Fernandus Payne

Fernandus Payne (February 13, 1881 – October 13, 1977) was an American zoologist, geneticist and educator.

He undertook graduate studies at Columbia University with Thomas Hunt Morgan, his research took place when the use of fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster was being established in Morgan's lab.

One of Payne's projects was to breed flies in the dark, if a generation of blind flies was produced then a model of Lamarckism would be confirmed.

Payne returned to Indiana University where he was made associate professor.

He remained at the university for the remainder of his career, he was credited with introducing genetics to the university and attracting other researchers to IU like Hermann Joseph Muller and Salvatore Luria who both became Nobel laureates.