American Museum of Natural History. Department of Ichthyology

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Exist Dates

1909 - present

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries at the American Museum of Natural History, the limited ichthyology collections were shifted between various broad zoological departments. It was not until 1909 that a Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology was formalized, and a further 11 years until an independent Department of Ichthyology was established in 1920. In the years since, Ichthyology has been combined in certain periods with other zoological disciplines and adopted different departmental names, including the Department of Living and Extinct Fishes (1930-1942), the Department of Fishes (1942-1944), the Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology (1944-1960) and again the Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology (1987-1997).

Since its founding, the Department of Ichthyology has sought to build its specimen collections and scientific knowledge through expeditions and field work, the numbers of which peaked during the 1930s. Expeditions conducted by department staff have largely focused on collecting and research in the Americas and outlying islands. The department has also maintained an active exhibition program since the early 20th century, most significantly in the creation of ichthyological models for the early Hall of Fishes of the World (opened in 1928) and the renovated Hall of Ocean Life (opened in 1969).

Sources

    (1) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1870-2010.
    (2) Myers, Charles W. A History of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural History. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 2000.
    (3) American Museum of Natural History. "Ichthyology: History of the Department." Accessed November 20, 2014, http://www.amnh.org/our-research/vertebrate-zoology/ichthyology/about-the-department/history-of-the-department.
    (4) American Museum of Natural History. "Ichthyology: Staff." Accessed November 20, 2014, http://www.amnh.org/our-research/vertebrate-zoology/ichthyology/staff.

