caption death_date death_place birth_place nationality fields workplaces birth_date known_for residence image article_title name alma_mater
joel asaph allen 29 august 1921 usa springfield , massachusetts american ornithology zoology american zoology american association for the advancement of science museum of academy comparative zoology audubon society american philosophical society of arts and sciences museum of comparative 19 july 1838 allen 's rule usa joel asaph allen 1838-1921 . png joel asaph allen
 joel asaph allen harvard university
joel asaph allen

joel asaph allen -lrb- july 19 , 1838 -- august 29 , 1921 -rrb- was an american zoologist , mammalogist and ornithologist .
he became the first president of the american ornithological union , the first curator of birds and mammals at the american museum of natural history , and the first head of that museum 's department of ornithology .
he is remembered for allen 's rule , which states that the bodies of endotherms -lrb- warm-blooded animals -rrb- vary in shape with climate , having increased surface area in hot climates to lose heat , and minimized surface area in cold climates , to conserve heat .
