LUC DE VOS: IN MEMORIAM8 December 1957-14 June 2003Luc De Vos, a remarkable Belgian ichthyologist, died on Saturday morning, 14 June 2003 in Nairobi, Kenya. For some time he had suffered from kidney problems, and while being treated for a lung infection, his kidneys blocked and he soon passed away.Tuur, as he was known to most people, started his career in ichthyology in 1979 in the Africa Museum in Tervuren (Belgium). He embarked on a systematic revision of the African Schilbeidae, a group of pelagic catfishes as part of his PhD programme under the supervision of Prof. Dr D. Thys van den Audenaerde. In 1984, after finishing his degree, he left the museum to work on the fishes of Rwanda in a collaborative programme with the Rwandese Institute for Scientific Research. He lived in Gisenyi at the shores of Lake Kivu for three years. There he married his wife, Clo, and started a family. In 1988, he joined the Belgian Technical Cooperation and became professor at Kisangani University in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). He explored the Kisangani area and much further a field where few, if any, ichthyologists had sampled before, thereby collecting precious samples for the Tervuren Museum. His Congo years were, he always claimed, his best. In 1990, he and several others were repatriated because of the political upheaval in the country. Back in Belgium he was contracted by the Catholic University of Leuven until he got the chance to go back to his beloved Africa; this time to Burundi. He first headed the ichthyology team at the start-up of a new regional centre for hydrobiology (CRRHA) in Bujumbura and later on became the project leader. He stayed on even during times of political unrest but in the end had to return to Belgium in early 1996. During the next year he worked at the University of Leuven and at the Tervuren Museum.In 1997 he joined the Flemish Association for Development Co-operation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) and left for Kenya to start up the Ichthyology Department at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in Nairobi, where he quickly became known as "Bwana Samaki", which translates as Mr Fish. During his time in Kenya, he supervised several MSc and BSc students in their dissertations and lectured part-time on fish systematics to post graduate students in Hydrobiology at the University of Nairobi. Also memorable was the course on 'Morphometric Data Analysis', which he organised twice and which attracted scientists from the Fisheries Department, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research institute (KMFRI) and several universities. The ichthyological library at the department is one of the best in the region and largely the result of his efforts. Until the time of his death, he was the chairman of the editorial board of 'Samaki News', a magazine covering all aspects of fisheries and other aquatic living resources in the region, to which he also contributed a number of articles. He furthermore renovated the public aquaria of the NMK, which are now popular with both tourists and local visitors.With some additional financial support, he managed to collect fishes in nearly every river system and lake in Kenya. He regularly hit the national and international press with his activities, such as the re-discovery of the giant pancake-headed catfish (Clarotes tarabinii) of which only one specimen was ever caught in a Somali river. He also took care of Kenya's first coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) and was actually preparing a coelacanth exhibition for both the Malindi and Nairobi musea at the time of his death. As a sign of respect and appreciation, the National Museums of Kenya will dedicate these exhibits to his memory.Luc De Vos was an outstanding field ichthyologist and we look back with much pleasure on the sampling trips we did together. He published about seventy scientific articles and reports, 30 of which appeared in peer reviewed scientific journals. This is remarkable in view of the fact that he often stayed in places where literature or reference collections were scarce so that he had to build them up from scratch with every new project. To stay abreast in his field he usually spent a large part of his holidays in Belgium at the Museum in Tervuren.Tuur's latest professional challenge was his East African Fish Diversity Project, which he had just started off. The aim was to bring together a group of East African ichthyologists to produce faunal lists and compile primary data on the fresh-water fishes of the region for the