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William Eschmeyer

1939 – 2024

American ichthyologist

Ichthyologist Taxonomist
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About William Eschmeyer

Lived 1939 – 2024 (aged 85). William Eschmeyer was an American ichthyologist and taxonomist.

William Neil Eschmeyer (February 11, 1939 – December 30, 2024) was an American ichthyologist. His father, Reuben Eschmeyer, was the head of fisheries for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Eschmeyer took an undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Michigan, followed by a doctorate in Marine Biology at the University of Miami.

Eschmeyer was the founder of the Catalog of Fishes, a worldwide fish database. This work started with the publication of "Catalog of the Genera of Recent Fishes" in 1990. The first Catalog of Fishes followed in 1998, as three print volumes and a CD-ROM, and the database was subsequently moved online. The name was changed to as Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes in 2019. Eschmeyer also co-wrote a popular book on fish, the Peterson Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes, and published 61 research articles on fish taxonomy. Eschmeyer died on December 30, 2024, at the age of 85.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Michigan, University of Miami
Employers
California Academy of Sciences
Awards
Bleeker award; Joseph S. Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in Ichthyology
Also known as
William N. Eschmeyer, Bill Eschmeyer, Eschmeyer W, William Neil Eschmeyer, W. N. Eschmeyer

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Eschmeyer's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Eschmeyer?

American ichthyologist

When was William Eschmeyer born?

William Eschmeyer was born on 11 February 1939 in Knoxville.

When did William Eschmeyer die?

William Eschmeyer died on 30 December 2024.

What was William Eschmeyer's occupation?

William Eschmeyer was an ichthyologist and taxonomist.

What nationality was William Eschmeyer?

William Eschmeyer was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Eschmeyer

· Wikidata: Q9374821

· DBpedia: William N. Eschmeyer

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Eschmeyer. https://biography.guide/william-eschmeyer/

MLA: "William Eschmeyer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-eschmeyer/.

Chicago: "William Eschmeyer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-eschmeyer/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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