Sir Andrew Smith – his contributions and connections to freshwater ichthyology in southern Africa

Abstract

Sir Andrew Smith (1797–1875), a medical officer in the British Army, was posted to South Africa from 1821 to 1837. During that time, he founded the South African Museum and made many valuable scientific contributions to a range of disciplines; however, his contributions to the discovery of freshwater fishes have not been specifically discussed. Smith was the first to publish descriptions of southern African freshwater fishes in South Africa. He described seven new species in his famed publication of “Illustrations”, a significant step forward in the knowledge of southern African freshwater fishes at the time. This article explores the contributions made by Sir Andrew Smith to freshwater ichthyology in South Africa.