16 Facts About Decio Vinciguerra

Decio Vinciguerra was an Italian physician and ichthyologist who for many years was Director of the Aquarium of Rome.

Decio Vinciguerra was born in Genoa on 23 May 1856.

Decio Vinciguerra studied at the University of Genoa, and in 1878 obtained a degree in Medicine and Surgery.

Decio Vinciguerra was naturally attracted to zoology, which he studied further, obtaining a doctorate degree.

Decio Vinciguerra became a botanist and a zoologist with particular interest in ichthyology.

Decio Vinciguerra made valuable collections and observations of fauna and their distribution in the region.

Decio Vinciguerra visited Germany several times to study fish breeding, and attended conferences, mostly related to fishing, in Bergen, Vienna, Graz and Washington, DC.

Decio Vinciguerra was a member of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova from 1883 to 1931.

Decio Vinciguerra taught fish breeding in Forest Institute at the former Vallombrosa Abbey and in the Higher Agricultural Institute of Perugia.

Decio Vinciguerra was instrumental in restocking inland waters in Italy with lake trout and whitefish.

Also, Decio Vinciguerra's writhing skink is named in his honor.

Decio Vinciguerra believed that oceanographic exploration of the Mediterranean Sea would help the fishing industry.

Decio Vinciguerra represented Italy at the Fourth International Fishery Congress in Washington, DC, in September 1908, where he reported on the decision to undertake an "international oceanographic exploration of the Mediterranean Sea in the interest of fisheries" and asked whether the Congress approved this decision.

Mr Charles E Fryer asked whether membership of the body would be restricted to litoral countries, and Vinciguerra confirmed that all countries with an interest in the Mediterranean should be represented.

Decio Vinciguerra returned to this work in Greece after the armistice.

In 1921 Decio Vinciguerra returned to Italy to become Deputy Director of the Museum of Genoa.