About Wilhelm Michaelsen
Lived 1860 – 1937 (aged 76). Wilhelm Michaelsen was a zoologist, curator, taxonomist, zoological collector, scientific collector and biologist.
Johann Wilhelm Michaelsen (9 October 1860, Hamburg - 18 February 1937) was a German zoologist who was a world authority on the Oligochaeta which includes the earthworms. He named and described more than a thousand new species.
Michaelsen was born to Friedrich Rudolph and Johanna Catharina Ferdinandine née Köhn. In 1887 he commenced work at the Hamburg Zoological Museum, at first as a research assistant. He was later to become Hauptkustos (chief curator).
Though he also worked in the study of Tunicates and Polychaetes, Michaelsen was best known for his work on Oligochaeta. To that end, he travelled to southern regions of South America, Africa and Australia to investigate the fossil records of ancient Oligochaete distribution.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Wilhelm Michaelsen?
German zoologist (1860–1937)
When was Wilhelm Michaelsen born?
Wilhelm Michaelsen was born on 9 October 1860 in Hamburg.
When did Wilhelm Michaelsen die?
Wilhelm Michaelsen died on 18 February 1937 in Hamburg.
What was Wilhelm Michaelsen's occupation?
Wilhelm Michaelsen was a zoologist, curator, taxonomist, zoological collector, scientific collector and biologist.
What nationality was Wilhelm Michaelsen?
Wilhelm Michaelsen's recorded nationality: German Reich.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Wilhelm Michaelsen
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wilhelm Michaelsen. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-michaelsen/
MLA: "Wilhelm Michaelsen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wilhelm-michaelsen/.
Chicago: "Wilhelm Michaelsen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-michaelsen/.
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