreviations {{zoologist-stub