Chronology

  • 1870: The American Museum of Natural History acquires the vertebrate collection of Alexander Philipp Maximilian, including 2000 fish, reptile and amphibian specimens, which are initially stored in the Arsenal Building in Central Park (1, 1870 p. 5; 2, p. 95).
  • 1885: Zoology is divided into separate departments, and a Department of Marine Zoology under J. B. Holder is established, which also includes reptiles and amphibians (1, 1884-1885 p. 5; 1, 1953 p. 31).
  • 1887 - 1890: The Department of Marine Zoology is changed to a Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Fishes and Reptiles (1, 1953 p. 31; 1, 1886-1887 p. 5; 1, 1887-1888 p. 5; 1, 1888-1889 p. 16; 1, 1889-1990 p. 19; 1, 1890-1891 p. 28). *This department name is used loosely and variably in the Annual Reports 1886-1887 to 1890-1891.
  • 1891 - 1900: Ichthyology is included in a department encompassing mammals, birds, fishes and reptiles, under the curatorship of J. A. Allen (1, 1890-1891 p. 5; 1, 1891 p. 5; 1, 1892 p. 5; 1, 1893 p. 5; 1, 1894 p. 5; 1, 1895 p. 5; 1, 1896 p. 5; 1, 1897 p. 5; 1, 1898 p. 7; 1, 1899 p. 7; 1, 1900 p. 21). *The name of this department is variable and used loosely in the Annual Reports 1891 to 1896, and is referred to as the Department of Vertebrate Zoology in the Annual Reports 1897 to 1900.
  • 1901: The Department of Invertebrate Zoology is given charge of the ichthyology collections (1, 1901 p. 28).
  • 1904 - 1908: Bashford Dean becomes the first Curator of Fishes in the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology (3; 1, 1903 p. 7; 1, 1907 p. 12).
  • 1909 - present: New YorkExternal link The Department of Ichthyology is part of the American Museum of Natural History, located in New York.
  • 1909 July: The Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology is formalized, representing living reptiles and batrachians, and living and extinct fishes (2, p. 8; 1, 1910 p. 36). The department consists of Bashford Dean as Curator, ichthyologists Louis Hussakof and John T. Nichols, and herpetologist Mary Cynthia Dickerson.
  • 1913: John T. Nichols founds the scientific journal Copeia (3).
  • 1913: Bashford Dean retires as Curator of the department, and is replaced by Louis Hussakof as Curator of Ichthyology from 1914 (1, 1913 p. 60; 1, 1914 p. 34).
  • 1915: Louis Hussakof resigns as Curator (1, 1915 p. 35).
  • 1916: The first Bibliography of Fishes is completed, compiled by department staff and providing a comprehensive reference to the ichthyological literature (1, 1916 p. 70).
  • 1920 February 2: Ichthyology is officially separated from Herpetology, and the Department of Ichthyology is formalized with John T. Nichols in charge (1, 1920 p. 36).
  • 1922: The museum introduces department ‘divisions’, with the Department of Ichthyology under the Division of Zoology and Zoogeography (1, 1922 p. 23).
  • 1925: William K. Gregory is appointed the new Curator of the Department of Ichthyology (1, 1925 p. 148).
  • 1928: The Hall of Fishes of the World opens to the public, though incomplete (1, 1928 p. 47). The department adds to the hall throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s (1, 1929 p. 64; 1, 1930 p. 38; 1, 1931 p. 46; 1, 1934 p. 9; 1, 1935 p. 11; 1, 1936 p. 11; 1, 1937 p. 14; 1, 1941 p. 34). *This hall is also referred to as the Hall of Fishes or the Fish Hall in Annual Reports.
  • 1930: The museum abandons the use of divisions, and the Department of Ichthyology’s name is changed to the Department of Living and Extinct Fishes (1, 1930 p. 195).
  • 1933 May 2: The Hall of Ocean Life is opened to the public (1, 1933 p. 16).
  • 1942: The department is renamed the Department of Fishes, still encompassing both living and extinct species (1, 1942 p. 13). William K. Gregory is appointed Chairman and Curator of Fossil Fishes (1, 1942 p. 56).
  • 1944: The Department of Fishes merges with the Department of Invertebrates into a new Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology (1, 1944 p. 30). Fossil fishes are moved to the new Department of Geology and Paleontology (1, 1944 p. 66).
  • 1944 May: William K. Gregory retires from his position as Chairman and is replaced by Charles M. Breder as Chairman and Curator (1, 1944 p. 39).
  • 1946: The Lerner Marine Laboratory is established in Bimini, the Bahamas, by gift of Ichthyology Field Associate Michael Lerner (1, 1946 p. 20). The laboratory provides a field research station for ichthyologists to study a wide variety of marine fishes (1, 1951 p. 24).
  • 1960 July 1: The Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology is divided into two: a Department of Living Invertebrates, and a Department of Ichthyology with Charles M. Breder continuing as Chairman and Curator (1, 1959 p. 14).
  • 1964 - 1968: Staff in the Department of Ichthyology prepare for a new gallery illustrating the biology of fishes, to occupy the balcony level of the renovated Hall of Ocean Life (1, 1964 p. 42; 1, 1966 p. 44; 1, 1967 p. 39).
  • 1965 May: Charles M. Breder retires as Chairman, and is replaced by Donn E. Rosen (1, 1964 p. 19).
  • 1969 February 26: The Hall of Ocean Life and Biology of Fishes is opened to the public (1, 1968 p. 22).
  • 1975: The Lerner Marine Laboratory closes.
  • 1975 July 1: C. Lavett Smith replaces Donn E. Rosen as Chairman of the department (1, 1974-1975 p. 11).
  • 1982: Gareth J. Nelson replaces C. Lavett Smith as Chairman of the Department (1, 1981-1982 p. 58).
  • 1987: Ichthyology and Herpetology are once again combined into the Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology (1, 1987-88 p. 23; 2, p. 61). Gareth J. Nelson is appointed Chairman (1, 1987-88 p. 82).
  • 1993 July 1: Charles W. Myers replaces Gareth J. Nelson as Chairman of the department (2, p. 62).
  • 1997 July 1: Ichthyology is again separated from Herpetology and the name Department of Ichthyology re-adopted (2, p. 62). Melanie L. J. Stiassny is appointed head of the department (1, 1997-1998 p. 62).
  • 2000: The museum reintroduces ‘divisions’, with the Department of Ichthyology incorporated into the Division of Vertebrate Zoology (1, 2000 p. 75).
  • 2001 - 2003?: Scott Schaefer is appointed Curator-in-Charge (1, 2001-2003 p. 74). *it is unclear in the 2001-2003 Annual Report in which year Schafer was promoted

Terms

localDescription
enhanced
place
New YorkExternal link
dates: 1909-present
The Department of Ichthyology is part of the American Museum of Natural History, located in New York.

Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

participantIn
AMNH-Bolivian Expedition
associated dates: 1963, 1964, 1965
Multi-disciplinary expedition participated in by Ichthyology Research Associate Reeve M. Bailey to Bolivia, collecting 35,000 fishes (1, 1964 p. 40-41).
participantIn
American Museum French Polynesia Expedition
Expedition by C. Lavett Smith to the island of Rapa and other locations in the Tuamoto Archipelago, collecting fishes (1, 1969 p. 23).
worksWith
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Herpetology.
associated dates:
Ichthyology and Herpetology have been combined into a joint Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology during two periods in the museum's history, from 1901 to 1920, and again from 1987 to 1997 (1, p. 8; 2, 1920 p. 36; 2, 1987-1988 p. 23; 1, p. 62).
employedBy
Aronson, Lester R.
associated dates: 1982-1995
Aronson served as Curator Emeritus from 1982 until 1995 (1, 1981-1982 p. 58; 1, 1993-1994 p. 123).
employedBy
Atz, James W.
associated dates: 1964--
Atz was initially appointed Associate Curator in 1964 (1, 1964 p. 19), and was promoted to Curator of the department in 1970 (1, 1969 p. 13). He retired from the museum in 1981, retaining the title of Curator Emeritus (1, 1981-1982 p. 20; 4).
participantIn
Bermuda Oceanographic Expedition
Expedition organized by N.Y. Zoological Society and joined by William K. Gregory, to Nonsuch Island studying deep-sea fishes (1, 1930 p. 24).
participantIn
Breder Field Trip to Florida
Field trip conducted by Charles M. Breder to the Gulf Coast, Florida, studying life histories of fishes (1, 1961 p. 33).
employedBy
Breder, Charles Marcus
associated dates: 1925-1983
Breder was initially appointed in 1925 as a Research Associate (1, 1925 p. 148). In 1944 he replaced John Treadwell Nichols as Chairman and Curator of the department (1, 1944 p. 39), and served in this role until his retiring in 1965. Post-retirement, Breder held the title of Curator Emeritus until his death in 1983 (1, 1964 p. 40; 1, 1982-1983 p. 64).
participantIn
Cerro de la Neblina Expedition
associated dates: 1984-1985
Multi-disciplinary expedition participated in by Gareth J. Nelson and Graduate Assistant Carl J. Ferraris to collect fish from the Rio Mawarinuma in Venezuela (1, 1983-1984 p. 11).
employedBy
Dean, Bashford
associated dates: 1904-1928
From 1904 Dean served as the first Curator of Fishes in the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology (1, 1903 p. 7; 3), until he was appointed Curator of the newly founded Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology in 1909 (2, p. 8). After retiring in 1914 Dean continued to hold the title of Curator Emeritus, and of Honorary Curator from 1918, until his death in 1928 (1, 1913 p. 12; 1, 1916 p. 15; 1, 1917 p. 15; 1, 1928 p. 34).
participantIn
Devilfish Expedition
Expedition conducted by Louis Hussakof and amateur ichthyologist Russell J. Coles, to the west coast of Florida to capture a devilfish specimen (1, 1914 p. 27, 64).
Eastman Expedition to South America
Expedition by C. R. Eastman of the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, to South America, collecting fishes and fossils (1, 1917 p. 73).
participantIn
Expedition to Bahamas
Expedition by C. Lavett Smith to the Bahamas collecting fish (1, 1970 p. 26).
participantIn
Expedition to Cuba
associated dates: 1990-1993
Multi-disciplinary expedition to Cuba joined by Research Associate Michael L. Smith, surveying freshwater fishes (1, 1990-1991 p. 19; 1, 1991-1992 p. 27).
