The 11th IFB Seminar: The Evolutionary Ecology of African Annual Killifish of the Genus Nothobranchius
Presentation Title: The Evolutionary Ecology of African Annual Killifish of the Genus Nothobranchius
Lecturer: David Okinyi Alila
Affiliation: University of Dar es Salaam (MUCE)
Date and Time: November 19, 2025, 15:00–16:30
Place: Online only
Registration URL: https://forms.gle/n44fgrq5uDetGYn38
Abstract: Dr. David O. Alila (University of Dar es Salaam – Tanzania) will present a seminar titled “The Evolutionary Ecology of African Annual Killifish of the Genus Nothobranchius” The talk will examine how ecological and evolutionary forces shape the extraordinary life histories, adaptations, and diversification of Nothobranchius killifish, a group of short-lived species inhabiting ephemeral wetlands across sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and experimental studies in Tanzania, the global hotspot of Nothobranchius diversity, Dr. Alila will highlight how ecological pressures drive rapid evolution, niche partitioning and sympatric coexistence. Importantly, he will demonstrate how these evolutionary traits underpin the species’ exceptional potential as native biological control agents against malaria mosquitoes, linking fundamental evolutionary ecology to practical, sustainable applications for biodiversity conservation and public health.