WildNothos
THE NOTHOBRANCHIUS SITE
A Pioneer of Seasonal Fish Research - Dr Frederik L. Vanderplank
Among the early naturalists who explored the remarkable world of African seasonal fishes, Dr Frederik L. Vanderplank holds a special place.
A biologist by training, Vanderplank spent much of his professional life working in colonial Africa, where he studied tsetse flies and sleeping sickness for government agencies. His fieldwork took him to remote parts of what is now Tanzania, including the dry landscapes of Old Shinyanga, south of Lake Victoria.
There, among the temporary pools known locally as mbugas, he encountered small, brightly coloured fishes that would become the subject of some of the earliest detailed observations of the genus Nothobranchius.
During the late 1930s, he documented their extraordinary life cycle. He observed how these fishes inhabited temporary waters, laid their eggs in the muddy substrate, and disappeared as the pools dried beneath the African sun. Their eggs, however, remained buried in the soil, surviving months of drought until the returning rains brought the pools back to life. He also maintained these fishes in aquaria, studying their behaviour and recognising the importance of reproducing their natural wet and dry cycles for successful breeding.
His work extended beyond the study of fishes. Vanderplank also recognised the potential of native fish species in mosquito control, proposing that they could be introduced into stagnant waters to feed on mosquito larvae, offering an ecological alternative to the use of oil and petrol.
Another remarkable discovery was made during his African research. He investigated the extraordinary ability of certain midge larvae to survive almost complete dehydration. These larvae, now known as Polypedilum vanderplanki, became famous for their exceptional resistance to extreme environmental conditions. Their remarkable survival mechanisms have since attracted considerable scientific attention.
A drawing that connects generations
What makes Vanderplank’s work special to me is not only his scientific contribution but also his ability to appreciate the beauty of the creatures he studied.
In his field notebook, he made this watercolour painting of Nothobranchius fishes, capturing their intricate patterns and colours with remarkable care. This original drawing, produced nearly a century ago, is now among my most treasured possessions.
I have the privilege of keeping it framed on the wall of my fishroom. Whenever I look at it, I am reminded of the naturalist who once crouched beside muddy pools in Shinyanga, observing the same extraordinary fishes that have fascinated me throughout my own research and expeditions.
During my explorations south of Lake Victoria, I often thought about Vanderplank and the mbugas he had visited so many decades earlier. The possibility of encountering populations resembling the fish in his drawing became a personal motivation.
And eventually, I did.
Finding a fish whose appearance closely matched the one Vanderplank had painted was an unforgettable moment. For me, it was more than another field discovery. It was a connection across generations, bringing together two naturalists separated by almost a century but united by the same curiosity about the remarkable life hidden in Africa’s temporary waters.
His drawing remains on my wall as a reminder that every discovery begins with someone willing to look a little closer.