IUCN database.Life has not always been easy for Tuur, but he continued in his own particular style, not taking everything too seriously. For those who have known him well, there are plenty of anecdotes to remember and smile at. Many have enjoyed his warm hospitality and NMK staff in particular will remember 'Bwana Samaki' for his kind, friendly and humble attitude. His work, he took very seriously. He practised ichthyology in a no-nonsense style and disliked articles and reports that made things look better than they were.Tuur was 45 years young and is survived by his wife Clo Kayitesi and three children Nathalie, Joris and Hadi. He was a great colleague and a good friend, but most of all a genuine, good, warm and nice person.Jos Snoeks and Elizabeth Akinyi-OdhiamboBIBLIOGRAPHYArticles in journals with peer reviewDe Vos, L. (1981). Description of Eutropius nyongensis sp. nov. from the Cameroons (Pisces, Schilbeidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 95(4): 968-974.De Vos, L. (1983). Note on the synonyms of Eutropius mandibularis Günther, 1867 and Eutropius multitaeniatus Pellegrin, 1913 (Pisces, Schilbeidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 97(2): 268-287.De Vos, L. (1984). Note on the species of the genus Eutropius (Pisces, Schilbeidae) from the Quanza and Bengo Rivers (Angola), with description of Eutropius angolensis sp. nov. Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 8(2): 3-18.De Vos, L. (1984). Preliminary data of a systematic revision of the African species of the family Schilbeidae (Pisces, Siluriformes). Revue de Zoologie africaine 98(2): 424-433.De Vos, L. (1991). Description de Barbus tshopoensis spec. nov. du bassin du Zaire (Pisces, Cyprinidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 105: 97-103.De Vos, L. (1991). Les poissons du Parc national de la Ruvubu (Burundi). M.R.A.C. (Tervuren)/I.N.E.C.N. (Bujumbura-Gitega). Annales du Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 265: 1-26.De Vos, L. (1993) Le genre Chiloglanis (Siluriformes, Mochokidae) dans le bassin de la Ruzizi: description de deux nouvelles espèces. Journal of African Zoology 107: 153-168.De Vos, L. (1995). A systematic revision of the African Schilbeidae (Teleostei, Siluriformes). With an annotated bibliography. Annales du Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 271:1-450.De Vos, L. (1995). Synonymy of Barbus tshopoensis De Vos, 1991 and B. brazzai Pellegrin, 1901 (Teleostei; Cyprinidae). Note Ichtyologique. Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 19(4): 411-412.De Vos, L. (2001a). Synodontis manni (Teleostei : Mochokidae), a new catfish from the Lower Tana River, Kenya. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 12(1): 41-50.De Vos, L. (2001b). Rediscovery of the giant catfish Pardiglanis tarabinii (Siluriformes: Claroteidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 12(3): 213-214.De Vos, L., L. Janssens, J. Snoeks & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1987). Etude préliminaire des migrations verticales et cycle d'activité de quelques espèces d'Haplochromis (Pisces, Cichlidae) du lac Kivu. Revue de Zoologie africaine 101: 265-270.De Vos, L. & C. Leveque (1983). Etude systématique et morphologique du genre Eutropius en Afrique de l'Ouest (Pisces, Schilbeidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 97(3): 469-532.De Vos, L., M. Nshombo & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1996). Trematocara zebra (Perciformes; Cichlidae), nouvelle espèce du Nord-Ouest du lac Tanganyika (Zaïre). Belgian Journal of Zoology 126(1): 3-20.De Vos, L. & D. Oyugi, 2002. First capture of a coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae Smith, 1939 (Pisces: Latimeriidae), off Kenya. South African Journal of Science 98 (7-8): 345-347De Vos, L., L. Risch & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1995). Description de Xenotilapia nasus sp. n. (Perciformes, Cichlidae) nouvelle espèce de poisson des zones sous-littorale et benthique du Nord du lac Tanganyika. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 6(4): 377-384.De Vos, L. & L. Seegers (1998). Seven new Orthochromis species (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Malagarasi, Luiche and Rugufu basins (Lake Tanganyika drainage), with notes on their reproductive biology. