Georges Cuvier

Georges Cuvier was a French zoologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of comparative anatomy and palaeontology. He was born in Montbéliard, France in 1769, and studied at the École Polytechnique in Paris.

Cuvier is best known for his work on the classification of animals, in which he established the principle of “correlation of parts,” the idea that the structure of an animal’s various parts is closely connected and adapted to its way of life. He also developed a system of classification based on the principle of the “unity of type,” which holds that each animal belongs to a distinct type or group that is characterized by certain shared physical characteristics.

In addition to his work on classification, Cuvier was also a pioneer in the field of palaeontology. He was the first to recognize that the earth’s history was much longer than had previously been thought, and he argued that species had come and gone in the past, rather than being eternal as many people believed at the time. He used his knowledge of comparative anatomy to identify and classify the fossils of extinct animals, and his work helped to establish the science of palaeontology as a discipline.

Cuvier was a highly influential figure in the scientific community of his time, and his work had a lasting impact on the study of biology and evolution. He was also an influential public figure, serving as a professor at the Collège de France and as a member of the National Assembly during the French Revolution. He died in Paris in 1832, at the age of 63.

Below you will find species first described by Georges Cuvier that we added to our database. You can find more info on his wikipedia page.