# Agassiz — The Origin of Species character guide

> Agassiz in The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Agassiz, Mr. Agassiz

**First appearance:** 0047-vi-difficulties-of-the-theory

## Who they are

A prominent naturalist who opposed the theory of evolution.

## Relationships

### [Charles Darwin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/charles_darwin)

_rivalry_

Agassiz was a prominent scientific opponent of Darwin's theory, advocating for special creation and polygenism.

## In the story

### [Effects of the Increased Use and Disuse of Parts, as Controlled by Natural Selection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/effects-of-the-increased-use-and-disuse-of-parts-as-controlled-by-natural-selection)

Noted the anomalous nature of blind cave fish such as Amblyopsis.

### [On the Imperfection of the Geological Record](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/x-on-the-imperfection-of-the-geological-record)

Mentioned as one of the palaeontologists who argued that the sudden appearance of species groups is fatal to transmutation.

### [On the Absence of Numerous Intermediate Varieties in Any Single Formation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/on-the-absence-of-numerous-intermediate-varieties-in-any-single-formation)

Mentioned as a naturalist who maintains that tertiary species are specifically distinct from living ones, despite slight differences.

### [On the Sudden Appearance of Whole Groups of Allied Species](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/on-the-sudden-appearance-of-whole-groups-of-allied-species)

Mentioned as one of the palaeontologists who urged the sudden appearance of groups as an objection to transmutation.

### [On the Sudden Appearance of Groups of Allied Species in the Lowest Known Fossiliferous Strata](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/on-the-sudden-appearance-of-groups-of-allied-species-in-the-lowest-known-fossiliferous-strata)

Maintained the immutability of species; also maintained the view that large islands existed near continents.

### [On the Affinities of Extinct Species to Each Other, and to Living Forms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/on-the-affinities-of-extinct-species-to-each-other-and-to-living-forms)

Mentioned for his terms 'prophetic or synthetic types' referring to intermediate fossil forms.

### [On the State of Development of Ancient Compared with Living Forms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/on-the-state-of-development-of-ancient-compared-with-living-forms)

Mentioned as one who insists that ancient animals resemble embryos of recent forms.

### [Dispersal During the Glacial Period](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/dispersal-during-the-glacial-period)

Called vivid attention to the Glacial period, providing a simple explanation for the distribution of identical species.

### [Development and Embryology](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/chapters/development-and-embryology)

Believed that ancient and extinct forms often resemble the embryos of existing species, a law Darwin discusses.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/agassiz
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters