Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 100. (Budapest 2008)

Bálint, Zs.: Lepidoptera collections of historical importance in the Hungarian Natural History Museum

History - The collection was created by TOBIAS KOY (*1757, Wien - f 1829, Buda), who lived in the HABSBURG ruled Hungarian Kingdom, and from 1787 was a treasurer of the "Hofkammer". After his death the KOY collection and library was purchased by FRIVALDSZKY (NENDTVICH 1872:13-14, BÁLINT & FRIVALDSZKY 2007). Then the collection was in the house of FRIVALDSZKY, who kept it as a curiosity. I could not find any record how the KOY collection became the possession of the HNHM. The FRIVALDSZKY collection was purchased by the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum (HNM = Hungarian National Museum) in 1864, and it is most probable that the KOY collection was included also in this act (MATSKÁSI 2002: 17). This is the probable case of the Lepidoptera material, but the Coleoptera specimens, which took the larger part of the collection according to KOY'S catalogue, simply disappeared. In 1956 a large portion of the collection (circa 400 specimens) was destroyed by flames caused by Soviet shells (BOROS 1957). Discussion - In his lifetime KOY published a technical paper how to collect insects (KOY 1801) plus a catalogue of his collection (KOY 1800). In this catalogue species collected by himself around "Ofen" (= Buda) is marked by normal letters and the species group names set in italics indicate taxa that are not native in the surrounding of his home city. This offers an authentic source for reconstructing the faunal history of the Budapest region, which went through tremendous changes during the 19

th and 20

th centuries because of the expansion of urban human settlements alongside of land use change, regulating the water courses, irrigating the whole region and cutting off the original oakwoods and riparian forests. KOY was the corresponding and exchange partner of several eminent and influential entomologist of his time, like EUGENIUS JOHANN CHRISTOPH ESPER (1742-1810), JOHANN CHRISTIAN GERNING (1745-1802), JOHANN KARL WILHELM ILLIGER (1775-1815) and GEORG WOLFGANG FRANZ PANZER (1755-1829) in Germany, and the Austrian JÁNOS MÓR BÖHM (? -1809), GEORG DAHL (1769-1831), OCHSENHEIMER and TREITSCHKE (about them see below in details), as he was highly regarded by all of these entomologists in their books and entomological accounts (ABAFI-AIGNER 1898, REBEL 1911: 270). Hence it is evident that KOY provided material for taxa described by the mentioned entomologists and some taxa were based on those specimens (as like Papilio admetus ESPER, 1785). He received material from his corresponding fellows in exchange and used the name they proposed. This latter aspect is testified by species listed in his catalogue (KOY 1800) (Fig. 4). KOY was most probably in avid correspondence with ESPER, even on technical matters, because their collection was built exactly in the same manner and they used the same mode for preserving specimens in individual glass boxes (HACKER 1998). Another interesting aspect of the KOY collection, that it was supplemented by many specimens by Imre FRIVALDSZKY (see below), who added Balkan and Anatolian taxa he discovered. For example in this material there is an authentic specimen of Lycena sephirus FRIVALDSZKY, 1835, and a pair of Hipparchia amalthea FRIVALDSZKY, 1845 (Fig. 5).