Franz Steindachner

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Franz Steindachner (November 11, 1834 - December 10, 1919) was an Austrian zoologist.

Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess. In 1860 he was appointed to the position of director of the fish collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum, a position which had remained vacant since the death of Johann Jakob Heckel.

Steindachner's reputation as an ichthyologist grew, and in 1868 he was invited by Louis Agassiz to accept a position at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. Steindachner took part in the Hassler Expedition of 1871-1872. In 1874 he returned to Vienna and in 1887 was appointed director of the Zoological Department of the Naturhistorisches Museum. In 1898 he was promoted to director of the museum.