STAUDINGER Otto (02.05.1830, Groß Wüstenfelde, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany – 10.13.1900, Luzern, Switzerland) – German entomologist-lepidopterologist, one of the largest dealers in the world, specializing in the acquisition and sale of insects to museums, academic institutions and individuals.

Otto Staudinger first introduced in entomology from the estate of his father's tutor Wagner, collecting beetles. While Otto was only six or seven years. However, in the summer of 1843, when his father bought the estate Lübsee near Güstrow, Otto began at the direction of coach Herman purposefully gather a collection of butterflies.

Since October 1845 he studied at the Gymnasium in Parchim, and the summer of 1849 received a matriculation certificate (diploma qualifying university entrance).

In October 1849, Otto Staudinger has studied at the University of Berlin, where he studied medicine. In the second semester, he moved on to study natural history under the influence of extremely interesting lectures on zoology Dr. Stein. From June 1850 to autumn 1851 he undertook entomological excursions during which demonstrated his passion for the clearwing moths (Sesiidae), and in particular currant Synanthedon tipuliformis detected in the cemetery Stralau. That same autumn O. Staudinger, after a long ill and its occurrence he was advised to travel. From May to August 1852, he held on Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc in the area, traveled through Symplon to Genoa, and then – always on foot - along the Riviera, Nice, Marseille, Montpellier, and which remained until the end of November communicating with local entomologists. In January 1853 he went to Paris to study and improve French Italian and English. At Easter 1853 he was again resumed training in Berlin, during which he rapidly gathered representatives Sesiidae. In 1854, for the scientific work "De Sesiis agro Berolinensis" he received a doctorate in philosophy.

From April to October 1854, Otto Staudinger was in Sardinia with the intent to identify the larvae of Papilio hospiton, and in 1855 – in the Alps (Carinthia), in April 1856 – traveled to Iceland with K. Kalish. Returning from a trip in the fall of 1856 he enlisted daughter entomologist Grabow, and married her January 21, 1857. The same night the couple went on a trip – Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia, Almeria, and from there to Malaga, where we stayed for a month. They then spent nine months in Granada (in Alhambra), where Otto actively collecting entomological collection, and November 2 had a daughter. In December, he and his wife traveled through Malaga Chiclana near Cadiz, where they spent the first half of 1858. In July of 1858 – they finally got back to Berlin, and in 1859 – to Dresden.

Due to the fact that the trip had a lot of money with the help Staudinger father founded the business and began to sell parts of their collections. Over the years it has grown into a successful business of global importance. In Dresden in 1864 Staudinger built – Diana-Bad, a steam room, and Irish-Roman bath, which helped him to receive treatment for colds. In 1874 he moved to «Villa Diana» in Blasewitz, near Dresden. There was a huge collection of well appointed and all materials for exchange and trade. The collection also contains types Lederer, Herryh-Schaeffer, Atkinson and other prominent entomologists. Himself Otto visited many countries of the Mediterranean area in relation to fauna. As a scientist was a very good expert palearctic butterflies and played a key role as the initiator of entomological collection facilities in many parts of the world. Not only did he buy the collection, but he often sent special collectors and naturalists of insects. This Staudinger time to publish lists of goals fauna areas that were unexplored in relation Entomological before.

Research interests: include taxonomy Palearctic butterflies, collecting collections representatives Macrolepidoptera. By 137 publications, including: Catalog der Lepidopteren Europa's und der angrenzenden Länder (Dresden, 1861, 1871, co-author); Katalog der Europaeischen Faunengebiets Lepidopteren (1871); Lepidopteren-Fauna Kleinasiens (1881), Die Macrolepidopteren der Amurgebietes (1892); Catalog der Lepidopteren des palaearctischen Faunengebietes. I. Theil: Famil. Papilionidae - Hepialidae (Berlin, 1901).

In 1879, in the business of selling real entomological entomologist entered Andreas Bang-Haas, who married the daughter and became co-owner Staudinger firm called «Staudinger & Bang-Haas». Growing company in 1884 moved to a larger house in the "Villa Sphinx". Since mid-1880 Staudinger concentrated on the work in taxonomy Lepidoptera, business and instructed Bang-Haas. It was the work of his life. He described hundreds if not thousands of taxa Macrolepidoptera. Otto Staudinger died October 13, 1900 at recreational trips to Lucerne in Switzerland.

Honorary Member Russian Entomological Society.

References: Staudinger Otto // Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 tons and 4 extra). – St. Petersburg, 1890-1907; Anonymus ["S."] (1901): Dr. Otto Staudinger †. – Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift "Iris", 13: 341-358; Draeseke J. (1962): Die Firma Dr. O. Staudinger & A. Bang-Haas. – Entomologische Nachrichten, 6: 49-53 .

 

Shydlovskyy I.