Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel
Encyclopedia
Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel (1774–1846) was a French
soldier and entomologist.
Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel was born in 1774 in Valenciennes
, Nord and died on 10 January 1846 in Paris
. After studies in Douai
, he joined, the French Army
when he was sixteen years old. He took part in the campaigns of 1795 and 1796. Retiring from the army he worked afterwards as a government administrator stationed in Paris. He was forced to retire again , aged 42 years, in 1816, because of his opinions in favour of Napoleon Bonaparte. He then devoted himself to the study of insects.
Duponchel finished in 1838, after twelve years of effort, l’ Histoire naturelle des lépidoptères de France started with Jean Baptiste Godart
. This work consists of seventeen volumes (including twelve signed by Duponchel), 7, 600 coloured plates and 500 “boards “(these appear under the title Iconographie des Chenilles or Iconography of the Caterpillars). It appeared from 1832 to 1842 and the authors describe more than four thousand species
of butterflies and moths
.
Duponchel was one of the founders of the Société Entomologique de France
and was its first treasurer. He was a very close friend of Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean
, of Auguste Duméril
and Pierre André Latreille
. He is buried in the cemetery of Montparnasse
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
soldier and entomologist.
Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel was born in 1774 in Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
, Nord and died on 10 January 1846 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After studies in Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
, he joined, the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
when he was sixteen years old. He took part in the campaigns of 1795 and 1796. Retiring from the army he worked afterwards as a government administrator stationed in Paris. He was forced to retire again , aged 42 years, in 1816, because of his opinions in favour of Napoleon Bonaparte. He then devoted himself to the study of insects.
Duponchel finished in 1838, after twelve years of effort, l’ Histoire naturelle des lépidoptères de France started with Jean Baptiste Godart
Jean Baptiste Godart
Jean-Baptiste Godart was a French entomologist.Born at Origny, Godart became impassioned by butterflies in his youth. He was charged by Pierre André Latreille with writing the article on these insects in the Encyclopédie Méthodique...
. This work consists of seventeen volumes (including twelve signed by Duponchel), 7, 600 coloured plates and 500 “boards “(these appear under the title Iconographie des Chenilles or Iconography of the Caterpillars). It appeared from 1832 to 1842 and the authors describe more than four thousand species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of butterflies and moths
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
.
Duponchel was one of the founders of the Société Entomologique de France
Société entomologique de France
The Société entomologique de France, or French Entomological Society, is devoted to the study of insects. It was founded in 1832.The society was created by eighteen Parisian entomologists on January 31, 1832...
and was its first treasurer. He was a very close friend of Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean
Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean
Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean , was a French entomologist. A soldier of fortune during the Napoleonic Wars, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and aide de campe to Napoleon. He amassed vast collections of Coleoptera some even collected on the battlefield at Waterloo...
, of Auguste Duméril
Auguste Duméril
Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
and Pierre André Latreille
Pierre André Latreille
Pierre André Latreille was a French zoologist, specialising in arthropods. Having trained as a Roman Catholic priest before the French Revolution, Latreille was imprisoned, and only regained his freedom after recognising a rare species he found in the prison, Necrobia ruficollis...
. He is buried in the cemetery of Montparnasse
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
.