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Zhizn Zemli [Life of the Earth] 48, no 1

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Zhizn Zemli [Life of the Earth] 48, no 1

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10.29003/m5053.0514-7468.2026_48_1/111-124

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Moloshnikov, S.V.

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history of science, zoology, ichthyology, palaeoichthyology, system and evolution of agnathans and fishes, museology, Earth Science Museum of Moscow State University

history of science, zoology, ichthyology, palaeoichthyology, system and evolution of agnathans and fishes, museology, Earth Science Museum of Moscow State University

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pp. 111–124

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Moloshnikov, S.V., “Leo Berg, an Outstanding Ichthyologist and Palaeoichthyologist of the 20th Century. On the 150th Anniversary of His Birth”, Zhizn Zemli [Life of the Earth] 48, no 1, 111–124 (2026) (in Engl., abstr. in Russ.). DOI: 10.29003/m5053.0514-7468.2026_48_1/111-124.

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Leo Berg, an Outstanding Ichthyologist and Palaeoichthyologist of the 20th Century. On the 150th Anniversary of His Birth

05.04.2026

S.V. Moloshnikov1, PhD
1 Lomonosov Moscow State University (Earth Science Museum)

May of 2026 marks the 150th anniversary of the outstanding biologist and geo­grapher, theorist and historian of science, Academician, Moscow University graduate Leo S. Berg (1876–1950), who became famous during his life as the greatest ichthyologist in our country. He published numerous papers with descriptions of single fish species, as well as general monographs on the ichthyofauna of our country and its regions. He also focused on fishing, domestic aquaculture and zoogeographical zoning by ichthyofauna. The article discusses L.S. Berg’s research on palaeontology, which began during his expeditions to the Aral Sea in 1899–1906. He studied the Meso-Cenozoic deposits of the Aral coastline and their fossil fauna. Since the 1930s, Leo Berg continued his palaeoichthyological research, studying in detail the Late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic actinopterygian and other fishes. He described a number of fossil taxa of ichthyofauna and critically revised the system of fossil agnathans and fishes. The article provides brief biographical information of L.S. Berg, one of the classics of world ichthyology in the 20th century.

