Gyllenhaal, Leonhard

(b. Ribbingsberg, Sweden, 3 December 1752; d. Höberg, near Skara, Sweden, 13 May 1840)

entomology.

Gyllenhaal was a major in the army, a landed proprietor, and an amateur scientist who became one of Sweden’s foremost authorities on Coleoptera (a distinction that he shared with another amateur, C. J. Schönherr). His interest in nature was apparent early; as a child he was an avid collector of natural specimens, including plants, insects, and minerals. As he progressively concentrated on Coleoptera, Gyllenhaal had a special building constructed in the gardens of Höberg, his estate in Västergötland, for the housing and study of his collection. He generously shared his specimens with other collectors and institutions.

Gyllenhaal’s chief importance rests in one work, Insecta Suecica descripta (1808–1827). The title of this four-volume work would indicate that the author had intended a survey of all of Sweden’s insects, or at least more of them than the beetles. This wide design was not realized, and the book is concerned entirely with Coleoptera-conceived on the highest level and executed in the most minute detail, it became known and used throughout the world.

Gyllenhaal became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science in 1809 but published only one paper in its Handlingar. He was never closely involved with the Academy or its work, in part because of his age (he was fifty-seven at the time of his election) and because he did not like to leave Höberg, preferring to work undisturbed in his research building.

Gyllenhaal’s extensive collection of Coleoptera is now in the Zoological Museum of the University of Uppsala. Because of the number of its type specimens it is of great value to researchers even today.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gyllenhaal’s works are “Instrumenta cibaria insectorum aliquot Sueciae descripta,” in Nova acta Regiae Societatis scientiarum upsaliensis. 6 (1799), 117–132; Insecta suecicadescripta. Classis I. Coleoptera sive Eleutherata, 4 vols.: I-III (Skara, 1808–1813), IV (Leipzig, 1827); and “Ammärkningar rörande ett av Carl de Geer under namn of Attelabus glaber beskrifvet insect,” in Kungliga Svenska vetenskapsakademiens handlingar (l817), pp. 137–141. In addition, he contributed many articles on beetles to Schönherr’s monumental Synonymia insectorum (Paris, 1833–1845).

Bengt-Olof Landin