Nikolaus Poda von Neuhaus

Nicolaus (or Nicholas) Poda Neuhaus, ( born October 4, 1723 in Vienna, † April 29, 1798 in Vienna ) was an entomologist and a Jesuit.

Life and work

He began his studies first at the Academic Gymnasium, 1739 at the Vienna University. In 1740 he joins the Society of Jesus. Further studies in Leoben ( 1742), Klagenfurt ( 1743-1746 ), Jews Castle ( 1747 ), and studies in mathematics again in Vienna from 1748 to 1749, and theology from 1750 to 1753.

After completing his studies in Jews Castle in 1754, he taught in Klagenfurt (1755 ), Linz (1757 ) and then at the University of the Jesuits in Graz ( 1758-1765 ). He was also curator of the observatory and laid the basis for a collection of natural history. 1766 to 1771 he was professor of mathematics and physics at the Mining Academy Schemnitz (Hungary, now Slovakia ).

1761 published Poda in Graz Insecta Musei Graecensis, the first purely entomological work which followed the nomenclature by Carolus Linnaeus ( 1707-1778 ) complete.

After the dissolution of the Jesuit order in 1773 he settled down in Vienna. From this time he published nothing under his name, but it seems as if he were the author, or with Ignaz von Born (1742-1791) co-author Monachologia ... (1783 ), under the pseudonym Physiophilus. It is a satire, which comes in the guise of a natural history work.

Poda was confessor of Emperor Leopold II

In addition to a mineral collection he created an important insect collection that is lost.

Works

• Nicolaus Poda: Insecta Musei Graecensis, Graz 1761