Mario Giacinto Peracca

He started taking medical classes at the University of Turin, with his studies eventually turning to zoology.

After graduation, he remained in Turin as an assistant to Lessona, and later Lorenzo Camerano (1856-1917), at the zoological institute.

At the zoological institute, he served as curator of herpetological collections.

Among the specimens at the museum were reptiles and amphibians that were produced at his estate, where he kept a large temperature-controlled vivarium with tropical plants, containing animals that included giant salamanders and Galapagos tortoises.

Many of his written works dealt with herpetological collections from South America and Africa (including Madagascar), with some publications on specimens from Italy, the Middle East, China and Australia.