participantIn
Expedition to Guatemala
Expedition by Donn E. Rosen and Research Associate Reeve M. Bailey to the Rio Usumacinta basin, collecting thousands of fish specimens (1, 1965 p. 46).
participantIn
Expedition to Guatemala
associated dates: 1970, 1972
Expedition by Donn E. Rosen and Research Associate Reeve M. Bailey to Guatemala collecting fish specimens (1, 1970 p. 24; 1, 1972-1973 p. 19).
participantIn
Expedition to Virgin Islands
Expedition to collect fishes (1, 1970 p. 24).
Fabbri Expedition to Florida
associated dates: 1909-1910
Expedition by museum members Alexandro and Ernesto Fabbri on behalf of the department, collecting fish on the Florida reefs (1, 1910 p. 37).
employedBy
Gregory, William King
associated dates: 1925-1970
Gregory was appointed Curator of the department in 1925 (1, 1925 p. 148), the title of which was changed to Curator-in-Charge during the period 1930 to 1935 (1, 1930 p. 195; 1, 1935 p. 88). In 1942 he was appointed Chairman and Curator of Fossil Fishes in the newly named Department of Fishes (1, 1942 p. 56), before retiring in 1944 (1, 1944 p. 39). Gregory held the title Curator Emeritus of Fishes and of Comparative Anatomy until his death in 1970 (1, 1970 p. 15).
employedBy
Gudger, Eugene Willis
associated dates: 1921-1955
Gudger was initially appointed in 1921 as an Associate in Ichthyology (1, 1921 p. 34), promoted to Bibliographer and Associate Curator in 1935 (1, 1935 p. 86), and served as an Honorary Associate from 1938 to 1955 (1, 1938 p. 45).
participantIn
Heilner Cuba Expedition
Expedition by Field Representative Van Campen Heilner, collecting fish in the Zapata Swamp, Cuba (1, 1934 p. 23).
employedBy
Hussakof, Louis
associated dates:
Hussakof was first appointed to the new Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology in 1909 (2, p. 8). He served as Associate Curator of Fossil Fishes from 1910 (1, 1910 p. 26), the title of which was changed to Associate Curator of Fishes by 1911 (1, 1911 p. 27). In 1914 Hussakof replaced Bashford Dean as Curator of the department, but resigned in December 1915 (1, 1914 p. 34; 1, 1915 p. 35). He returned to the department as a Research Associate from 1929 until 1944, after which fossil fishes were moved to the Department of Geology and Paleontology (1, 1928 p. xxiv; 1, 1944 p. 66).
participantIn
LaMonte Field Trip to Hawaii
Field trip conducted by Francesca LaMonte to the island of Kona, to study Pacific marlin (1, 1958 p. 25).
employedBy
LaMonte, Francesca R.
associated dates: 1919-1982
LaMonte was initially employed as a secretary in the department from 1919 (1, 1919 p. 80). In 1927 she was appointed as an Assistant (1, 1927 p. 29), promoted to Assistant Curator the following year (1, 1928 p. 33), and again to Associate Curator in 1935 (1, 1935 p. 86). LaMonte retired in 1962, holding the title of Curator Emeritus until her death in 1982 (1, 1961 p. 34, 86; 1, 1981-1982 p. 58).
participantIn
Lerner Bimini Expedition
Expedition including Field Associate Michael Lerner and Associate Curator Francesca R. LaMonte, to the island of Bimini in the West Indies, studying marlin (1, 1937 p. 53).
participantIn
Lerner Cape Breton Expedition
Expedition involving several department staff to Cape Breton and Wedgeport, Nova Scotia, to collect tuna and swordfish (1, 1936 p. 37).
participantIn
Lerner Cape Breton Expedition of 1938
Expedition including Field Associate Michael Lerner and Associate Curator Francesca R. LaMonte to Louisburg, Cape Breton, collecting and studying swordfish (1, 1938 p. 24).
