Fabricus, Johann Christian (1745-1808)

Danish entomologist who developed a classification system for insects. Using the mouth structure as the basis for classification, he named and described over 10,000 insects. He also wrote on evolution, long before Darwin, and was convinced that humans had evolved from the great apes.

Fabricus was born in South Jutland, Denmark and studied at Uppsala under Linnaeus 1762-64, and then travelled throughout Europe, visiting may of the great museums. He was made professor of natural science and economics at the Universities of Copenhagen and Kiel. His publications included Philosophia entomologica (1778), Betrachtungen uber die allgemeinen Einrichtugen in der natur (1781) and Resultate naturhistorischer Vorlesungen (1804).