Frans Vermeulen

COLLECTOR DATA
Full name	Vermeulen, Franciscus B. M.
Place of birth	Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Nationality	Netherlands
Date of birth	1949, September 10
Email	frans_at_aruba@icloud.com
Postal address	Tanki Leendert 194c, Aruba
Website	It Rains Fishes
Profession	Independent researcher

EXPEDITIONS
1989, July 6 to 30	GUY 1989	Guyana
1991	GUY 1991	Guyana
1992, January 15 to February 3	GY 1992	Guyana
1993	GUY 1993	Guyana
1996	GUY 1996	Guyana
1997	GUY 1997	Guyana
2000	SUR 2000	Suriname
2003	IsMar 2003	Venezuela, Isla Margarita
2003	SUR 2003	Suriname
2004	VEN 2004	Venezuela
2006	COL 2006	Colombia
2006	SSSV GUY 09-06	Guyana
2008	ARG 2008	Argentina
2008	COL 2008	Colombia
2009	COL 2009	Colombia
2009	VEN 2009	Venezuela
2010	SUR 2010	Suriname
2010, February 14 to March 7	VEN 2010a	Venezuela
2010	VEN 2010b	Venezuela
2011	SUR 2011	Suriname
2011	VEN 2011	Venezuela
2011	VEN 2011a	Venezuela
2011	VEN 2011b	Venezuela
2012	IVE 12	Venezuela
2012	VEN 2012	Venezuela
2013	COL 2013	Colombia
2013, October 9 to 30	SUR 2013	Suriname
2014, January 7 to 10	BON 2014	Bonaire (The Netherlands)
2014, September 24 to October 13	VEN 2014	Venezuela
2014, July 12 to 30	COL 2014	Colombia
2015	BOL-HV 15	Bolivia
2015	ICE 2015	Colombia
2016	ICE 2016	Colombia
2017	COL 2017	Colombia
2017	COL 2017a	Colombia
2018	COL-VM 2018	Colombia
2019	PER 2019	Peru
2019	COL 2019	Colombia
2022	PER 2022	Peru
2022	COL 2022	Colombia
2025	COL 2025	Colombia
2025	SUR 2025	Suriname
2025	GUY 2025	Guyana

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frans Vermeulen scientific bibliography - Huber, J.H., Killi-Data online (www.killi-data.org). Bibliography and Authors, 2025 (must be logged in to access)
Vermeulen, F.B.M. (2015) The Killi’s of the lost World. New World Killi Series, Pastelaria studios
Countless articles on specialized and killifish associations publications.

LECTURES
1979-1999, The Netherlands – Countless lectures given at bi-monthly club meetings.
1985-1999, Belgium – Several lectures given in regional clubmeetings.
1985-1999, Germany – Several lectures given in regional clubmeetings
2008, Syracuse, USA – Featured speaker at AKA Convention
2009, Wilhelmshafen, Germany – Guest spreaker (2 Lectures)
2009, Houston, USA – Featured speaker at AKA convention
2011, Baltimore, USA – Featured speaker at AKA Convention Baltimore, with “The Killies of Venezuela”
2012, Buxton, Great Britain – Guest speaker
2012, USA – Featured speaker at AKA convention – “Field collecting Rivulidae in the Guyanas”
2013, Portland, USA – Featured speaker at AKA Convention – “The Killies of Venezuela”
2014, Punte Fijo, Venezuela – Invited speaker
2015, Detroit, USA – Featured speaker at AKA convention – “New Rivulus discoveries in South America”
2018, Breukelen, The Netherlands – Guest speaker
2018, Detroit, USA – Featured speaker at AKA convention – “New Rivulus discoveries in South America”
2018, Stuttgart, Germany – Featured speaker at the annual DKG Convention
2020, Jacksonville, USA – Featured speaker at AKA Convention (2 lectures) – “Collecting in Peru” & “New Rivulus species from Colombia”

SPECIES DESCRIBED
Rivulus (Cynodonichthys) azurescens — Vermeulen, 2013. (one of the “four new species” described in Killi-Data 2013)
Rivulus (Cynodonichthys) pivijay — Vermeulen, 2013.
Rivulus (Cynodonichthys) ribesrubrum — Vermeulen, 2013.
Rivulus (Cynodonichthys) xi — Vermeulen, 2013.
Rivulus tomasi — Vermeulen, S. Valdesalici & J.R. García-Gil, 2013 (description published in aqua).
Laimosemion paryagi — Vermeulen, Suijker & Collier, 2012. (newly described species from the upper Mazaruni River, Guyana)
Kryptolebias sepia — Vermeulen & T. Hrbek, 2005 (Zootaxa—new species from Suriname)
Rivulus torrenticola — Vermeulen, 2000 (described from Guyana / Guyana Shield)
Rivulus mejiai — Vermeulen, 2020 (Killi-Data Series — new species from Colombia)
Rivulus foliiscola and Rivulus flammaecauda —two new sympatric species (Alto Río Negro) — Vermeulen & D.A. Mejía-Vargas, (Killi-Data Series:2020
Rivulus sladkowskii — Vermeulen, 2023 (description in Killi-Data, from Vaupés, Colombia)
Rivulus gomesi and Rivulus paradiseus with the redescription of Rivulus pacificus in Killidata Series 2023 by J. Huber, D.A. Meija & F.B.M.Vermeulen
Rivulus adrianae in Killidata Series 2022 by F.B.M.Vermeulen

BIOGRAPHY
Over the past four decades, Frans Vermeulen’s addiction to exploring natural killifish habitats has compelled him to travel repeatedly to little-explored and virtually unknown regions in Central and South America. He visited countries such as Venezuela and Colombia numerous times, and countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and the Guiana countries were also among his favorite destinations. As a self-taught ichthyologist, he has developed the knowledge necessary to appreciate the many novelties he discovered in these habitats and has scientifically described a total of 15 species, and counting. Within the specialist group of killifish enthusiasts, Frans Vermeulen’s encyclopedic knowledge and outstanding photographic skills have resulted in robust works, such as his enormous website www.itrainsfishes.net and fully colored book series, which make unique contributions to the ichthyology of a continent and are a feast for the eyes that will attract the attention of anyone who loves fish. But exploring the remote places where our aquarium fish come from is not for everyone… and so his lectures, his articles in renowned magazines, his book series, and his website www.itrainsfishes.net will teach anyone interested in aquatic life and natural habitats in general, but in the life of the colorful and spectacular group of Killifish in particular, more about the beautiful places on earth where these fish occur. Species Rivulus fransvermeuleni and Rachovia fransvermeuleni were named in honor of Frans Vermeulen.