participantIn
Lerner Marine Laboratory
associated dates: 1946-1975
Department of Ichthyology staff conducted research at the Lerner Marine Laboratory in Bimini, the Bahamas, from its opening in 1946 to closure in 1975 (1, 1946 p. 20; 1, 1951 p. 24).
participantIn
Lerner New Zealand Expedition
Expedition including William K. Gregory and Field Associate Michael Lerner to New Zealand and Australia, collecting and photographing big-game fishes (1, 1938 p. 27-28).
participantIn
Lerner-Peru-Chile Expedition
Expedition led by Field Associate Michael Lerner, studying swordfish and marlin in Chile and Peru (1, 1940 p. 13).
participantIn
Mexican Expedition
Expedition by Charles M. Breder, to explore caves in Mexico researching blind cave-fish (1, 1945 p. 18).
participantIn
Mississippi Expedition
Expedition led by Louis Hussakof to Moon Lake, Mississippi, to collect materials for exhibition group of paddlefish (1, 1910 p. 37).
Morden Expedition to Brazil
Expedition by William J. Morden of Mammalogy on behalf of the department, collecting fishes in Brazil and Ecuador (1, 1936 p. 40).
Morden Hawaii Expedition
Expedition by William J. Morden of Mammalogy on behalf of the department, collecting fishes in the Hawaiian Islands (1, 1935 p. 35).
participantIn
Murphy Expedition to Ecuador and Peru
Expedition organized by Ornithology and joined by Ichthyology Field Representative Van Campen Heilner on behalf of the department, collecting fishes on the northwestern coast of South America (1, 1925 p. 49).
Murphy Mediterranean Expedition
Expedition by R. C. Murphy of Ornithology to the Mediterranean, collecting fish on behalf of the department (1, 1926 p. 59).
employedBy
Nelson, Gareth J.
associated dates: 1967--
Nelson was initially appointed Assistant Curator in 1967 (1, 1966 p. 17), was promoted to Associate Curator in 1971 (1, 1970 p. 15), and again to Curator in 1976 (1, 1975-1976 p. 10). He served as Chairman and Curator of the department from 1982 until Charles W. Myers took over in 1993 (1, 1981-1982 p. 58; 2, p. 62). Nelson continued serving as Curator until retiring in 1998, retaining the title Curator Emeritus (1, 1998-1999 p. 65; 4).
employedBy
Nichols, John Treadwell
associated dates: 1909-1958
Nichols was first appointed to the new Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology in 1909 (2, p. 8). He served as Assistant Curator of Recent Fishes from 1910 (1, 1910 p. 26), as Associate Curator of Recent Fishes from 1919 (1, 1918 p. 15), and as head of the department from 1920 to 1925 (1, 1920 p. 36). In 1927 he was appointed Curator of Recent Fishes (1, 1927 p. 29), the title of which was changed to Curator of Fishes from 1944 (1, 1944 p. 63). Nichols retired in 1951, holding the title of Curator Emeritus until his death in 1958 (1, 1951 p. 59; 1, 1958 p. 26).
participantIn
North Carolina Expedition
Expedition by Louis Hussakof and amateur ichthyologist Russell J. Coles to North Carolina to collect fish.
participantIn
Ohio Expedition
Expedition by Louis Hussakof to Ohio, collecting fossil fishes (1, 1911 p. 49).
participantIn
Phipps Tapirapeco Expedition
associated dates: 1989-1990
Expedition involving several department staff to southern Venezuela and Cerro Guaiquinima in eastern Venezuela, to study and collect fish specimens (1, 1988-1989 p. 19; 1, 1989-1990 p. 19).
participantIn
Putnam Greenland Expedition
Expedition joined by Ichthyology Field Representative Van Campen Heilner, collecting shark specimens (1, 1926 p. 58-59).
employedBy
Rasquin, Priscilla