References

Список литературы

Список литературы

  1. Absemetov, M.O., “The greatest geographer of Eurasia (about Leo S. Berg)”, Bull. Tomsk State University 398, 93–98 (2015) (in Russian). DOI: 10.17223/15617793/398/14.
  2. Andriyashev, A.P., “L.S. Berg as a zoogeographer”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 116–126 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  3. Akhmedzhanov, R.Sh., Chernyshova, S.G., Tyulyugusheva, N.T., “Contribution of Leo S. Berg to the development of geographical education in Russia”, Pedagogical science and education in the dialogue with time. Materials of the 6th Int. sci. and practical conf., dedicated to the memory of V.A. Pyatin (Astrakhan’, June 16, 2021), 159–163 (Astrakhan’, 2021) (in Russian).
  4. Berg, L., “A note about the Upper Cretaceous of the Aral Sea Region”, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscow 17, nouv. sér. (prilozhenie: protokoly zasedaniy), 8–12 (in Russian).
  5. Berg, L., Fishes of Turkestan, 261 (St. Petersburg: I. Gol’dberg Publishing, 1905) (in Russian).
  6. Berg, L., “Aral Sea. An experience of the physiographical monograph”, Proc. of the Turkestan Department of the Imperial Russian Geographic Society 5, 1–580 (1908) (in Russian).
  7. Berg, L.S., “Fishes of the Amur basin”, Proc. of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, physico-mathe­matical department, ser. 8 24 (9), 1–274 (in Russian).
  8. Berg, L.S., Freshwater fishes of the Imperial Russia, 563 (Moscow: Ryabushinskie Company Publishing, 1916) (in Russian).
  9. Berg, L.S. “Nomogenesis, or an evolution determined by law”, Proc. of the Geogr. Institute 1, 1–306 (1922) (in Russian).
  10. Berg, L.S., “Progress in research of fossil fishes’, Palaeontological Review, Addition the Proc. of the Palaeontological Institute of AS USSR 1, 7–14 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1939) (in Russian).
  11. Berg, L.S., “On the systematical position of Polypteridae”, Zoological J. 19 (5), 727–740 (1940) (in Russian, English Summary).
  12. Berg, L.S., “Classification of agnathans and fishes, both recent and fossil”, Proc. of the Zoological Institute of Academy of Sci. of USSR, original edition 5 (2), 87–517 (1940); second edition 20, 5–286 (1955) (in Russian).
  13. Berg, L.S., “On the position of Acipenseriformes in the system of fishes”, Proc. of the Zoological Institute of Academy of Sci. of USSR 7 (3), 7–57 (1948) (in Russian).
  14. Berg, L.S., Freshwater fishes of the USSR and neighboring countries 1, 467 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publ., 1948) (in Russian).
  15. Berg, L.S., “An autobiographical note”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 7–17 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  16. Berg, L.S., “Lower Carboniferous fishes from the Achinsk Region”, J. of Ichthyology 11, 142–153 (1958) (in Russian).
  17. Berg, L.S., Selected works. Ichthyology 4, 764 (Moscow: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1961) (in Russian).
  18. Berg, L.S., Selected works. General biology, biogeography, palaeoichthyology 5, 515 (Moscow: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1962) (in Russian).
  19. Berg, L.S., Kazantseva, A.A., Obruchev, D.V., “Superorder Palaeonisci (Archistia)”, Fundamentals of paleontology. Agnathans, fishes, 336–370 (Moscow: Nauka, 1964) (in Russian).
  20. Berg, L.S., Khabakov, A.V., “Superclass Pisces. Fishes”, Atlas of guiding fauna of the USSR: Upper Jurassic 9, 280–290 (Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo geologicheskoi literatury, 1949) (in Russian).
  21. Berg, M.M., “Systematic list of works of Academician L.S. Berg”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 531–560 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sciences of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  22. Berg, R.L., “Leo S. Berg”, To the 135th Anniversary of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of scientific articles, 9–16 (Bendery: Eco-TIRAS, 2011) (in Russian, English Abstract).
  23. Berg, R.L., “Leo S. Berg”, Lethaea rossica 5, 81–84 (2011) (in Russian).