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 9(4): 371-420.De Vos, L., L. Seegers , L. Taverne & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (2001). L'ichtyofaune du bassin de la Malagarasi (système du lac Tanganyika): une synthèse de la connaissance actuelle. Annales du Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 285: 117-135.De Vos, L. & P. Skelton (1990). Name changes for two common African Schilbeid catfishes, Schilbe mystus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Schilbe niloticus (Rüppell, 1829) (Siluriformes, Schilbeidae). Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 14(4): 323-326.De Vos, L. & J. Snoeks (1994). The non-cichlid fishes of the Lake Tanganyika basin. In K. Martens, B. Goddeeris & G. Coulter (eds.). Speciation in Ancient Lakes. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Beiheft 44 Ergebnisse der Limnologie. Pp. 393-407.De Vos, L. & J. Snoeks (1998). Die Nicht-Cichliden des Tanganjikasee-Beckens. In Tanganjikasee, Die Aquarium und Terarium Zeitschrift-Sonderheft, 1998. Pp. 30-35.De Vos, L., J. Snoeks & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1990). The effects of Tilapia introductions in Lake Luhondo, Rwanda. Environmental Biology of Fishes 27: 303-308.De Vos, L., J. Snoeks & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1990). Description de Haplochromis erythromaculatus, espèce nouvelle des lacs Bulera et Luhondo, Rwanda. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 1(3): 257-268.De Vos L., J. Snoeks & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (2001). An annotated checklist of the fishes of Rwanda (East Central Africa) with historical data on introductions of commercially important species. Journal of East African Natural History 90: 41-68.De Vos, L. & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1990). Description de Barbus claudinae sp.n. (Cyprinidae) avec synopsis des grandes espèces de Barbus du Rwanda. Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 14(1): 3-25.De Vos, L. & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1990). Petits Barbus (Pisces, Cyprinidae) du Rwanda. Revue Hydrobiologie Tropicale 23(2): 141-159.De Vos, L. & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1998). Le statut taxinomique de Synodontis serratus tanganyicae Borodin, 1936 du lac Tanganyika (Teleostei; Mochokidae): synonymie avec S. lacustricolis Poll, 1953. Journal of African Zoology 112(2):147-156.Reizer, C. X. Mattei, & L. De Vos (1980). Contribution à l'étude de la faune ichthyologique du fleuve Sénégal. V. Schilbeidae. Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Afrique Noire 42(A, 1): 181-200.Seegers, L., L. De Vos & D.O.Okeyo (2003). Annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of Kenya (excluding the lacustrine haplochromines from Lake Victoria). Journal of East African Natural History 92: 11-47.Skelton, P., L. Risch & L. De Vos (1984). On the generic identity of the 'Gephyroglanis' species (Siluroidei, Bagridae) from southern Africa. Revue de Zoologie africaine 98(12): 337-372.Snoeks, J., E. Coenen, L. De Vos, & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1989). Genetic Polychromatism in Lake Kivu Haplochromines. Annales du Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 257: 101-104.Snoeks, J. & L. De Vos (1987). Description de Haplochromis scheffersi sp. nov. du lac Kivu (Pisces, Cichlidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 100: 443-452.Snoeks, J., L. De Vos & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1997). The Ichthyogeography of Lake Kivu. South African Journal of Science 93: 579-584.Snoeks, J., D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde & L. De Vos (1987). Polymorphisme génétique des patrons de colorations et taxonomie des Haplochromis (Pisces, Cichlidae) du lac Kivu. Revue de Zoologie africaine 101: 293-295.Snoeks, J., L. De Vos, E. Coenen & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1990). Description de deux nouvelles espèces d'Haplochromis (Teleostei, Cichlidae) du lac Kivu, Rwanda. Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 14(1): 63-76.Taverne, L. & L. De Vos (1997). Ostéologie et morphologie d'un bariliiné nouveau du bassin de la Malagarasi (système du lac Tanganyika), Opsaridium splendens sp. n. (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Journal of African Zoology 111(4): 281-300.Taverne, L. & L. De Vos (1998). Clariallabes mutsindoziensis (Teleostei: Clariidae), nouveau silure du bassin de la Malagarasi (bassin du lac Tanganyika), Burundi. