Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792), climbing perch (Anabantidae), and its discovery in India

Abstract

This paper examines the history of discovery, early research and description of Anabas testudineus ( Bloch, 1792 ) (Anabantidae), an amphibious fish from southern India that was said to climb palm trees and so has been dubbed the “climbing perch”. Amphibious fishes constitute one of the most unusual groups of aquatic creatures since they can spend part of their life in terrestrial habitats. The first reports of such fishes date back to Antiquity, but with the onset of the Age of Discovery, naturalists were able to find actual examples of tropical amphibious fishes and send preserved specimens to Europe. A fish which could move overland and was rumoured to clamber up tree trunks became known to European naturalists through the efforts of a variety of people. Many of them were amateur naturalists whose main activities included politics, commerce and missionary work. The species was described by Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) in 1792, but this would not have been possible if the Reverend Christoph Samuel John (1747–1813) had not obtained specimens in India and sent them to Berlin. Around the same time, Lieutenant Dagobert Karl Daldorff ( fl. 1790–1802) documented the unusual amphibious behaviour of this fish. Thanks to others, Anabas testudineus was illustrated (albeit inaccurately) and the first scientific description published.