  24. Vinarskiy, M.V., “L.S. Berg as a theorist of biological systematics”, Science and Technology: History and Theory. Materials of the 42nd Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technology in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 28–33 (St. Petersburg: Inst. of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  25. Garel’skii, R.G., Samodurov, V.I., Yanshin, A.L., “Marine Albian deposits of the Aral western coast”, Reports of the Academy of Sci. of USSR 119 (6), 1195–1198 (1958) (in Russian).
  26. Georgievskiy, A.B., Evolutionary creativity of L.S. Berg (St. Petersburg: Nestor-Istoriya, 2013) (in Russian).
  27. Zavadskiy, K.M., Georgievskiy, A.B., “On L.S. Berg’s evolution views”, L.S. Berg. Works on the evolutionary theory. 1922–1930, 7–42 (Leningrad: Nauka, 1977) (in Russian).
  28. Isachenkov, V.A., Kvasov, D.D., L.S. Berg. Men of science (Moscow: Prosveshchenie, 1988) (in Russian).
  29. Kvasov, D.D., “Leo S. Berg (1876–1950)”, L.S. Berg. Works on the evolutionary theory. 1922–1930, 5–6 (Leningrad: Nauka, 1977) (in Russian).
  30. Mandrik, M.V., “L.S. Berg and Geographical Society: history of relationships”, Science and technic: history and theory. Materials of the XLII Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technic in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 255–256 (St. Petersburg: Institute of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  31. Murzaev, E.M., Leo S. Berg (1876–1950) (Moscow: Nauka, 1983) (in Russian).
  32. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Researchers of fossil vertebrates in the gallery of sculptural portraits at the Earth Science Museum of MSU”, Paleontology in a museum practice. Collected articles, 12–14 (Moscow: Media-Grand, 2014) (in Russian).
  33. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Leo S. Berg’s palaeoichtiological research”, Materials of the Lomonosov Conf. Section museology, 20–23 (Moscow: IKAR-MSU Publishing, 2014) (in Russian).
  34. Moloshnikov, S.V., “History of Russian palaeoichthyology (based on the exposition of the Museum of Earth Sciences at MSU)”, Zhizn Zemli [Life of the Earth] 37, 157–169 (2015) (in Russian).
  35. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Stratigraphical and palaeontological research of L.S. Berg (dedication to the 140th birthday anniversary of the scientist)”, Climate and Nature 18 (1), С. 3–13 (2016) (in Russian, English Abstract).
  36. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Leo S. Berg (1876–1950). On the 140th anniversary of his birth”, 100-years of the Russian Palaeontological Society, Problems and perspectives of palaeontological reseaches. Materials of the 62nd section of the Palaeontological Society at RAS (April 4–8, 2016, St. Petersburg), 295–297 (St. Petersburg: VSEGEI Publishing, 2016) (in Russian).
  37. Nikol’skiy, G.V., “The greatest ichthyologist of USSR (to the 70th anniversary of birth and 50th anniversary of Professor L.S. Berg’s scientific activity)”, Fish industry 4–5, 27–32 (1946) (in Russia).
  38. Obruchev, D.V., “L.S. Berg’s palaeoichthyological works”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 127–137 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  39. Obruchev, D.V., “Soviet palaeoichthyology”, Essays on phylogeny and systematics of fossil fishes and agnathans, 5–9 (Moscow: Nauka, 1968) (in Russian).
  40. Rizhinashvili, A.L., “L.S. Berg’s contribution to research of water reservoirs in Imperial Russia – USSR”, Science and technic: history and theory. Materials of the XLII Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technic in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 38–42 (St. Petersburg: Institute of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  41. Severtsov, A.N., “Place of the cartilaginous ganoids in the system”, Russian zoological J. 3 (1– 2), 1–33 (1922) (in Russian, English Summary).
  42. Sokolov, N.N., “Leo S. Berg (some biographical data)”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 18–60 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  43. Birstein, V.J., Bemis, W.E., “Leo Semenovich Berg and the biology of Acipenseriformes: a dedication”, Environmental Biology of Fishes 48 (1–4), 15–22 (1997).
  44. Smalley, I., Markovic, A., O’Hara-Dhand, Wynn, P., “A man from Bendery: L.S. Berg as geo­grapher and loess scholar”, Geologos 16 (2), 111–119 (2010).

