Theodor Kleinschmidt

Johann Theodor Kleinschmidt (6 March 1834 in Wolfhagen – 10 April 1881 in Utuan, Duke of York Islands, Bismarck Archipelago) was a German trader, explorer and naturalist.

He also trained as an artist and then as a sailor and moved to the United States of America in 1843 but had to give up due to short-sight.

He launched out in business in Saint Louis (Missouri) while also showing skills as an artist.

The institution charged him with collecting natural history specimens, fauna and flora, in the Solomon Islands and New Hebrides, territories largely unexplored hitherto.

[2] The pink-billed parrotfinch (Erythrura kleinschmidti) was named in his honour by Otto Finsch.