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 8(3): 211-220.Teugels, G.G., L. De Vos & J. Snoeks (1986). Botia macrolineata a new loach from India (Pisces, Cobitidae). Cybium Revue Européene d'Ichthyologie 10(2): 187-192.Teugels, G.G., L. Risch, L. De Vos & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1991). Generic review of the African bagrid catfish genera Auchenoglanis and Parauchenoglanis with description of a new genus. Journal of Natural History, London 25: 499-517.Thys van den Audenaerde, D.F.E. & L. De Vos (1982). Description of Eutropius djeremi sp. nov. from the Cameroons (Pisces, Schilbeidae). Revue de Zoologie africaine 96(1): 179-184.Proceedings of symposiaAgnese, J.F., L. De Vos & D. Oyugi (In press). Taxonomical problems within East African Nile Perch (Lates spp.): molecular and morphological approaches. Proceedings Symposium: Lake Victoria: A new beginning. LVFO/LVEMP. Jinja, Uganda, May 2000.De Vos, L. (In press). Revised checlist of non-cichlid fishes of the Lake Victoria catchment. Proceedings Symposium: Lake Victoria: A new beginning. LVFO/LVEMP. Jinja, Uganda, May 2000.Other publicationsDe Vos, L. (1986). Schilbeidae. In J. Daget, J.P. Gosse & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.), CLOFFA vol. II, Catalogue des poissons d'eau douce d'Afrique, ORSTOM, Paris, MRAC, Tervuren, Bruxelles. Pp. 36-53.De Vos, L. (1998). Give me air! NMK Horizons 3: 15.De Vos, L. (1999). Watch out, aliens in the water. (Aquatic introductions in Kenya). NMK Horizons 3(1): 13-14.De Vos, L. (2000). Obituaries: Keith Edward Banister (28 Sep. 1941-28 June 1999). Ichthos 64: 17.De Vos, L. (2001). Rediscovery of the giant pancake-headed catfish. NMK Horizons 5(2/3): 10-11.De Vos, L. (2001). A freshwater coelacanth story : the rediscovery of the giant pancake-headed catfish Pardiglanis tarabinii. Ichthos 66: 8-9.De Vos, L., M. Gashagaza & M. Kimbembi (1989). Résultats préliminaires d'un inventaire systématique et d'une étude du régime alimentaire des poissons de l'île Kungulu à Kisangani. Annales de la Faculté de Science, Université de Kisangani Numéro Spécial: 49-58.De Vos, L., M. Kazadi & E.W. Okangola (1989). Synopsis des Amphibiens et des Reptiles de l'île Kungulu (avec une liste de l'herpétofaune connue de la région de Kisangani. Annales de la Faculté de Science, Université de Kisangani Numéro Spécial: 59-66.Kimbembi, M.I. & L. De Vos (1989). Observations préliminaires sur la biologie de reproduction de Clarias pachynema Boulenger, 1903 (Pisces, Clariidae) de la rivière Ngene-Ngene à Kisangani (Zaire). Annales de la Faculté de Science, Université de Kisangani 6: 73-85.Abstracts of symposium presentationsDe Vos, L. (1979). An osteological study of Eutropius depressirostris and Schilbe mystus (Pisces, Siluriformes, Schilbeidae). Abstracts of the IVth European Congress Societas Europaea Ichthyologorum, Hamburg, Germany.De Vos, L. & M. Louette (1986). The function of a longer tail in immature raptors. Abstracts XIX⟨sup⟩mme⟨/sup⟩ Congrès ornithologique, Ottawa, Canada.Snoeks, J. & L. De Vos (1986). Preliminary results of a systematic research on the Haplochromis and related taxa of Rwanda. Abstracts Vth Congress Societas Europaea Ichthyologorum, Stockholm, p. 14.De Vos, L. (1990). The fishes of the region of Kisangani (Zaïre). Abstracts VIIth Congress Societas Europaea Ichthyologorum, Den Haag, Nederland 1990.Thys van den Audenaerde, D. & L. De Vos (1991). Biodiversity of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and their possible ancestral strains. Abstracts in Report on the First International Conference on the Conservation and Biodiversity of Lake Tanganyika, p. 115-117De Vos, L. (1993). Les Tilapias s.l. (Perciformes, Cichlidae) du bassin du lac Tanganyika. Abstracts International Workshop on Speciation in Ancient Lakes, Evolution, Biodiversity and Conservation, March 1993, Robertville, Belgium.Risch, L., A. Vandelannoote, L. De Vos, J. Kafurera & F. Ollevier (1993). Le Centre Régional de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée. Abstracts International Workshop on Speciation in Ancient Lakes, Evolution, Biodiversity and Conservation, March 1993, Robertville, Belgium.De Vos, L. (1994). Lake Tanganyika Basin Fishes and its biodiversity with comments on the rediscovery of poorly known species and on recently discovered species. Abstracts VIIIth European Congress Societas Europaea Ichthyologorum, Oviedo, Spain, p. 98.De Vos, L., L. Seegers, L. Taverne & D.F.E Thys van den Audenaerde. (1994). L'ichtyofaune du système de la Malagarasi (Bassin du lac Tanganyika). Abstracts symposium PARADI, Dakar, Senegal, Novembre 1993, p. 17.De Vos, L., L.Seegers, L. Taverne & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (1994). Composition et distribution de l'ichtyofaune dans les affluents du nord du lac Tanganyika. Abstracts 2ièmes journées Scientifiques du CRRHA, Bujumbura, mars 1994.Risch, L., L. De Vos & F. Nicayenzi (1994). Composition et distribution de l'ichtyofaune sur les plages sablonneuses du nord du lac Tanganyika. Abstracts 2ièmes journées Scientifiques du CRRHA, Bujumbura, mars 1994.De Vos, L. (1995). Fish diversity in Lake Tanganyika basin: some comments on less known or recently discovered species. Abstracts First Pan African Fisheries Congress on sustainable development of fisheries in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. Pp. 98.Pertet, F., R. Aman & L. De Vos (1998). The impact of pollution on aquatic living resources, with special reference to Kenya. Abstracts of the 5⟨sup⟩th⟨/sup⟩ session of the Organization of African Unity, Scientific, Technical & Research Commission, Inter-African Committee on oceanography, sea and inland fisheries, Mombasa, 4-8 May 1998.De Vos, L. (1998). Fish diversity in the Lake Tanganyika system with emphasis on the Rusizi basin in the north and the Lufubu system in the south. Book of abstracts of the International Conference for the Paradi Association and the Fisheries Society of Africa (FISA), Grahamstown, South Africa, September 1998, p. 30.De Vos, L., F. Pertet, K. Vanlerberge, S. Nuguti & M. Ntiba (1998). Present status of the fish fauna and fisheries of Lake Baringo, Kenya. Book of abstracts of the International Conference for the Paradi Association and the Fisheries Society of Africa (FISA), Grahamstown, South Africa, September 1998, p. 107.De Vos, L. (2000). The Non-Cichlids of Lake Victoria system: diversity, taxonomy and identification problems. Book of Abstracts, Symposium: May 2000: Lake Victoria: A New Beginning. LVFO (Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation). Jinja, Uganda, p. 29.Agnese, J.F., L. De Vos & D. Oyugi (2000). Taxonomical problems within East African Nile Perch (Lates spp.): molecular and morphological approaches. Book of Abstracts, Symposium: May 2000: Lake Victoria: A New Beginning. LVFO (Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation), Jinja, Uganda, p. 33.De Vos, L. (2001). Fish diversity of the Lake Victoria drainage. Book of Abstracts of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project. First National Scientific Conference, 15-19 October 2001, Kisumu, Kenya, p. 7-8.De Vos, L. (2002). The Freshwater Fishes of Kenya : an overview. Book of Abstracts, Annual Scientific Symposium and postgraduate Research Seminars (April 2002, Diani Beach, South Coast, Kenya). Kenya-Belgium VLIR project.ReportsCoche, A., L. De Vos, L. Grahm, T. Mopelwa & J.-E. Steen (1996). Report of the Joint evaluation by recipient countries, donor governments and FAO for the Aquaculture for Local Community Development and Utilization of Small Water Bodies Project (ALCOM) in Southern Africa.Rome, 115 pp., Annexed.De Vos, L. (1986). Contribution à la connaissance de l'ichtyofaune du Rwanda : clefs de détermination des espèces des lacs Bulera et Ruhondo et des dépressions du Bugesera et de l'Akagera. Rapport BUNEP, Kigali, janvier 1986, 57 pp.De Vos, L. (2002). Projet DAB-RWA/022 (Développement Agricole du Bugesera, Rwanda): Rapport de mission de diagnostic rapide du volet " Pêche ", RWA/922-DAB Bugesera II, Agence Luxembourgeoise pour la Coopération au Développement, 67 pp.De Vos, L. (2002). The Fishes of the Amboseli Swamps (Kenya, Tanzania). Report for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Mimeo National Museums of Kenya, 8 p.De Vos, L., J.-F. Agnese & J. Chirchir (1999). The Fishes of Lake Kamnarok (Kerio River Drainage). Report for the Baringo County Council, Kabarnet, Kenya. 11 pp.De Vos, L. & D. Nyingi (1999). Fishes from the Lower Tana River and associated small water bodies (zone between the Tana River Primate National Reserve and Garsen). Report for the GEF Tana River Project, Project Code A10: Fish and Wetland resources and their Potential for sustainable Utilisation, 30 pp.De Vos, L., D. Oyugi & J. Kioko Nguku (2000). Fishes and Fisheries from the Lower Tana River (Tana River Primate National Reserve). Report for the GEF Tana River Project, Project Code A10: Fish and Wetland resources and their Potential for sustainable Utilisation, 15 pp.Snoeks, J., L.De Vos & D. Thys van den Audenaerde (1991). L'ichtyofaune du Lac Kivu. RWA/87/012/DOC/TR/49, Projet de Développement de la Pêche au Lac Kivu, Rwanda,Doc. FAO, 30 pp.Teugels, G.G., J. Snoeks & L. De Vos (1991). Les poissons et les pêches (Bassin inférieur du Kouilou). Rapport d'impact pour Conoco, London.Teugels, G.G., J. Snoeks, L. De Vos & J.C. Diakanou-Matongo (1991). Les poissons du cours inférieur du bassin du Kouilou. Tauraco Research Report, 4, p. 109-139.