Mauro Ruscóni

Mauro Ruscóni (18 November 1776 in Pavia - 27 March 1849 in Tremezzina

After a stay in Paris, he resumed his medical studies in Pavia where he obtained his doctorate in 1806 and in 1807 he was repeater in medicine at the University of Pavia, post where he was active until 1817. From 1818 onwards, he devoted himself solely to zoology.

After the events of 1848, suffering and ill, he left Pavia and went to Lake Como, where he died some time later.

His work deals with the anatomy and metamorphosis of fish, frogs, salamanders and other reptiles. He was the author of research in animal embryology and comparative anatomy on the reproduction of newts and on the development of the frog: he was the first to observe and report exactly the segmentation of the egg as well as the formation of the morula and the blastopore. Unfortunately the fact that he did not have a real academic position prevented him from having a real scientific career and getting the reputation he deserved. Moreover, despite his skill in dissecting and preparing samples, he did not leave any collections.