References

  1. Absemetov, M.O., “The greatest geographer of Eurasia (about Leo S. Berg)”, Bull. Tomsk State University 398, 93–98 (2015) (in Russian). DOI: 10.17223/15617793/398/14.
  2. Andriyashev, A.P., “L.S. Berg as a zoogeographer”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 116–126 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  3. Akhmedzhanov, R.Sh., Chernyshova, S.G., Tyulyugusheva, N.T., “Contribution of Leo S. Berg to the development of geographical education in Russia”, Pedagogical science and education in the dialogue with time. Materials of the 6th Int. sci. and practical conf., dedicated to the memory of V.A. Pyatin (Astrakhan’, June 16, 2021), 159–163 (Astrakhan’, 2021) (in Russian).
  4. Berg, L., “A note about the Upper Cretaceous of the Aral Sea Region”, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscow 17, nouv. sér. (prilozhenie: protokoly zasedaniy), 8–12 (in Russian).
  5. Berg, L., Fishes of Turkestan, 261 (St. Petersburg: I. Gol’dberg Publishing, 1905) (in Russian).
  6. Berg, L., “Aral Sea. An experience of the physiographical monograph”, Proc. of the Turkestan Department of the Imperial Russian Geographic Society 5, 1–580 (1908) (in Russian).
  7. Berg, L.S., “Fishes of the Amur basin”, Proc. of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, physico-mathe­matical department, ser. 8 24 (9), 1–274 (in Russian).
  8. Berg, L.S., Freshwater fishes of the Imperial Russia, 563 (Moscow: Ryabushinskie Company Publishing, 1916) (in Russian).
  9. Berg, L.S. “Nomogenesis, or an evolution determined by law”, Proc. of the Geogr. Institute 1, 1–306 (1922) (in Russian).
  10. Berg, L.S., “Progress in research of fossil fishes’, Palaeontological Review, Addition the Proc. of the Palaeontological Institute of AS USSR 1, 7–14 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1939) (in Russian).
  11. Berg, L.S., “On the systematical position of Polypteridae”, Zoological J. 19 (5), 727–740 (1940) (in Russian, English Summary).
  12. Berg, L.S., “Classification of agnathans and fishes, both recent and fossil”, Proc. of the Zoological Institute of Academy of Sci. of USSR, original edition 5 (2), 87–517 (1940); second edition 20, 5–286 (1955) (in Russian).
  13. Berg, L.S., “On the position of Acipenseriformes in the system of fishes”, Proc. of the Zoological Institute of Academy of Sci. of USSR 7 (3), 7–57 (1948) (in Russian).
  14. Berg, L.S., Freshwater fishes of the USSR and neighboring countries 1, 467 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publ., 1948) (in Russian).
  15. Berg, L.S., “An autobiographical note”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 7–17 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  16. Berg, L.S., “Lower Carboniferous fishes from the Achinsk Region”, J. of Ichthyology 11, 142–153 (1958) (in Russian).
  17. Berg, L.S., Selected works. Ichthyology 4, 764 (Moscow: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1961) (in Russian).
  18. Berg, L.S., Selected works. General biology, biogeography, palaeoichthyology 5, 515 (Moscow: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1962) (in Russian).
  19. Berg, L.S., Kazantseva, A.A., Obruchev, D.V., “Superorder Palaeonisci (Archistia)”, Fundamentals of paleontology. Agnathans, fishes, 336–370 (Moscow: Nauka, 1964) (in Russian).
  20. Berg, L.S., Khabakov, A.V., “Superclass Pisces. Fishes”, Atlas of guiding fauna of the USSR: Upper Jurassic 9, 280–290 (Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo geologicheskoi literatury, 1949) (in Russian).
  21. Berg, M.M., “Systematic list of works of Academician L.S. Berg”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 531–560 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sciences of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  22. Berg, R.L., “Leo S. Berg”, To the 135th Anniversary of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of scientific articles, 9–16 (Bendery: Eco-TIRAS, 2011) (in Russian, English Abstract).
  23. Berg, R.L., “Leo S. Berg”, Lethaea rossica 5, 81–84 (2011) (in Russian).
