Heinrich Alexander Pagenstecher (18 March 1825,
Elberfeld – 4 January 1889,
Hamburg) was a German
zoologist.
He studied medicine at the universities of
Göttingen,
Heidelberg and
Berlin and furthered his education in
Paris. Following graduation, he worked as a general practitioner in his hometown of Elberfeld (1847), as a spa doctor in
Salzbrunn (1848–49) and as a physician in
Barmen (1849). In 1856 he obtained his habilitation for
obstetrics at the
University of Heidelberg.[1]
Because of a serious injury to two of his fingers, he considered himself unfit for surgery and obstetrics, and subsequently shifted his attention from medicine to zoology. In 1863 he was named an associate professor of zoology and
paleontology as well as director of the zoological institute at Heidelberg, where in 1866, he attained a full professorship. In 1882 he was appointed director of the Natural History Museum in
Hamburg.[1]
Trematodenlarven und Trematoden : helminthologischer Beitrag, 1857 –
Trematode larvae and trematodes, a helminthological contribution.
Untersuchungen über niedere Seetiere, 1858 (with
Rudolf Leuckart);[3] translated into English and published as "Researches upon some of the lower marine animals" (1859).[4]
Beiträge zur Anatomie der Milben (2 volumes, 1860–61) – Contributions to the
anatomy of the
mite.
Die ungeschlechtliche Vermehrung der Fliegenlarven, 1864 – Asexual propagation of fly larvae.
Die Trichinen; nach Versuchen im Auftrage des Grossherzoglich Badischen Handelsministeriums ausgeführt am Zoologischen Institute in Heidelberg, 1866 (with Christian Joseph Fuchs) –
Trichinosis; according to tests on behalf of the
Grand Duchy of Baden Department of Commerce executed at the Zoological Institute in Heidelberg.
Allgemeine zoologie, oder Grundgesetze des thierischen baus und lebens (4 volumes, 1875–81) – General zoology; basic laws of animal structure and life.[5]