Odo Reuter

Odo Morannal Reuter (28 April 1850 – 2 September 1913) was a Finland Swedish zoologist and poet. He was a specialist on the heteropteran bugs.

Early life Reuter was born in Åbo (Turku) on 28 April 1850, and died there on 2 September 1913.

He became a student at the University of Helsinki in 1867. He gained his master's degree in philology in 1873, followed by a doctorate in zoology in 1877, when he became an associate professor of zoology.

Career

Reuter was a hemipterist, a specialist in mirid plant bugs, becoming the world's leading expert in this group at his time. He coined the term "parasitoid" to describe the way of life of species such as many wasps which feed on but do not immediately kill their prey. He published nearly 445 papers by 1907 most dealing with the Hemiptera.

In addition to systematics, he took an interest in movement and nutrition in insects. He also wrote popular natural science works for the general public.

He was dismissed from his position in 1910 due to prolonged leave on account of illness. He formally retired in 1910 due to long-term health problems. His enthusiasm remained, and in 1911, despite his blindness, he published Nattens sånger (Night's Songs) describing the experiences of his latter years. He died on 2 September 1913 in Turku.

Works Reuter's many publications on entomology include:

Revisio critica Capsinarum praecipue Scandinaviae et Fenniae, väitöskirja. 1875 Hemiptera Gymnoceratae Europae I-V. 1878–1896 Ad cognitionem Reduviidarum. 1881 Monographia Anthocoridarum orbis terrestris. 1885 Nya rön om myrornas omtviflade medlidande och hjälpsamhet. 1888 Revisio synonymica Heteropterarum palearcticarum. 1888 Corrodentia Fennica. 1892 Ängsmasken, dess härjningar i Finland och medlen till deras bekämpande. Finska Hushållningssällskapet, Åbo 1892 Monographia Ceratocombidarum orbis terrestris. 1893 Monographia generis Holotrichius Burm. 1893 Monographia generis Reduvius Fabr., Lam. 1893 Ängsmasken 2, Berättelse öfver en på K. Finska hushållningssällskapets bekostnad sommaren 1892 företagen resa i och för studium af ängsmasken och de naturenliga medlen till dess utrotande. Finska Hushållningssällskapet, Åbo 1893 Ängsmasken 3, Berättelse öfver på K. Finska hushållningssällskapet bekostnad sommaren 1893 företagna undersökningar om ängsmasken och medlen till dess utrotande. Finska Hushållningssällskapet, Åbo 1894 Neuroptera fennica : förteckning och beskrifning öfver Finlands Neuropterer. 1894 Species palæarcticae generis Acanthia Fabr., Latr. 1895 Species palaearcticae generis Acanthia Fabr., Latr. dispositae. 1896 Skadeinsekter i våra fruktträdgårdar. 1897 Thysaunoptera Fennica : förteckning och beskrifning öfver finska Thysanoptera. 1898–1899 Monographia generis Heteropterorum Phimodera Germ. Cum tabulis duabus. 1908 Monographia Nabidarum orbis terrestris : pars prior : cum tabula colorata. 1910 (B. Poppiuksen kanssa) Insekternas levnadsvanor och instinkter intill gryningen av de sociala instinkterna. 1913 He also wrote literary criticism, travel guides and poetry. His last works were produced when he was blind.