Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz – a pioneer naturalist and explorer of the Pacific Islands and Western North America

Authors

• Seppo Koponen University of Turku
• Pekka Niemelä University of Turku

Abstract

Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz (1793-1831) was a Baltic-German naturalist, scholar and explorer. In the early 19th century he took part in two expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and to Russian America, present Alaska. During these expeditions he collected extensive scientific materials and described a great number of new species from many animal groups. Eschscholtz’s work formed the basis for the significant pioneer study of the beetle fauna of Western North America by the Finnish statesman and entomologist Carl Gustaf Mannerheim (1797–1854).