Rohan Pethiyagoda, Sri Lanka’s leading naturalist and a taxonomist of freshwater fish of Sri Lanka, won the prestigious “The Linnean Medal” award by the Linnean Society of London, which is the world’s oldest active society devoted to natural history. This medal is awarded annually by the council of the Linnean Society alternately to one or two biologists (in any field), as an expression of the society’s esteem and appreciation for service to science. Mr. Pethiyagoda is the first Sri Lankan scientist, and the second Asian scientist honored with this award since the program began way back in 1888.
The Linnean Society of London is the oldest functioning natural history society in the world. The Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), whose botanical, zoological, and library collections have been in our care since 1829. It was founded in 1788 by Sir James Edward Smith (1759–1828), who served as its first President. These unique collections will continue to be vital as a key source of plant and animal naming information. They are complemented by the society’s extensive library, which has important scientific and cultural resources.
Announcing the award, the official website of the Linnean Society of London highlighted the contributions of MR. Pethiyagoda towards the biodiversity of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Rohan Pethiyagoda has been an employee and advisor to the government of Sri Lanka, serving as Chairman of the Water Board in the 1980s. His 1991 monumental Freshwater Fishes of Sri Lanka was hailed as a landmark achievement, treating the island’s diverse ichthyofauna more comprehensively and authoritatively than ever before. Over the next decade, both Rohan and his Wildlife Heritage Trust (WHT), set up with the profits from the book, became synonymous with the exploration, discovery, and documentation of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity and the wider application of this to enhance the biogeography of the broader region. His program of original and collaborative research (both Sri Lankan and overseas) has resulted in publications on many zoological groups in addition to fishes. His impact on biodiversity research in Sri Lanka and beyond through his output and catalytic influence cannot be overestimated.”
Through his research, he has contributed immensely towards the conservation of the biodiversity of Sri Lanka. His work in identifying new fresh water fish species has been recognized globally. As of now, Mr. Pethiyagoda and his research partners have discovered and described almost 100 new species of vertebrates from Sri Lanka, including fish, amphibians, and lizards, together with 43 species of freshwater crabs.
Honoring his contribution to the biodiversity research, many newly discovered animal species have been named after Mr. Pethiyagoda. Those include fishes Dawkinsia rohani and Rasboroides rohani; the microhylid frog Uperodon rohani; the dragon lizard Calotes pethiyagodai; the jumping spider Onomastus pethiyagodai and the dragonfly Macromidia donaldi pethiyagodai. Very recently, in 2020, a team of scientists led by S. D. Biju named a new genus of South and Southeast Asian tree frogs Rohanixalus, in Pethiyagoda’s honour.
