Adolf Naef
Encyclopedia
Adolf Naef was a Swiss
zoologist and palaeontologist, famous for his work on cephalopod
s and systematics
.
Adolf Naef studied at the University of Zurich
, under the guidance of Arnold Lang (1855—1914), a former Professor of Jena University and close friend of Ernst Haeckel
. Naef visited and worked in Anton Dorn’s Zoological Station in Naples, Italy in 1908, studying the squid Loligo vulgaris, the subject of his dissertation . Naef returned to the Naples Zoological Station in the mid 1920s to study cephalopods, publishing a two-part monograph in the Station’s Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel und der Angrenzenden Meers-Abschitte (Fauna e Flora del Golfo di Napoli) series , which formed the basis for his two short but significant monographs on systematic theory . In 1922 he became Professor at the University of Zagreb
, and in 1927 was Professor of Zoology at the University of Cairo. Naef died on May 11, 1949, his passing noted by few obituaries.
Naef’s studies were framed within Systematische Morphologie, the details of which he sketched out as early as 1913:
Naef’s concern was with the discovery of natural, as opposed to artificial classification, a problem examined in detail by A. P. de Candolle
. Naef expressed it as so:
And thus was born Systematische Morphologie, perhaps the beginnings of cladistics
, in its most general form. Towards the end of his career, Naef published several detailed accounts of ‘Systematische Morphologie’ , including a succinct summary in the widely read 2nd edition of the Handwörterbuch der Naturwissenschaften .
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
zoologist and palaeontologist, famous for his work on cephalopod
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
s and systematics
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
.
Adolf Naef studied at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
, under the guidance of Arnold Lang (1855—1914), a former Professor of Jena University and close friend of Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Haeckel
The "European War" became known as "The Great War", and it was not until 1920, in the book "The First World War 1914-1918" by Charles à Court Repington, that the term "First World War" was used as the official name for the conflict.-Research:...
. Naef visited and worked in Anton Dorn’s Zoological Station in Naples, Italy in 1908, studying the squid Loligo vulgaris, the subject of his dissertation . Naef returned to the Naples Zoological Station in the mid 1920s to study cephalopods, publishing a two-part monograph in the Station’s Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel und der Angrenzenden Meers-Abschitte (Fauna e Flora del Golfo di Napoli) series , which formed the basis for his two short but significant monographs on systematic theory . In 1922 he became Professor at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
, and in 1927 was Professor of Zoology at the University of Cairo. Naef died on May 11, 1949, his passing noted by few obituaries.
Naef’s studies were framed within Systematische Morphologie, the details of which he sketched out as early as 1913:
“Phylogenetic and natural systematics deal with the same factual material, and although each has different basic concepts, both disciplines can be united in a single concept because their objects are so similar. I have therefore proposed the name ‘systematic morphology’ for this concept … It is intended to show that there is an inner relationship between natural systematics and (comparative) morphology”
Naef’s concern was with the discovery of natural, as opposed to artificial classification, a problem examined in detail by A. P. de Candolle
A. P. de Candolle
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle also spelled Augustin Pyrame de Candolle was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at an herbarium...
. Naef expressed it as so:
“For decades, phylogenetics lacked a valid methodological basis and developed on the decayed trunk of a withering tradition rooted in the idealistic morphology and the systematics of pre-Darwinian times. There was talk of systematic ‘tact’ and morphological ‘instinct’, terms which were felt rather than understood and consequently insufficient to form the frame of a science which required sound definitions and clearly formulated principles” .
And thus was born Systematische Morphologie, perhaps the beginnings of cladistics
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
, in its most general form. Towards the end of his career, Naef published several detailed accounts of ‘Systematische Morphologie’ , including a succinct summary in the widely read 2nd edition of the Handwörterbuch der Naturwissenschaften .