associated dates: 1946-1957
Rasquin served in the department as a Scientific Assistant from 1946 (1, 1945 p. 57), and as Assistant Curator of Fishes from 1952 to 1957 (1, 1951 p. 53).
employedBy
Rosen, Donn Eric
associated dates: 1961-1986
Rosen was initially appointed Assistant Curator in 1961 (1, 1960 p. 39). He served as Chairman and Associate Curator of the department from 1965 (1, 1964 p. 19), and as Chairman and Curator from 1968 (1, 1968 p. 13). From 1975, when C. Lavett Smith took over the Chairmanship, Rosen continued as Curator, up until his death in 1986 (1, 1974-1975 p. 11; 1, 1986-1987 p. 26).
participantIn
Rosen-Kallman Expedition
Expedition by Donn E. Rosen and Klaus Kallman of the New York Zoological Society to Guatemala, British Honduras and Mexico, to collect specimens (1, 1962 p. 32).
employedBy
Schaefer, Scott
associated dates: 1996--
Schaefer was appointed Associate Curator in 1996 (1, 1994-1995/1995-1996 p. 93; 3), later promoted to Curator-in-Charge (1, 2001-2003 p. 74), and currently serves as Curator of the department (4). *it is unclear from Annual Reports in what years Schafer served as head of the department
Shapiro Expedition to Carolinas
Expedition by Sidney Shapiro on behalf of the department, surveying coastal fishes of the Carolinas and Florida (1, 1939 p. 19).
employedBy
Smith, C. Lavett
associated dates: 1962--
Smith was initially appointed Assistant Curator in 1962 (1, 1961 p. 14), before being promoted to Associate Curator in 1967 (1, 1966 p. 16), and again to Curator in 1972 (1, 1971 p. 13). In 1975 he was appointed Chairman and Curator of the department (1, 1974-1975 p. 11). Smith continued serving as Curator after Gareth J. Nelson took over the Chairmanship in 1982 (1, 1981-1982 p. 58). Smith retired in 1993, retaining the title of Curator Emeritus (1, 1993-1994 p. 33; 4).
Spalding Expedition
Expedition by museum fellow Keith Spalding, collecting big game fish on the Gulf of California (1, 1926 p. 59).
employedBy
Sparks, John S.
associated dates: 2002--
Sparks was appointed Assistant Curator in 2002 (1, 2001-2003 p. 74; 3), later promoted to Associate Curator (1, 2007-2008 p. 22), and currently serves as Curator-in-Charge of the department (4). *it is unclear from Annual Reports in what year Sparks was promoted to head of the department
employedBy
Stiassny, Melanie L. J.
associated dates: 1987--
Stiassny was initially appointed Assistant Curator in 1987 (1, 1987-1988 p. 25), and promoted to Associate Curator in 1992 (1, 1991-1992 p. 111). In 1997 she was promoted again to Chair of the department (1, 1997-1998 p. 62), the title of which was changed to Curator-in-Charge by 1999 (1, 1998-1999 p. 65). Stiassny has continued serving as Curator since Scott Schaefer was appointed head of the department (1, 2001-2003 p. 74).
Third Asiatic Expedition
associated dates: approximately 1920-1926
Expedition participated in by Harry R. Caldwell and Clifford H. Pope, collecting fish on behalf of the department (1, 1920 p. 80-81; 1, 1921 p. 72; 1, 1922 p. 76; 1, 1924 p. 68; 1, 1926 p. 59).
employedBy
Walters, Vladimir
associated dates: 1956-1960
Walters was temporarily appointed Assistant Curator of Fishes on a special grant from 1956 to 1960 (1, 1955 p. 63; 1, 1960 p. 38).
participantIn
Zoological Expedition to Puerto Rico
Multi-disciplinary expedition joined by John T. Nichols to Puerto Rico to make a biological survey (1, 1914 p. 64).

Written by: Knowles, Emily
Last modified: 2021 June 23

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