Ifan memoriam

Hamlaoui, Sahima, Yéprémian, Claude, Duval, Charlotte, Marie, Benjamin, Djédiat, Chakib, Piquet, Bérénice, Bernard, Cécile & Duperron, Sébastien, 2022, The culture collection of cyanobacteria and microalgae at the French National Museum of Natural History: a century old but still alive and kicking! Including in memoriam: Professor Alain Couté, Cryptogamie, Algologie 20 (3), pp. 41-83 : 56

IN MEMORIAM :

PROFESSOR ALAIN COUTÉ (1938-2020)

Professor Alain Couté passed away, aged 82, on august 16th 2020. For 50 years, he was a phycologist at the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris. Born in Niort , France, in 1938, he entered the Cryptogamy laboratory in 1971 after a Master degree in Algology obtained from Pierre and Marie Curie University , Paris , in 1969. His thesis in 1972 was dedicated to the study of Liagora tetrasporifera . He was subsequently appointed by the French National Museum of Natural History. He was adjunct director (1988-1993) and director (1993-2003) of the Cryptogamy laboratory, in charge of the associated collections until 2007. He was professor emeritus since his retirement in 2007, and continued his activities in the laboratory “Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes” until his passing .

His research investigated the systematics of various groups of microalgae and cyanobacteria from a huge diversity of habitats, with a focus on their morphology and cytology involving expert use of electron microscopy. From 1997 on, he participated to develop an original new research line on cryptogams and toxicity with Pr Simone Puiseux-Dao (1930- 2018). A field scientist at heart, Professor Couté participated over 230 field sampling campaigns around the world that contributed documenting the biodiversity of algal taxa from the tropics to Greenland. An expert of scientific scuba diving, he founded the French association of scientific divers in 1979 and trained several generations of scientific divers.

Throughout his long career, Professor Couté published over 200 papers, and described over 150 new species. His drawings and pictures of microalgae and cyanobacteria were regularly used in public conferences and exhibitions. A leading algologist, he was president of the French Society of Phycology (1997-2012), editorial board member of Cryptogamie, Algologie (1978-2007) and Algologia (1994-2000), and member of the advisory council of Algological Studies / Archiv für Hydrobiologie (1990-2008).

Professor Couté was passionate about the beauty and richness of aquatic life forms, and was eager to share his immense knowledge with colleagues, students as well as the public. Until the end, he trained new generations of algologists all around the world. Alain Couté has left, but he leaves his colleagues and friends with vivid memories of his humanity and generosity, and a scientific heritage that is an enduring source of inspiration.

An extended version including list of his publication is available as Appendix 2 (in French).