Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann

German entomologist (1770–1840)

Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann (7 December 1770 in Brunswick – 31 December 1840 in Kiel) was a German physician, historian, naturalist and entomologist. He is best known for his studies of world Diptera, but he also studied Hymenoptera and Coleoptera, although far less expertly.

Wiedemann published the first monographs on “exotic” (non European) Diptera. He was the creator of the transitory review Archiv für Zoologie und Zootomie 1800 1806 (five volumes) 2,356 pages. Berlin and Brunswick and the Zoologisches Magazin (volumes 1 2) 1817 1823 749 pages. Kiel and Altona. Although he worked mainly on Diptera he also published descriptions of Coleoptera and (at least one) Hymenopteran. He was the successor to Johan Christian Fabricius as the author of descriptions of “exotic” that is non European Diptera. Meigen worked only on the European species. His descriptions show clear advances, both over Fabricius and many of his contemporaries. A brief Latin diagnosis, a fuller detailed description in German, the sex of the specimen, locality details, a reference to the collection in which the specimen was to be found and, sometimes, the name of the collector. In Brunswick, then an important centre for entomology Wiedemann worked with Johann Christian Ludwig Hellwig and Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger setting new standards for descriptions (uniform terminology for structures and colour) and for nomenclature, especially in regard to the avoidance of synonyms by proper research of pre existing literature. He was critical of Fabricius in this respect, although honouring him as a great entomologist. In Aussereuropäische Zweiflügelige Insekten he described 1000 new and redescribed 500 old (mainly Fabrician) species. This work, supplemental to Meigen followed Meigen in introducing many new genera. He could have gone further than he did with “exotic” genera. He introduced too few of these but the full extent of diversity of world Diptera was not then apparent. The work includes descriptions of Diptera collected by Ferdinand Deppe in Mexico. Wiedemann, in his studies of the Fabrician) species was careful to consider only Fabricius specimens identified by their labels in Fabricius’ hand. This is at the core of the modern concept of type specimens. He made his studies as comprehensive as possible, studying the collections of Wilhelm Von Winthem and Bernt Wilhelm Westermann and studied the collections in Copenhagen, Berlin, Frankfurt, Kiel, Leiden and Vienna. He also studied Thomas Say’s borrowing these from the Philadelphia museum. He was unable to study the Linnean and the Fabricius types (both in London) or visit Paris. Wiedemann's published work on entomology was almost entirely descriptive and notable for its accuracy.

Georges Cuvier, 1798 Tableau Élémentaire as Cüviers elemantarischer Entwurf der Naturgeschichte der Thiere, aus dem Französischen übersetz ind mit Anmmerkungen versehen von C. R. W. Wiedemann. Brunswick, 1800. The entomological part of this was translated and revised by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger. Translation. Über Pariser Gebäranstalten und Geburtshelfer, den letzen Schamfugenschnitt und einige andere zu Paris beobachtete Geburtsfälle. Brunswick 1803. Medical. Unterricht für Hebammen. Brunswick, 1802. Medical – A Manual for Midwives. A Danish edition, Undervissung for Giordemødre was published in 1805. Expanded it was published as Lesebuch für Hebammen, Primer for midwives in 1814. Anweisung zur Rettung der Ertrunkenen, Ersticken, Ehrängten, vom Blitze Erschlagenen, Erfrornen und Vergiftaten; nach den neuesten Beobachtungen entworfen. Brunswick, 1796 (Second edition 1804). Medical treatment of accident victims. With Karl Gustav Himly and T. G. A. Roose Über das Impfen der Kuhpocken für besorgte Mütter. Brunswick, 1800. Medical. Advice on Smallpox vaccination. J. Stuve Lehrbuch der Kenntniss des menschlichen Körpers und der Gesundheitslehren. Brunswick, 1805. Medical. Second revised edition of a standard textbook. B. Harwood’s System der vergleichenden Anatomie ud Physiologie. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt und mit Anmerkungen und Zusätzen versehen von C. R. W. Wiedemann. Berlin, 1790. Translation. J. Méhée. Über die Schusswunden. Brunswick, 1801). Translation. Antoine François de Fourcroy System der chemischen Kenntnisse. 1801. Translation. Handbuch der Anatomie English Handbook of Anatomy.1796 (second editions 1802 and 1812)
Übersicht der mineralogischen einfachen fossilien.1800. Tabulae animalium invertebratorum. 1810
Diptera exotica: sectio I. Kiliae: [s. n.], 1820. Munus rectoris in Academia Christiana Albertina aditurus Analecta entomologica ex Museo Regio Havniensi Kilisae: el regio typographeo scholarum, 1824. Aussereuropäische Zweiflügelige Insekten. Hamm 1828 1830

Wiedemann's collection of Diptera and Hymenoptera was taken over by Wilhelm von Winthem who presented part to the Natural History Museum, Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien) the rest to the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt, The Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen (Zoologisk Museum, Københavns Universitet).

The Wiedemann Range in Greenland was named after him.