Karl Michahelles

{{Short description|German zoologist and physician (1807–1834)}}

Georg Christian Karl Wilhelm Michahelles (5 May 1807, Nuremberg – 15 August 1834, Nauplia) was a German zoologist and physician originally from Bavaria.

From 1827, he studied medicine at the University of Munich, where he made the acquaintance of naturalist Lorenz Oken. In 1831 he received his doctorate of medicine and surgery with the thesis Das Malo Di Scarlievo in Historischer Und Pathologischer Hinsicht.[https://books.google.com/books?id=BtUYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR20 Saecular-Feier der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft in Nürnberg 1801-1901 ...] (Google Books) by Naturhistorische Gesellschaft Nürnberg

Michahelles travelled extensively in Dalmatia, Illyria and Croatia, becoming well known for his study of the birds of the area. He died after being affected with dysentery in Greece, aged only 27, where he went to practice medicine and study the wildlife.

He identified, amongst other Mediterranean species, the western rock nuthatch,[https://www.gbif.org/species/2484890 GBIF] Sitta neumayer Michahelles, 1830 ladder snake and the Iberian ribbed newt.[https://www.gbif.org/species/2431875 GBIF] Pleurodeles waltl Michahelles, 1830 The yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) was named after him by Johann Friedrich Naumann.