Obituary ^2 02 ^ - 100^ Otto Appert: 1930-2012 On 29 May 2012 Father Otto Appert died in Ruswill, Switzerland, at the age of 82. He was born on 31 August 1930 and was the last of nine children. After studying in Nuolen and Werthenstein, Switzerland, he was ordained as a priest before being sent to Madagascar in 1959, where his main responsibilities were to conduct pastoral work in the Diocese of Morontbe, Toliara, and paleontological research. During the next seven years, Father Appert collected much fossil material before returning to his native Switzerland. Between 1966 and 1973 he published on his paleontological findings, work still considered an outstanding contribution to Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic paleobotany. His final publication in paleobotany appeared when he was 77 years old (Barale & Appert 2007). In 2004 Appert received the Amanz Gressly Prize from the Paleontological Society of Switzerland for his remarkable contributions to paleobotany. In 1973-90 Appert returned to Morombe and spent significant time further north in Manja, Toliara, where he continued collecting paleontological material, as well as being involved in botanical and ornithological work. Shortly Father Otto Appert (Olivier Langrand) after arriving in Madagascar in 1959, Appert started making observations on the region’s birds. He rapidly focused on the breeding in Zombitse forest, near Sakaraha, which was biology of endemic birds at the Mangoky Delta described in the early 1970s (Colston 1972) and (Appert 1966a,b, 1967, 1968a,b,c,d) and more named after him, Appert’s Tetraka Xmthomixis broadly in the area located between Toliara and apperti (originally in the genus Phyllastrephus). Morombe. This research, published in the 1960s Appert also published on migrants such as and 1970s, still forms an important base on flamingos and shorebirds that were not known the birds of western Madagascar. He described or poorly assessed with respect to their presence many important aspects of the natural history on the island. He continued to publish regularly of endemics such as Madagascar Crested Ibis in the 1980s and 1990s including on endemics Lophotibis cristata (Appert 1966a), Long-tailed such as the genus Newtonia (Appert 1997), Tylas Ground Roller Uratelornis chimaera (Appert eduardi and Bensch’s Mesite (e.g., Appert 1985). 1968b), Madagascar Cuckoo-Roller Leptosomus Most of his ornithological work, >25 discolor (Appert 1968a), Bensch’s Mesite Monias publications, was published in German in Journal benschi (Appert 1968c), couas (Coua spp.) (Appert fur Ornithologie or Der Ornithologischer Beobachter, 1966b, 1967, 1970a, 1980) and vangas (Vangidae) although a few were in French. He pioneered the (Appert 1968d, 1970b). These publications inclusion of bird photographs in articles (Appert remain primary references in modern Malagasy 1966a,b, 1967, 1968a,b,e, 1980), providing ornithology. He also discovered a new species an important visual element of species that in 112-Bull ABC Vol 20 No 1 (2013) Obituary some cases had not been previously illustrated Appert, O. 1968b. Zur Brutbiologie der Erdracke and were largely unknown to scientists. He was Uratelornis chimaera Rothschild. J. Ornithol. 109: always very precise in his reports, which made his 264-275. publications even more valuable at a time when Appert, O. 1968c. Beobachtungen anMonias benschi in information Madagascar’s birds was limited as Siidwest-Madagaskar. J. Ornithol. 109: 402M17. Appert, O. 1968d. La repartition geographique des very few observers worked the country during the vangides dans la region du Mangoky et la question socialist Second Republic from 1975 to 1992. de leur presence aux differentes epoques de l’annee. I was privileged to meet Appert several Oiseau & R.F.O. 38: 6-19. times, first in Madagascar during the 12 years I Appert, O. 1970a. Zur Biologie einiger Kua-Arten spent there between 1980 and 1996, but also in Madagaskars (Aves, Cuculi). Geogr. u. Biol. Tierre Switzerland in 1992, where he was recovering 97: 424M53. from health problems. He always welcomed the Appert, O. 1970b. Zur Biologie der Vangawurger opportunity to discuss bird matters, sharing his (Vangidae) Siidwest-Madagaskars. Ornithol. Beob. experience and ideas in his faint voice and his 67: 101-133. rolling accent as we conversed in French. Appert Appert, O. 1980. Erste Farbaufnahmen der worked independently, regularly publishing Rachenzeichnung junger Kuas von Madagaskar papers as a sole author, only three times as or (Cuculi, Couinae). Ornithol. Beob. 77: 85-101. with a co-author, to high scientific standards. His Appert, O. 1985. Zur Biologie der Mesitornithiformes name will remain attached to a few species of the (Nakas oder “Stelzenrallen”) Madagaskars und flora and the fauna of Madagascar: in addition to erste fotograflshe Dokumente von Vertretern der Appert’s Tetraka, a snake has been named for him Ordnung. Ornithol. Beob. 82: 31-54. (Liophidium apperti) (Domergue 1984), as well as Appert, O. 1997. Zur Verbreitung und Biologie der two plants, an aquatic plant (Appertiella hexandra) Newtonien (Gattung Newtonia, Sylviidae) der (Cook & Triest 1982) and a croton (Croton Mangokyregion in Siidwest-Madagaskar. Ornithol. appertii) (Leandri 1976). Beob. 94: 39-52. Father Appert leaves a large collection of Appert, O. 2011. Zur Brutsaison der Vogel im publications, the last, on the breeding biology Mangokygebiet, Siidwest-Madagaskar. Ornithol. Beob. 108: 173-204. of birds in the Mangoky region, published when Barale, G. & Appert, O. 2007. Gymnospermes s.l. du he was 81 years old (Appert 2011), which will Jurassique superieur du massif Manamana, Sud- continue to capture the interest of scientists and Ouest de Madagascar : une nouvelle paleoflore students intrigued by Madagascar and the island’s gondwanienne. Swiss J. Geosci. 100: 199-214. unique biodiversity, and indirectly will contribute Colston, P. R. 1972. A new bulbul from southwestern to its protection. Madagascar. Ibis 114: 89-92. Olivier Langrand Cook, C. D. K. & Triest, L. 1982. Appertiella a new genus in the Hydrocharitaceae. In Symoens, J.-J., References Hooper, S. S. & Compere, P. (eds.) Studies on Appert, 0.1966a. Beitrag zur Biologie und zur Kenntnis Aquatic Vascular Plants. Brussels: Royal Society of der Verbreitung des Madagaskar Mahnenibisses, Belgium. Lophotibis cristata (Boddaert). J. Ornithol. 107: Domergue, C. A. 1984. Notes sur les serpents de 315-322. la region malgache. Description de trois especes Appert, O. 1966b. La repartition geographique des nouvelles rapportees au genre Liophidium couas dans la region du Mangoky et la question de Boulenger, 1896. Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 5: leur presence aux differentes epoques de l’annee. 1109-1122. Bull. Acad. Malgache 44: 29—39. Leandri, J. 1976. Croton appertii, Euphorbiacee Appert, O. 1967. Die Rachenzeichnung beim Nestling nouvelle du Sud-Ouest de Madagascar. Adansonia des Braunkopf-Seidenkuckucks Coua ruficeps n. ser. 15: 331-332. olivaceiceps (Sharpe) von Madagaskar. Ornithol. Beob. 64: 52-56. Appert, O. 1968a. Neues zur Lebensweise und Verbreitung des Kurols, Leptosomus discolor (Hermann)./ Ornithol. 109: 116-126. Obituary Bull ABC Vol 20 No 1 (2013) - 113