John Xantus de Vesey

John Xantus de Vesey (October 5, 1825–December 13, 1894) was a Hungarian exile and zoologist.

Xantus (the aristocratic title "de Vesey" was an affectation, of which he had several variations) was born Xántus János in Csokonya, Hungary. Trained as a lawyer, he served as an officer in the nationalist uprisings of 1848-1849 in the Hungarian Army. Captured and exiled to Prague, arrested again, and escaped to the ppUnited States [ via England. In the U.S. he pursued a variety of occupations, including bookseller, druggist, teacher and, hospital steward in the U.S. Army. In the Army he met Dr. William Alexander Hammond, a collector for the noted zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird. Working under Hammond as an assistant surgeon, he soon developed an interest in natural history and became gifted collector himself. He managed to use the support of Baird and Hammond (later Surgeon General of the United States Army), getting them to write letters of recommendation on his behalf. On the basis of these he was given a consular position in Mexico, a position he promptly lost after embarrassing the Department of State by recognising a local rebelling warlord. Soon after this he returned to Hungary.

For thirty years until his death in Budapest in 1894 he served as the Director of the Zoological Garden of Budapest and as Curator of Ethnography at the Hungarian National Museum, as well as undertaking collecting expeditions in Asia.

Several animal and plant species have been named for him:

Animals:
* "Synthliboramphus hypoleucus" - Xantus's Murrelet
* "Hylocharis xantusii" - Xantus's Hummingbird
* "Labrisomus xanti" - Largemouth Blenny or Rock Blenny
* "Halichoeres xanti" - Earmuff wrasse, current sci. name Halichoeres bicolor
* "Umbrina xanti" - Polla Drum, Golden Drum, or Golden Croaker
* "Phyllodactylus xanti" - Xantus Leaf-toed Gecko or Leaf-toed Gecko
* "Portunus xantusii" - Xantus swimming crab
* Xantusiidae, the night-lizards family, plus the subfamily Xantusiinae and genus "Xantusia"

Plants:
* "Clarkia xantiana" - Xantus Clarkia or Gunsight Fairyfan
* "Euphorbia xantii" - Shrubby euphorbia
* "Chaenactis xantiana" - Xantus Pincushion or Mojave pincushion
* "Chorizanthe xantii" - Xantus Spineflower
* "Mimosa xantii"