Aretz et al_2011.pdf - ORBi - Université de Liège

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Kölner Forum Geol. Paläont., 19 (2011)
M. ARETZ, S. DELCULÉE, J. DENAYER & E. POTY (Eds.)
Abstracts, 11th Symposium on Fossil Cnidaria and Sponges, Liège, August 19-29, 2011
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Masao MINATO (1915-1984)
Makoto KATO 1 & Yoichi EZAKI 2
1 Hokkaido University Museum, Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
2 Department of Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto,
Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-8585, Japan; ezaki@sci.osaka-cu.ac.jp
The late Professor Masao MINATO was very prominent in geological circles of Japan. He was a founding
member of the International Association for the Study of Fossil Cnidaria and Porifera and attended the first
(Novosibirsk, 1971) and the second (Paris, 1975) International Symposia of the Association and served as its
Vice-President for the first two terms.
MINATO was born in 1915 in Akita Prefecture and graduated from Hokkaido University in Sapporo in
1939. Upon graduation he became an assistant in the Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Hokkaido
University, in 1955 he was appointed Professor, and he retired from his position in 1979, and was named
Professor Emeritus. Unfortunately, he was killed by an accident at his home on Toubetsu, on April 16, 1984,
at the age of 68 years old while still very vigorous and active in his specialty.
MINATO’S area of expertise was remarkably diverse, covering Palaeozoic stratigraphy, palaeontology,
Cenozoic tectonism, structural geology, Quaternary geology, archaeology, and applied geology. His main
research theme, however, was the tectonic history of northern Japan during the Palaeozoic. And his study
of fossil corals was made in conjunction with this main theme. MINATO published no less than 360 scientific
articles and books, nearly one third of which are somehow connected with corals, including mention of
their geographic and stratigraphic occurrences, correlations based on them; as well as the illustration and
description of them, with appropriate discussions, etc.
His major coral works are the Monograph of “Japanese Carboniferous and Permian corals” (1955),
“Ontogenetic study of some Silurian corals of Gotland” (1961), and comprehensive treatments of such
families of the Rugosa as “Waagenophyllidae” (1965a), “Durhaminidae” (1965b), “Geyerophyllidae”
(1975a), and “Pseudopavonidae” (1975b). He created two new families in the Rugosa, and numerous new
genera and species. He coined such descriptive terms as “septal grating,” “pseudoherringbone
dissepiments,” and “clinotabulae.” The genus Minatoa was named for him by FLÜGEL (1974) based on an
Iranian Carboniferous coral species.
MINATO was a demanding and inspiring teacher. He trained no fewer than 160 undergraduate geology
students during his 40 years time at the university. MINATO used to say, “We should never forget that we
owe much to society for what we are. We are fortunate to do things we enjoy doing. So we ought to
concentrate and work hard on those things that we do, because we are professionals.” Students afterwards
kept this spirit in mind, with reference to his daily life and called it “Minatoism.”
MINATO had a very intriguing character, an extremely interesting speaker and with an attractive
personality. He was gentle, but at times short-tempered. He was kind and warm, although some regarded
him as cool. He was knowledgeable with a full stock of topics. His talk was witty, sometimes sarcastic, and
always informative.
The late Professor MINATO is still survived by Mrs. Chiyoko MINATO, three children, and is preserved in
our memory.
FLÜGEL, H. (1974): Minatoa, eine neue Rugosengattung aus der Sadar II-Formation (Bashkirium) Ostirans. - Archiv
Lagerstaettenforschung Ostalpen, SB 2: 95-107.
MINATO, M. (1955): Japanese Carboniferous and Permian corals. - Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido
University, ser. 4, 9: 1-202.
MINATO, M. (1961): Ontogenetic study of some Silurian corals of Gotland. - Stockholm Contributions in Geology, 8: 37-100.
MINATO, M. & KATO, M. (1965a): Waagenophyllidae. - Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, ser. 4, 12: 1-242.
MINATO, M. & KATO, M. (1965b): Durhaminidae. - Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, ser. 4, 13: 11-86.
MINATO, M. & KATO, M. (1975a): Geyerophyllidae. - Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, ser. 4, 17 : 1-21.
KATO, M. & MINATO, M. (1975b): The rugose coral Family Pseudopavonidae. - Journal of the Faculty of Science,
Hokkaido University, ser. 4, 17: 89-127.