Rolf Grantsau

Grantsau was born in 1928 in Kiel, Germany. While graduating in biology, he was a student of Erwin Stresemann. The birds-of-paradise and the hummingbirds were the groups he most appreciated while in Germany, and he eventually came to Brazil in 1962 to study the later; he also worked with taxonomy of the birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, orchids, carnivorous plants, lichens and more, and as a taxidermist. He was also an illustrator, having illustrated his own work (including books) and of many other researchers.[1]

He was married to Ilse Grantsau, with whom he had two children, Marion Grantsau Engelbrecht, born in Germany, and Ingo Gratsau, born in Brazil.[1]

The following species and subspecies were described by him:

• Augastes scutatus ilseae 1967
• Phaethornis maranhaoensis 1968
• Threnetes loehkeni 1969
• Eupetonema macroura cyanoviridis 1988
• Hylocharis cyanus griseiventris 1988
• Phaethornis ochraceiventris camargoi(= Phaethornis margarettae) 1988
• Phaethornis pretrei minor 1988
• Amazona kawalli 1989 (with Hélio Camargo)
• Charadrius wilsonia brasiliensis 2008 (with P.C. Lima)
• Caprimulgus longirostris pedrolimai 2008

The species Drosera grantsaui (a carnivorous plant), Gnomidolon grantasaui (a beetle) and Formicivora grantsaui (a Thamnophilidae) were named after him.[1]