Herzenstein received a degree in natural sciences and mathematics from
St. Petersburg University and was appointed as the custodian of the
Zoological Museum of the
Imperial Academy of Science in 1879 or 1880. He also supervised practical training at the
University for Women. In 1880, 1884, and 1887, he was commissioned to travel to the
Murman Coast of the
Kola Peninsula to study the mollusks and fishes there. His work, "Materialy k Faunye Murmanskavo Berega i Byelavo Morya," which was published in the
Trudy of the in 1885, became a standard reference. He co-wrote
Zamyetki po Ikhtologii Basseina Ryeki Amura (1887) and
Nauchnye Rezultaty Puteshestvi Przevalskavo (1888–91) with N. L. Varpakhovski. He also wrote
Ryby (St. Petersburg, 1888-91), and published "Ichthyologische Bemerkungen" in the '''' (1890-92). ==Species described==