  24. Vinarskiy, M.V., “L.S. Berg as a theorist of biological systematics”, Science and Technology: History and Theory. Materials of the 42nd Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technology in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 28–33 (St. Petersburg: Inst. of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  25. Garel’skii, R.G., Samodurov, V.I., Yanshin, A.L., “Marine Albian deposits of the Aral western coast”, Reports of the Academy of Sci. of USSR 119 (6), 1195–1198 (1958) (in Russian).
  26. Georgievskiy, A.B., Evolutionary creativity of L.S. Berg (St. Petersburg: Nestor-Istoriya, 2013) (in Russian).
  27. Zavadskiy, K.M., Georgievskiy, A.B., “On L.S. Berg’s evolution views”, L.S. Berg. Works on the evolutionary theory. 1922–1930, 7–42 (Leningrad: Nauka, 1977) (in Russian).
  28. Isachenkov, V.A., Kvasov, D.D., L.S. Berg. Men of science (Moscow: Prosveshchenie, 1988) (in Russian).
  29. Kvasov, D.D., “Leo S. Berg (1876–1950)”, L.S. Berg. Works on the evolutionary theory. 1922–1930, 5–6 (Leningrad: Nauka, 1977) (in Russian).
  30. Mandrik, M.V., “L.S. Berg and Geographical Society: history of relationships”, Science and technic: history and theory. Materials of the XLII Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technic in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 255–256 (St. Petersburg: Institute of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  31. Murzaev, E.M., Leo S. Berg (1876–1950) (Moscow: Nauka, 1983) (in Russian).
  32. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Researchers of fossil vertebrates in the gallery of sculptural portraits at the Earth Science Museum of MSU”, Paleontology in a museum practice. Collected articles, 12–14 (Moscow: Media-Grand, 2014) (in Russian).
  33. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Leo S. Berg’s palaeoichtiological research”, Materials of the Lomonosov Conf. Section museology, 20–23 (Moscow: IKAR-MSU Publishing, 2014) (in Russian).
  34. Moloshnikov, S.V., “History of Russian palaeoichthyology (based on the exposition of the Museum of Earth Sciences at MSU)”, Zhizn Zemli [Life of the Earth] 37, 157–169 (2015) (in Russian).
  35. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Stratigraphical and palaeontological research of L.S. Berg (dedication to the 140th birthday anniversary of the scientist)”, Climate and Nature 18 (1), С. 3–13 (2016) (in Russian, English Abstract).
  36. Moloshnikov, S.V., “Leo S. Berg (1876–1950). On the 140th anniversary of his birth”, 100-years of the Russian Palaeontological Society, Problems and perspectives of palaeontological reseaches. Materials of the 62nd section of the Palaeontological Society at RAS (April 4–8, 2016, St. Petersburg), 295–297 (St. Petersburg: VSEGEI Publishing, 2016) (in Russian).
  37. Nikol’skiy, G.V., “The greatest ichthyologist of USSR (to the 70th anniversary of birth and 50th anniversary of Professor L.S. Berg’s scientific activity)”, Fish industry 4–5, 27–32 (1946) (in Russia).
  38. Obruchev, D.V., “L.S. Berg’s palaeoichthyological works”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 127–137 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  39. Obruchev, D.V., “Soviet palaeoichthyology”, Essays on phylogeny and systematics of fossil fishes and agnathans, 5–9 (Moscow: Nauka, 1968) (in Russian).
  40. Rizhinashvili, A.L., “L.S. Berg’s contribution to research of water reservoirs in Imperial Russia – USSR”, Science and technic: history and theory. Materials of the XLII Int. Annual Conf. of St. Petersburg’s Division of the Russian national committee on history and philosophy of science and technic at Russian Academy of Sci.: “Science and technic in the revolutionary years (to the anniversaries of A.P. Karpinskiy and L.S. Berg)” 37, 38–42 (St. Petersburg: Institute of History of Natural Sci. and Technic of RAS, 2021) (in Russian).
  41. Severtsov, A.N., “Place of the cartilaginous ganoids in the system”, Russian zoological J. 3 (1– 2), 1–33 (1922) (in Russian, English Summary).
  42. Sokolov, N.N., “Leo S. Berg (some biographical data)”, To the memory of Academician L.S. Berg. Collection of geographical and biological works, 18–60 (Moscow–Leningrad: Academy of Sci. of USSR Publishing, 1955) (in Russian).
  43. Birstein, V.J., Bemis, W.E., “Leo Semenovich Berg and the biology of Acipenseriformes: a dedication”, Environmental Biology of Fishes 48 (1–4), 15–22 (1997).
  44. Smalley, I., Markovic, A., O’Hara-Dhand, Wynn, P., “A man from Bendery: L.S. Berg as geo­grapher and loess scholar”, Geologos 16 (2), 111–119 (2010).