Fish tales on the Kowie
The Rocky: Sandelia bainsii - a Kowie River fish with a rich scientific history
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/cbyexz36Keywords:
Sandelia bainsii, Kowie River, Ichthyology, Andrew Geddes Bain, Count Castelnau, Andrew Smith, The “Rocky"Abstract
This article traces the scientific and historical journey of Sandelia bainsii—the “Rocky,” a rare and threatened freshwater fish native to the Eastern Cape’s Kowie, Great Fish, Keiskamma, and Buffalo rivers. Its story intertwines natural history, colonial exploration, and taxonomy. The species was first illustrated in 1815 by army ensign Robert Henry Dingle, briefly described by Andrew Smith in 1831, and formally named by Count Castelnau in 1861 after Chief Bains and explorer Andrew Geddes Bain. Once abundant, the Rocky is now near extinction in the Kowie River. Its evolutionary lineage links it to tropical labyrinth fishes of Africa and Asia, offering clues to ancient climatic conditions. Through the Rocky’s story, Paul Skelton illuminates the deep connections between science, colonial history, and South Africa’s unique aquatic biodiversity.
References
Buchanan, S. (2015). Burchell’s Travels. Cape Town: Penguin Books.
Burchell, W.J. (1822). Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa. Vols. 1–2. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.
Skelton, P.H. & Skead, C.J. (1984). Early reports and paintings of freshwater fishes in the Cape Province. Africana Notes and News, 26(1), 29–35.
Stewart, R. & Whitehead, M. (2022). Burchell’s African Odyssey: Revealing the Return Journey 1812–1815. Cape Town: Struik Nature.
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