Eugène Arnaud (1922-2009)

Eugène Arnaud (1922-2009) had a passion for archaeology, geology and palaeontology. Member of the Archaeological Society of Saintonge during 30 years, he contributed to the discovery of several prehistorical and historical relics in Charentes. Working in a public works compagny, he had the possibility to collect many rocks and fossils and has gathered a remarkable collection. He lived at a few hundred metres only from the Cadeuil quarry and was probably the first person to collect amber in this locality, several decades ago. Since our first meeting in 2000, he donated us a large part of his amber collection, and was very enthousiastic for its scientific study. We have found several arthropod inclusions in his material and the two first new species to be described have been named in his honour: namely the Hymenopteran Protorhyssalodes arnaudi Perrichot, Nel & Quicke, 2009, and the Heteropteran Ambarcader eugenei Perrichot, Nel, Guilbert & Néraudeau, 2006 and lot of other unknown taxa, are still waiting for being published. He made a major contribution to the knowledge of amber insects from the mid-Cretaceous of Charentes and we are very grateful to him. Moreover, Eugène was an artist, sculpting both rocks and wood to give birth to strange and funny characters, and an extremely kind man. We dedicate this volume to him.