Vilhelm Storm Bidrag til Kundskap om Trondhjemsfjordens Fauna I

Abstract

Vilhelm Ferdinand Johan Storm (1835-1913) took up and continued the investigations on the fauna of the Trondheimsfjord which had been initiated by Johan Ernst Gunnerus (1718-1783) - one of the founders of DKNVS (The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters) in 1767. Being employed as a curator at DKNVS the Museum from 1856, Storm started a systematic mapping of the fauna in the deeps of the Trondheimsfjord. Using new and more efficient sampling gear (hard bottom dredges), he was able to extensively expand the knowledge of the rich biodiversity in the deep parts of the fjord. Being a trained taxodermist as well, his specimens were professionally prepared for inclusion in the collections of the Museum. He published most of his marine investigation in five articles during 1878 to 1883 in DKNVS' Journal «Skriftene». All the way up to present time, his detailed taxonomic works and accurate location descriptions have attracted many highly merited international scientists to DKNVS and theTrondheimsfjord. Typically, they can visit the same localities as Storm did and still find their sought-after animals. Many of these scientits have published their research in «Skriftene». Vilhelm Storm initiated a new era of scientific excellence at DKNVS, and he left a substantial scientific legacy when he died 1913.