Jens Lorenz Franzen

Jens Lorenz Franzen (27 April 1937 – 21 November 2018) was a German paleontologist. He was the head of Paleoanthropology and Quaternary at Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt and participated in fossil excavation in Germany. He worked with scientific excavations and discovered many previously unknown fossil mammal species.

Career Franzen was born in Bremen in 1937.

From 1968 to 1969 Franzen was a research assistant at the Geological-Paleontological Institute of the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg and was a research assistant from 1969 to 1970. In 2009 he was one of the authors of the first description of the fossil primate Darwinius.

Studies Franzen dealt with paleogenic equidae, the primates from Messel, as well as the Eocene mammals from Eckfeld during the late Miocene. He studied the mammalian chronology of the European Eocene and Upper Miocene.

Franzen participated in the excavation at a fossil site near Darmstadt in Hesse. Franzen also carried out paleontological and paleoanthropological studies in Morocco (1971), Libya (1972), Greece (1963, 1975) and Mexico (1991–1992).

Franzen was a member of numerous societies including the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleontological Society, Upper Rhine Geological Association, Natural Research Society Freiburg, Archaeological Society of Hesse, Messel Museum Association and the Dinotherium-Museum Eppelsheim Association.

Death Franzen died at the age of 81 on 21 November 2018, in Freiburg im Breisgau.

Honors Several fossil species have been named in honor of Franzen. In the field of the genera and subgenera Franzenium ng ( Casanovas-Cladellas & Santafé-Llopis, 1989) and Franzenitherium n.subg. ( Remy, JA, 1992). In addition, the newly discovered species Palaeotherium franzeni n.sp. ( Casanovas-Cladellas, 1980), Masillabune franzeni n.sp. Erfurt & Haubold, 1989, Neochelys franzeni n.sp. ( Schleich, 1993) and Tachypteron franzeni n.sp. ( Stork, Sigé & Habersetzer, 2002)

Publications "New mammal finds from the Eocene of Eckfelder Maares near Manderscheid (Eifel)". In: Mainz Natural Science. Arch. Supplement 16, Mainz 1994, pp. 189–211. "The Equoidea of the European Central Eocene". In: Hallesches Jb. Geowiss. Volume 17, Halle 1995, pp. 31–45. "A coprolite as a treat. The seventh primate find from Messel". In: Natur u. Museum. Volume 127, No. 2, Frankfurt am Main 1997, pp. 46–53. "The sixth Messel Primate (Mammalia, Primates, Notharctidae, Cercamoniinae)". In: Senckenbergiana lethaea. Volume 80, Frankfurt am Main 2000, pp. 289–303. "First fossil primates from the Eckfeld Maar, Middle Eocene (Eifel, Germany)". In: Eclogae geologicae Helvetiae. Volume 97, Basel 2004, pp. 213–220. The Dawn of Dawn. Origin and Evolution of Horses. Spectrum Academic Publishing House (Elsevier), Heidelberg 2007.

Works

New genera Pseudopalaeotherium Franzen, 1972 Messelobunodon Franzen, 1981 Hallensia Franzen & Haubold, 1986 Neufferia Franzen, 1994 Lutzia Franzen, 1994, pre-occupied by Lutzia Theobald, 1903, now valid Herbertlutzius Franzen, 2009 Godinotia Franzen, 2000 Eurohippus Franzen, 2006 Darwinius Franzen et al., 2009

New species Palaeotherium pomeli Franzen, 1968 Pseudopalaeotherium longirostratum Franzen, 1972 Messelobunodon schaeferi Franzen, 1981 Messelobunodon ceciliensis Franzen & Krumbiegel, 1980 Europolemur koenigswaldi Franzen, 1987 Hallensia matthesi Franzen & Haubold 1986 Hallensia parisiensis Franzen, 1990 Neufferia manderscheidi Franzen, 1994 Lutzia eckfeldensis Franzen, 1994 Lophiotherium sondaari Franzen, 1999 Europolemur kelleri Franzen, 2000 Plesiosorex roosi Franzen, Fejfar & Storch, 2003

New subspecies Palaeotherium castrense robiacense Franzen, 1968 Palaeotherium crassum robustum Franzen, 1968 Palaeotherium muehlbergi praecursum Franzen, 1968 Palaeotherium curtum villerealense Franzen, 1968 Palaeotherium curtum frohnstettense Franzen, 1968 Palaeotherium duvali priscum Franzen, 1968