author
Cecil von Bonde
1895–1983
A pioneering South African marine scientist, he helped turn close observation of sea life into practical work for fisheries, ocean research, and teaching. His books and papers range from student texts to detailed studies of flatfishes, sharks, and the Cape crawfish.
1 Audiobook
Dissection of the Platana and the Frog
by J. D. F. (John Dow Fisher) Gilchrist, Cecil von Bonde
About the author
Born in Cape Town in 1895, Cecil von Bonde studied at the South African College and the University of Cape Town, where he went on to earn a PhD in zoology. Early in his career he lectured in zoology, worked with the marine biologist J. D. F. Gilchrist, and wrote practical texts for students as well as research on fishes and marine animals.
He later studied oceanography at the University of Liverpool and, after returning to South Africa, moved from university teaching into public scientific work. In 1928 he became Director of Fisheries and Government Marine Biologist, a role closely linked with the growth of marine research and the fishing industry in South Africa.
Von Bonde wrote widely on marine life, including flatfishes, skates and rays, fish migration, comparative zoology, and the biology of the Cape crawfish. Even though he is not best known today as a literary figure, his scientific writing helped shape how generations of students, researchers, and fisheries workers understood southern African seas.