Wilhelm Michaelsen

Johann Wilhelm Michaelsen (9 October 1860, Hamburg - 18 February 1937) was a German zoologist who was a world authority on the Oligochaeta which includes the earthworms.

Michaelsen was born to Friedrich Rudolph and Johanna Catharina Ferdinandine née Köhn.

[1] Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880-1930) was a friend of Michaelsen and made use of his biogeographical work for some of his ideas on plate tectonics.

To that end, he travelled to southern regions of South America, Africa and Australia to investigate the fossil records of ancient Oligochaete distribution.

Michaelsen is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of lizard, Strophurus michaelseni.