Current vocation: Research Officer/Instructor at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
Interest groups: Southeast Asian freshwater (special interest in the families Balitoridae and Osphronemidae) and coastal fish, herpetology
Ramblings: I entered NUS in 1992 and volunteered for field work at the Systematics and Ecology Laboratory with Swee Hee, and was instantly hooked on field work and fish collections. Throughout my undergraduate years (1992-1995), I was heavily involved with fish work, both in the field and in the museum. After I had completed my Honours (1996) in the taxonomy of Betta (aka fighting fishes), I went on to do my Masters on the freshwater fishes of Jambi in Central Sumatra (1996-1998). It was a very interesting and daunting period, especially with the El Nino and the economic crisis. In 1999, I had the good fortune of being invited by the Smithsonian Institution as a short-term research visitor at the National Museum of Natural History. By then, I knew that Ichthyology was the line of job to which I pursued by doing the systematics of the Bornean Sucker Loach, which lead to my doctorate degree in 2003. After which I worked as a Research Assistant for a biodiversity consultancy project till 2004. I was extremely lucky to finally be in a job that I am happy with. Throughout these years of fieldwork, I have come to deeply appreciate the remaining natural habitats and ecosystems in Southeast Asia, despite the ongoing depletion.
Despite my professional interest in fishes, I still keep fishes for a hobby, although much scaled down now, having used to maintain up to 50 fish tanks. In my free time, I still try to catch up on my reading of fiction and periodicals; also to constantly update myself on photographic equipment, diving related articles and gastronomic pursuits (which explains the horizontal growth). In addition to scientific paper writing and being appointed as an associate editor in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology (2005) and editorial board member of the Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters (2005), I will try to find time to write popular articles.
In the near future, I would like to explore more of the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of not just Borneo, but of Southeast Asia.
Hobbies: photography (Nikon F-mount systems for land photography, Olympus Camedia system for underwater photography), SCUBA diving (BSAC sports diver), reading, eating : )
Selected scientific publications:
- Tan, H. H. & P. K. L. Ng, 2005. Homaloptera parclitella, a new species of torrent loach from the Malay Peninsula, with redescription of H. orthogoniata (Teleostei: Balitoridae). Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters, 16 (1): 1-12.
- Rüber, L., R. Britz, H. H. Tan, P. K. L. Ng & R. Zardoya, 2004. Evolution of mouthbrooding and life-history correlates in the fighting fish genus Betta. Evolution, 58 (4): 799-813.
- Tan, H. H. & K. K. P. Lim, 2004. Inland fishes from the Anambas and Natuna Islands, South China Sea, with description of a new species of Betta (Teleostei: Osphronemidae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Singapore, Supplement no. 11: 107-115.
- Tan, H. H. & K. K. P. Lim, 2002. A new species of Ellopostoma (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Balitoridae) from Peninsular Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Singapore, 50 (2): 453-457.
- Tan, H. H. & H. H. Ng, 2000. Catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) of central Sumatra. Journal of Natural History, 34: 267-303.
- Ng, H. H., H. H. Tan & K. K. P. Lim, 1999. The inland fishes of Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Singapore, Supplement no. 6: 169-187.
- Martin-Smith, K. M. & H. H. Tan, 1998. Diversity of freshwater fishes from eastern Sabah: annotated checklist for Danum Valley and a consideration of inter-and intra-catchment variability. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Singapore, 46 (2): 573-604.
- Ng, P. K. L. & H. H. Tan, 1997. Freshwater fishes of Southeast Asia: potential for the aquarium trade and conservation issues. Aquarium Science Conservation, 1: 79-90.
- Tan H. H. & S. H. Tan, 1996. The identity of Betta pugnax (Teleostei: Belontiidae), with the description of a new species of Betta from the Malay Peninsula. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Singapore, 44 (1): 419-434.
