Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 79. (Budapest 1987)

Matskási, I.: In memoriam Dr. Zoltán Kaszab (1915-1986)

zoogeographical consultant. Finally attention should be called to the monumental scries of Fauna Hungáriáé, published by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Zoltán Kaszab was editor-in-chief of this series since 1965. The series has recently reached its 161st part embracing the whole animal kingdom from the Protozoa to Mammalia (some 60% of the total Hungarian fauna numbering about 30,000 species have already been published here). Dr. Kaszab organized and developed this series, and wrote eight parts on the Coleoptera incorporating the entire Museum material into these parts, like that of Chrysomelidae, Cerambycidae, the families of Heteromera. This series plays an outstanding role in the research and practice of nature and environmental protection. The parts are not only basic works for Hungary, but in spite of its Hungarian language, they are widely used in Central Europe, especially in the Danube Basin. Through these studies, Dr. Kaszab has become one of the most highly honoured and warmly regarded research coleopterologists of our time. He was honorary member of the Soviet All-Union Entomological Society (Leningrad), the Royal Entomological Society of Belgium (Société Royale d'Entomologie de Belgique, Bruxelles), Yugoslavian Entomological Society (Jugoslavensko Entomolosko Drustvo, Zagreb), the Czechoslovak Society of Entomology (Ceskoslovenska Spolecnost Entomologická, Praha), and the Polish Entomological Society (Polskié Towarzystwo Entomologiczne, Warszawa). He was a corresponding member of the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris). In 1977 he was awarded the medal of "In Scientia Entomofaunistica Excellcnti"at the Vllth Symposium of SIEEC. In 1967 the Hungarian Academy of Sciences elected him to be corresponding member and in 1979, full member of the Academy. In recognizing his museological work in natural history and his scientific activity, that he exerted throughout his life, the Hungarian government gave him the State Prize, the highest national award, in 1980. Besides his scientific work he did a great deal in organizing research. He was a leading figure both as the director-general of the Hungarian Natural History Museum and as an organizer of scientific research in Hungarian zoology within the framework of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He was the president of the Zoological Committee of the HAS. He served on the editorial boards of four scientific journals. Dr. Kaszab's huge energy and capacity for the research work became legendary, as did so many aspects of his prodigious scientific productivity. The death of Dr. Zoltán Kaszab caused an irreplaceable loss to Hungarian zoology. His memory will be with us for a long time, as his works will commemorate his name in the world of science. * * *