Claude Charles Goureau

Who was Claude Charles Goureau?

Claude Charles Goureau was a French soldier and entomologist.

In 1808, he entered L’École Polytechnique training there until 1810. He then spent two years at “L’école du génie” a Military Academy in Metz where he was awarded the rank of second lieutenant. During the siege of Magdeburg in 1812, he was promoted to the rank of captain, then, in 1814 to capitaine d’état-major and he also receive the Légion d'honneur. He was in command of various fortifications, those of Paris in 1840, but also forts guarding the English Channel at Mayenne, Ille-et-Vilaine, In 1846, he became an Officer of the Legion of Honour. After his retirement, in 1850, to Santigny, he became fully occupied with entomology. Goureau was especially devoted to the study of harmful insects. He became a member of the Société entomologique de France in 1835, becoming vice-president in 1842, 1844 and 1851, president in 1845 and 1852 and an honorary member in 1866. He is credited as being the first to recognize structural colors in the seemingly clear transparent wings of Drosophilidae in 1843.