Ad Konings
Encyclopedia
Ad Konings is an ichthyologist originally trained in medicine
and biology
. Konings is best known for his research on African rift lake
cichlids. After studies in Amsterdam
he has spent most of his life in Rotterdam
.
in Rotterdam. Most of this was DNA
-related work (molecular biology
).
In 1986 Konings moved to St. Leon-Rot, Germany
(near Heidelberg
), where he started to write books and breed Lake Tanganyika
cichlids. He also worked for 18 months at the University of Heidelberg Parasitology
Department.
He is also a prolific photographer, and a recent Google image search under his name yielded 6,900 images.
Two Lake Malawi cichlids have been named after him, namely Aulonocara koningsi by Patrick Tawil in 2003, and Placidochromis koningsi by Hanssens in 2004.
Late in her career famed ichthyologist Ethelwynn Trewavas mentored Konings, providing feedback and suggestions for his research. When her eyesight failed late in her life she asked him to accept her stereo
microscope
as a gift from the prominent African cichlid expert of the mid-20th century to the man who succeeded her in describing a multitude of new cichlid species.
Konings also was mentored by prominent fish explorer and exporter Stuart Grant early in his career, and when Konings married his wife Gertrud in 1996 in Malawi
Grant and his wife Esther were best man and maid of honor.
Konings moved to El Paso, Texas
, in 1996, relocating Cichlid Press along with his family. In interviews he has described a love of the area's climate and landscape as the reason for the move.
He occasionally leads expeditions to Lake Malawi
and lectures extensively around the world.
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
. Konings is best known for his research on African rift lake
Rift lake
A rift lake is a lake formed as a result of subsidence related to movement on faults within a rift zone, an area of extensional tectonics in the continental crust. They are often found within rift valleys and may be very deep...
cichlids. After studies in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
he has spent most of his life in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
.
Early life
Konings started keeping cichlids when he was 14 years old in 1970. Soon he was breeding rare African cichlids and working as an assistant to the largest tropical fish dealer in the Netherlands.Academic Studies and Early Career
From 1974-1980 he studied medical biology at the University of Amsterdam and was awarded his Ph.D. in 1980. He chose this field despite his love of ichthyology due to a fear that if he chose the latter field he would be unemployable. From 1980-1986. he did research on lysosomal enzymes at the Erasmus UniversityErasmus University
Erasmus University Rotterdam is a university in the Netherlands, located in Rotterdam. The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, a 15th century humanist and theologian...
in Rotterdam. Most of this was DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
-related work (molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
).
In 1986 Konings moved to St. Leon-Rot, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(near Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
), where he started to write books and breed Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
cichlids. He also worked for 18 months at the University of Heidelberg Parasitology
Parasitology
Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in question, but by their way of life...
Department.
As Publisher and Photographer
Konings started his own publishing company, Cichlid Press, in 1991. Its first book was titled the Cichlids Yearbook, vol. 1. The business grew and now publishes a number of cichlid guidebooks by Konings and other authors; its publications are often regarded as the standard reference works on various classes of African cichlids. Amazon booksellers list 36 different books or publications under his name.He is also a prolific photographer, and a recent Google image search under his name yielded 6,900 images.
Two Lake Malawi cichlids have been named after him, namely Aulonocara koningsi by Patrick Tawil in 2003, and Placidochromis koningsi by Hanssens in 2004.
Late in her career famed ichthyologist Ethelwynn Trewavas mentored Konings, providing feedback and suggestions for his research. When her eyesight failed late in her life she asked him to accept her stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
as a gift from the prominent African cichlid expert of the mid-20th century to the man who succeeded her in describing a multitude of new cichlid species.
Konings also was mentored by prominent fish explorer and exporter Stuart Grant early in his career, and when Konings married his wife Gertrud in 1996 in Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
Grant and his wife Esther were best man and maid of honor.
Konings moved to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, in 1996, relocating Cichlid Press along with his family. In interviews he has described a love of the area's climate and landscape as the reason for the move.
He occasionally leads expeditions to Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
and lectures extensively around the world.
Publications (Partial List)
- Malawi Cichlids in Their Natural Habitat by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Cichlid Press; 3rd edition (July 31, 2001); ISBN 0966825535; ISBN 978-0966825534
- Enjoying Cichlids by Kjell Fohrman, Mary Bailey, Ad Konings; Hardcover; Cichlid Press (November 30, 2002); ISBN 0966825578; ISBN 978-0966825572
- Celebrating Cichlids from Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Cichlid Press (August 31, 2005); ISBN 1932892028; ISBN 978-1932892024
- Tanganyika Cichlids in Their Natural Habitat by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Cichlid Press; ISBN 0966825500; ISBN 978-0966825503
- Guide to Malawi Cichlids by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Aqualog Verlag GmbH (January 1997); ISBN 3980560538; ISBN 978-3980560535
- Guide to Tanganyika Cichlids by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Aqualog Verlag GmbH (January 1996); ISBN 3928457373; ISBN 978-3928457378
- Konings' Book of Cichlids and All the Other Fishes of Lake Malawi by Ad Konings; Hardcover; TFH PublicationsTropical Fish HobbyistTropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine is a monthly magazine geared to hobbyist keepers of tropical fish, with news and information on a variety of topics including: Care & Maintenance, Aquascaping, Husbandry, Health & Breeding, Species Reports, Aquarium Technology, Aquarium Science, Exploration &...
(July 1991); ISBN 0866225277; ISBN 978-0866225274 - Cichlids from Central America by Ad Konings; Hardcover; Tropical Fish Hobbyist (February 1989); ISBN 0866227008; ISBN 978-0866227001
- The Cichlid Diversity of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa: Identification, Distribution and Taxonomy by Jos Snoeks and Ad Konings; Hardcover; Cichlid Press (November, 2004); ISBN 0966825586; ISBN 978-0966825589