Gustavus Wilhelm Wuerdemann

Wuerdemann was born in Bremen, Germany (originally part of the Hanseatic League), arrived in America in 1832, and worked as a tidal observer, meteorologist, and naturalist for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, and Texas.

In Texas, during 1853 and 1854, he supervised a crew of five to make tidal measurements at Brazos Santiago (the mouth of the Rio Grande), St. Joseph’s Island (Aransas Pass), and at Paso Cavallo (the entrance to Matagorda Bay). While in Texas, he collected birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates and fish, including 10 new species of marine fish.

Wuerdemann’s specimens are currently held (typically listed under the spelling, “Wurdemann”) at the Smithsonian Institution (National Museum of Natural History) and Harvard University (Museum of Comparative Zoology).