Anton Dohrn[a] was a motor yacht built during 1911 and delivered to the Carnegie Institution of Washington in June 1911 for use at its Department of Marine Biology laboratory at Dry Tortugas, Florida.

The institution leased the vessel to the United States Navy for use as a patrol boat during World War I to serve as USS Anton Dohrn 5 October 1917 – 2 January 1919.

[9] Anton Dohrn was licensed at Key West on 31 May 1911 with the United States official number 208685 and signal letters LBVW with the laboratory's director, Alfred G. Mayer as master.

[12] The new capabilities, including independent logistics support for the station, provided by Anton Dohrn led to plans to expand research into ocean currents and geologic and biological work to the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica.

[18] Mayer scouted Jamaica and in May 1915 piloted Anton Dohrn with six biologist aboard to Puerto Rico to investigate both scientifically and as a new site for the station.

[19] The war in Europe and his conviction the United States entry was a strong possibility led Mayer, an "ardent patriot," to increasingly dislike his German roots (leading eventually to a change in name to Mayor) to propose his command of Anton Dohrn as a naval patrol vessel in that event.

[20] On 31 July 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired Anton Dohrn under a lease agreement from the Carnegie Institution for use as a section patrol boat during World War I.

[25][26] Biologist Gordon Riley on the other hand described the vessel "as funny a little ship as I have ever seen" and, though very strongly built, having "all the sea-keeping qualities of an old fashioned, round bottomed bathtub.