Antonin Fritsch
Encyclopedia
Antonin Fritsch was a Czech paleontologist, biologist
and geologist
, living during the Austria–Hungary era. Professor at the Charles University and later became director of the National Museum in Prague
. He became famous for his contributions on the field of Permo
- Carboniferous
ecosystem
s.
He also became known for finding fossils once attributed to dinosaur
s - Albisaurus
scutifer and Procerosaurus
exogyrarum and so far the only pterosaur
known from the Czech Republic, Ornithocheirus
? hlavatschi (found in 1880 near Choceň
, originally described by Frič as Cretornis hlavatschi). The pterosaur
was small with a wingspan of about 1,5m and lived in Turonian
.
The first true dinosaur known from the Czech Republic was discovered 90 years after Frič's death (in 2003). It is a small iguanodontid of Cenomanian age.
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
, living during the Austria–Hungary era. Professor at the Charles University and later became director of the National Museum in Prague
National Museum (Prague)
The National museum is a Czech museum institution intended to systematically establish, prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical collections. It was founded 1818 in Prague by Kašpar Maria Šternberg...
. He became famous for his contributions on the field of Permo
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
- Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s.
He also became known for finding fossils once attributed to dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s - Albisaurus
Albisaurus
Albisaurus was once thought to be a genus of dinosaur, but is now thought to be a non-dinosaurian archosaur. It was first described by Antonin Fritsch , a Czech palaeontologist, in 1893, but the remains are sparse...
scutifer and Procerosaurus
Procerosaurus
Procerosaurus is the name given to an invalid genus of dinosaur.There are two Procerosaurus specimens:*The first was described as P...
exogyrarum and so far the only pterosaur
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
known from the Czech Republic, Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus was a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period of Europe and South America...
? hlavatschi (found in 1880 near Choceň
Chocen
Choceň is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has c. 9,100 inhabitants.First written document mentions this place in 1227. In 1562 building of large Choceň Castle started....
, originally described by Frič as Cretornis hlavatschi). The pterosaur
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
was small with a wingspan of about 1,5m and lived in Turonian
Turonian
The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 93.5 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.3 ± 1 Ma...
.
The first true dinosaur known from the Czech Republic was discovered 90 years after Frič's death (in 2003). It is a small iguanodontid of Cenomanian age.