Emil Selenka

He is known for his research on invertebrates and apes and the scientific expeditions he organized to Southeast Asia and South America.

His research was in this period mainly on the anatomy, taxonomy and embryology of marine invertebrates, especially organisms from the phylum Echinodermata.

He found evidence that the lateral distribution of orangutan races was caused by geographic isolation (a process called allopatric speciation).

From 1892 he led an expedition that lasted two years to Southeast Asia, it visited Ceylon, the Dutch East Indies, Japan, China and Australia.

[1] When Selenka became severely ill during his stay in the Dutch East Indies and had to return to Germany, his wife continued exploring the jungles of Borneo by herself.