- Tan, S. H. & H. H. Tan, 1994. The Freshwater Fishes of Pulau Bintan, Riau Archipelago, Sumatera, Indonesia. Tropical Biodiversity, 2 (3): 351-367.
Selected popular articles:
- Tan, H. H., 2003 (December). Habitats of Betta ocellata. Anabantoid Association of Great Britain. Labyrinth131: 12-13.
- Tan, H. H., 2002 (January). Kalbar extravaganza. Today’s Fishkeeper, January 2002: 26-29.
- Tan, H. H., 1997 (June). Sarawak Quest 2. Aquarist & Pondkeeper, Ashford. 9706.
- Tan, H. H., 1997 (May). Sarawak Quest 1. Aquarist & Pondkeeper, Ashford. 9705.
- Tan, H. H., 1996 (April). Sarawak Quest I (1994). Anabantoid Association of Great Britain. Labyrinth86: 1-3.
Conferences attended:
- Ng, P. K. L.& H. H. Tan, 1997. Freshwater fishes of Southeast Asia: potential for the aquarium trade and conservation issues. Conference paper presentation and submission to the Aquarama 1997 held at the World Trade Centre in Singapore, May-June 1997.
- Tan, H. H. & P. K. L. Ng, 2001. The Torrent Loaches of East Asia (Teleostei: Balitoridae). Conference presentation and abstract submission to the Tenth European Congress of Ichthyology held in Prague, Czech Republic, 3-7 September 2001.
- Kottelat, M.& H. H. Tan, 2001. The freshwater fishes of Batang Hari basin, Sumatra. Conference presentation and abstract submission to the Tenth European Congress of Ichthyology held in Prague, Czech Republic, 3-7 September 2001.
- Tan, H. H., 2005. The diversity and zoogeography of Gastromyzon (Teleostei: Balitoridae) in Borneo. Oral presentation at the 7 th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference, held in Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C., 16-20 May 2005.
Fieldwork coverage:
Participated in various field trips collecting aquatic faunal specimens from 1993 to present for research purposes. Specimens deposited in the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research. Selected trips: April 2005 – Yunnan: Kunming, Dianchi decapod crustacean survey; February to March 2005 – Central Vietnam, Yokdon National Park and Ba Na Forest Reserve; August 2004 – Sarawak: Lambir, Loagan Bunut; Feb 2004 – Madagascar and Mauritius; Dec 2003 - central Sumatra; July 2003 - Philippines, Bohol; July 2003 – Sulawesi, Manado; Mar 2002 - Exercise Anambas, South China Sea Initiative, on board the Baruna Jaya VIII, collections from the Anambas and Natuna Islands; Oct 2001 - Brunei Darussalam, Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre; May 2001 - Vietnam, Nam Cat Tien National Park; Dec 2000 - Sabah, Crocker Range National Park; Mar 2000 - Indonesia, East Kalimantan, Pari-Lampunut plots [EIA survey]; Nov 1999 - Indonesia, East Kalimantan, Kayan-Mentarang National Park [WWF EIA survey]; May 1999 - Cambodia and West Thailand; Feb 1999 - Myanmar; Oct 1998 - South Thailand; April 1998 - Indonesia, West Kalimantan; Jan 1997 - East Thailand; Nov 1996 - Indonesia, Central Sumatra; Sep 1996 - Sabah, Danum Valley; June 1996 - Indonesia, Central and North Sumatra; May 1996 - Brunei Darussalam, fish survey of Sungai Belait and Tasik Merimbun with Brunei Museum; May 1995 - South Sarawak blackwater survey with Maurice Kottelat; May 1994 - Indonesia, Central Sumatra with Maurice Kottelat; April 1994 - Sabah, Sungai Kinabatangan survey with Muzium Sabah; Nov 1993 - Malaysia, Perak, Belum, MNS expedition; May 1993 - Indonesia, Pulau Bintan [EIA survey].
Last but not least:
Preservation is an artistic skill, learnt only through experience; so learn only from the best. |
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