THE chance discovery of a strange looking fish in a trawler captain’s nets almost 75 years ago changed the course of history at Rhodes University.
If it wasn't for the discovery of the fish by East London Museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, chances are the university’s renowned ichthyology department and nearby South African Institute for Aquatic Bio-diversity (SAIAB) would not exist today.
Detailing the global media frenzy that followed the discovery of the coelacanth – which experts thought had been dead for hundreds of millions of years – former JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology director Professor Mike Bruton described it as “one of the great biological finds of the century”.
Speaking at Scifest Africa, the Bah rain-based expert said if it were not for a combination of factors the land locked university would probably not even offer ichthyology today. What if captain Hendrick Goosen had not kept the fish? What if Courtney-Lati mer had not gone to to inspect the catch? And what if a Rhodes chem istry professor had not identified it?
Chances are the first and second coelacanth ever found would be somewhere else.
Housed at SAIAB, the remains of the first coelacanth found in Decem ber 1938 were identified by Rhodes University chemistry Professor JLB Smith when Courte nay-Latimer sent him a telegram to his Knysna holiday home. He con firmed the importance of the find and famously replied: “MOST IMPOR TANT PRESERVE SKELETON AND GILLS = FISH DESCRIBED.”
Bruton said his lifelong interest in the coelacanth research was sparked when he first sawlocked eyes on a specimen at in the East London Museum during a visit as a 10-year-old boy. “It caused a world sensation and brought East London Museum great renown.”
He said said the find in 1938 was remarkable considering the fish had survived for 400 million years and pre-dated dino saurs by 150 million years. A chemist, JLB Smith was an avid angler who had become an authority on identifying fish. His life and career changed for ever when he identified coelacanth.
Although rewards were offered and expeditions mounted to find another coelacanth, it took 14 years to find the next one. This time Smith managed to convinced then prime minister DF Malan to send a plane to the Comoros to get the fish – before anybody else could.
“JLB asked Malan for a plane to take a mad scientist to get a dead fish on an island,” Bruton explained.
Since then more than 300 coela canth have been caught and several filmed alive underwater. In 2008 Bru ton had the ultimate ichthyology experience when he went 198m down in a submersible to see coelacanth alive in their natural environment.
The wonders of life undersea are explored in an exciting new addition to Scifest – Water World at the renowned SAIAB facility.
Plans are in the pipeline to cele brate the historic find in East London, Grahamstown and other parts of in the world in late December this year on the 75th anniversary of the find. —
Historical fish discovery coelacanth may have changed Rhodes
If it wasn't for the discovery of the fish by East London Museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, chances are the university’s renowned ichthyology department and nearby South African Institute for Aquatic Bio-diversity (SAIAB) would not exist today.
Detailing the global media frenzy that followed the discovery of the coelacanth – which experts thought had been dead for hundreds of millions of years – former JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology director Professor Mike Bruton described it as “one of the great biological finds of the century”.
Speaking at Scifest Africa, the Bah rain-based expert said if it were not for a combination of factors the land locked university would probably not even offer ichthyology today. What if captain Hendrick Goosen had not kept the fish? What if Courtney-Lati mer had not gone to to inspect the catch? And what if a Rhodes chem istry professor had not identified it?
Chances are the first and second coelacanth ever found would be somewhere else.
Housed at SAIAB, the remains of the first coelacanth found in Decem ber 1938 were identified by Rhodes University chemistry Professor JLB Smith when Courte nay-Latimer sent him a telegram to his Knysna holiday home. He con firmed the importance of the find and famously replied: “MOST IMPOR TANT PRESERVE SKELETON AND GILLS = FISH DESCRIBED.”
Bruton said his lifelong interest in the coelacanth research was sparked when he first sawlocked eyes on a specimen at in the East London Museum during a visit as a 10-year-old boy. “It caused a world sensation and brought East London Museum great renown.”
He said said the find in 1938 was remarkable considering the fish had survived for 400 million years and pre-dated dino saurs by 150 million years. A chemist, JLB Smith was an avid angler who had become an authority on identifying fish. His life and career changed for ever when he identified coelacanth.
Although rewards were offered and expeditions mounted to find another coelacanth, it took 14 years to find the next one. This time Smith managed to convinced then prime minister DF Malan to send a plane to the Comoros to get the fish – before anybody else could.
“JLB asked Malan for a plane to take a mad scientist to get a dead fish on an island,” Bruton explained.
Since then more than 300 coela canth have been caught and several filmed alive underwater. In 2008 Bru ton had the ultimate ichthyology experience when he went 198m down in a submersible to see coelacanth alive in their natural environment.
The wonders of life undersea are explored in an exciting new addition to Scifest – Water World at the renowned SAIAB facility.
Plans are in the pipeline to cele brate the historic find in East London, Grahamstown and other parts of in the world in late December this year on the 75th anniversary of the find. —
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos