He achieved renown as an anatomist and a naturalist with a particular interest in botany and ichthyology. His major work was a lengthy treatise on marine animals, which took two years to write and became a standard reference work for about a century afterwards, but his lasting impact lay in his education of a roster of star pupils who became leading figures in the world of lateth century science. Rondelet was born in Montpellier in His father was an aromatarius , a combination of pharmacist, grocer and druggist.
He matriculated in and returned to Montpellier; having developed an interest in medicine, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at his home town's university. In he became procurator Student Registrar. Rondelet moved to Pertuis in the Vaucluse after gaining his bachelor's degree from Montpellier and tried to supplement his income by teaching local children, but met with little success. He went back to Paris to learn Greek and to study anatomy, again supporting himself through teaching.
He practised for a while as a medical doctor at Maringues in the Auvergne before returning to Montpellier in There he finished his doctorate [ 2 ] and married Jeanne Sandre the following year. The couple lived with Jeanne's sister Catherine for the next seven years. His medical practice was not a success. He managed his finances badly and he outraged the citizens of Montpellier when he publicly dissected his infant son in an attempt to determine the cause of death.
De Tournon and the Bishop of Montpellier, Guillaume Pellicier , had both stood as sponsors for Rondelet's twin children on their birth in His rising status was confirmed in by his appointment to the post of Regius Professor of Medicine at Montpellier. He returned to his home town in on leaving the service of the cardinal and devoted two years to the writing of a great treatise on marine animals, titled Libri de piscibus marinis in quibus verae piscium effigies expressae sunt.
It took him two years to write and, despite the title's reference to piscibus fish , it covered all aquatic animals; [ 7 ] like others of his time, he made no distinction between fish, marine mammals such as seals and whales, crustaceans and other invertebrates.
