Hans-Wilhelm Koepcke
Hans-Wilhelm Koepcke | |
---|---|
herpetologist | |
Spouse | Maria Koepcke |
Children | Juliane Koepcke Diller |
Hans-Wilhelm Koepcke (13 June 1914 – 21 November 2000) was a German
Scientific work in Peru
Koepcke studied at the
Along with his wife Maria, whom he met at the
The number of topics covered in this monumental work (volume 1, pages 1–789; volume 2, pages 790–1,684) is simply astonishing, and includes the concept of adaptation, death of individuals and of species, homology, systematics, ecological specialization, teleology, convergences, social signalization, mimicry, sexuality, mating systems, and many others. Richly illustrated, this work draws its empirical examples from many forms of life, where birds, and Peruvian or South American birds especially, figure prominently.[1]
On 24 December 1971, Koepcke's wife Maria was killed in the crash of LANSA Flight 508 in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Their daughter, Juliane, who was on the flight with her mother was the sole survivor of the crash, having fallen from 3,000 m (10,000 ft) still strapped into her seat. Injured, Juliane Koepcke survived 11 days hiking without food until she was rescued.
Return to Germany
After returning from Peru to Germany, Koepcke lived in Hamburg, where he worked at the herpetology department and taught zoology at the Zoological Institute and Museum of the University of Hamburg.[3]
Eponyms
A species of Peruvian lizard, Microlophus koepckeorum, is named in honor of him and his wife.[4]
References
- ^ a b Francois Vuilleumier (2002). "Hans-Wilhelm Koepcke". Ornitologia Neotropical. 13 (2): 215–218.
- ^ "François Vuilleumier Resume". Retrieved 6 January 2007.
- ^ "Panguana". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Koepcke", p. 144).