Vlyssis Aldrovandi Patricii Bononiensis Monstrorvm Historia. Cvm Paralipomenis Historiæ Omnivm Animalivm. Bartholomævs Ambrosinvs ... uolumen composuit. Marcvs Antonivs Bernia in lucem edidit Proprijs sumptibus. Ad Sereniss. Et Invictvm Ferdinandvm II Magnvm Hetrvriæ Dvcem. cum Indice copiosissimo.

Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522 – 1605) worked as a physician and naturalist, mainly in Bologna; in 1552, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at that city's university, graduating as Doctor of Medicine in 1553. In 1555, at the young age of 33, he was appointed Professor for Philosophy, and for Medical Botany in 1556. In 1567 he founded one of the first botanical gardens in Europe in Bologna.
His work about malformations in humans, zoology and botany, Monstrorvm Historia, is part of an encyclopaedic work on the natural sciences – Historia animalium.
Revisions and additions were made to Monstrorvm Historia by one of his successors at the university, Bartholomäus Ambrosinus (1588 – 1657). In addition, the latter published the volumes on mammals, snakes and dragons on the basis of Aldrovandi’s manuscripts, while the latter was alone responsible for the revision of the books on birds, insects and lower animals (crustaceans, molluscs, cephalopods etc.).