This easy-to-use identification guide to the whales, dolphins and seals found in Southern African waters and the Southern Ocean is compact yet comprehensive.

Close to 50 species occur in the region: from the demonstrative Humpback Whale and Dusky Dolphin to the striking Leopard Seal and massive Blue Whale.

Behavioral and Neural Genetics of Zebrafish assembles the state-of-the-art methodologies and current concepts pertinent to their neurobehavioral genetics. Discussing their natural behavior, motor function, learning and memory, this book focuses on the fry and adult zebrafish, featuring a comprehensive account of modern genetic and neural methods adapted to, or specifically developed for, Danio rerio. Numerous examples of how these behavioral methods may be utilized for disease models using the zebrafish are presented, as is a section on bioinformatics and "big-data" related questions.

This book looks at how three kinds of strongly electric fishes literally became "electrical," and how they helped to change the sciences and medicine. These fishes are the flat torpedo rays common to the Mediterranean, the electric catfishes of Africa, and an "eel" from South America. The discovery of the electrical nature of these fishes in the second half of the 18th century was the starting point of the two fundamental advances in the sciences: on the physiological side, the demonstration that nerve conduction and muscle excitation are electrical phenomena, and on the physical side, the invention of the electric battery. Starting with catfish tomb drawings from Ancient Egypt and colorful descriptions of torpedoes from the Classical Era, the authors show how these fishes were both fascinating and mysterious to the ancients. After all, not only could they produce torpor and temporary numbness when touched, they could stun through intermediaries, such as wet nets and spears.
Various explanations were given for these remarkable actions in ancient times, including the idea that they might release some sort of cold venom. Through the Renaissance, they also tended to be associated with occult and magical qualities. During the 1600s, natural philosophers speculated that rapid movements of specialized muscles could account for their actions. This idea was widely accepted until the 1750s, when the possibility that their shocks might be electrical began to be discussed.
Showing how researchers set forth to provide support for fish electricity is a major focus of this book. Here the authors transport us into the jungles of South America and later show how some live eels were transported to London, where John Walsh demonstrated in1776 that they can actually spark.
Subsequent chapters deal with further evidence for specialized fish electricity and how electric fishes helped to change ideas about even our own physiology. The authors also show how these fish remained a part of medicine, and how Volta modeled his revolutionary "pile" or electric battery on their anatomy.
From beginning to end, this drama is firmly anchored in the philosophy and science of the day. Moreover, with biographical information about the key players, readers can fully appreciate what they were thinking as they tried to understand one of Nature's greatest puzzles - a mystery that would transform nerve and muscle physiology in ways that earlier generations could not have anticipated. Although a scholarly volume, the book's style is generally narrative and, with its hundreds of magnificent illustrations, it should appeal to a large audience.

Biology and Physiology of Freshwater Neotropical Fish is the all-inclusive guide to fish species prevalent in the neotropical realm. It provides the most updated systematics, classification, anatomical, behavioral, genetic, and functioning systems information on freshwater neotropical fish species. This book begins by analyzing the differences in phylogeny, anatomy, and behaviour of neotropical fish. Systems such as cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, reproductive, muscular, and endocrine are described in detail. This book also looks at the effects of stress on fish immune systems, and how color and pigmentation play into physiology and species differentiation. Biology and Physiology of Freshwater Neotropical Fish is a must-have for fish biologists and zoologists. Students in zoology, ichthyology, and fish farming will also find this book useful for its coverage of some of the world's rarest and least-known fish species.

Biology and Ecology of Venomous Marine Scorpionfishes examines the diversity, utilization, and ways to safeguard against the world's most dangerous fish species. It covers the biological and ecological factors that differentiate each species in the Scorpaeninae (Scorpionfish) family and its Pteroinae (Lionfish) subfamily. This book offers important anatomical and identification information on marine scorpionfishes and delves into the diversity, habits and behaviors of each venomous species. In addition, it discusses the health risks that can plague these fish in and out of the wild, including parasites. This book is an essential resource to educate marine biology researchers and students on the various species of scorpionfish that also provides sea-goers with a guide that will help protect them against venomous stings from these fish.

With some 480 currently known fresh- and brackish-water fish species, Suriname has a rich inland fish fauna that is related to the most diverse freshwater fish fauna on planet Earth, i.e. that of the Amazon River. Interest in the freshwater fishes of Suriname by naturalists and scientists extends back over more than two centuries. Suriname is undoubtedly the site of origin of the oldest extant preserved specimens of South American fishes and 19 Surinamese fish species were described and figured by Linnaeus. Building on ichthyological studies initiated in the 1960s by the Brokopondo Project, this book provides an introduction to the freshwater fish fauna of Suriname, including identification keys, photographs of the species and descriptions of their habitats, that should be especially useful to decision makers, conservation biologists, aquarium hobbyists and eco-tourists.

This is a reprint of the book Sharks of the Order Carcharhiniformes, first published in 1988. The book is a general review, taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the carcharhinoids, the largest group of living sharks, which comprises almost 60% of the known shark species. Students of shark biology have been hampered by the lack of a comprehensive and rigorous account of shark morphology. With this work, Dr. Compagno offers not only the most comprehensive and detailed account of this important group but also one of the most comprehensive modern anatomic and phylogenetic studies on cartilaginous fishes available. It is an essential reference not only for researchers on carcharhinoids but also for those who study other families of sharks and for paleontologists interested in this ancient group of fishes. The book begins with a general account of carcharhinoid sharks. Chapters two through eleven include detailed discussions of character systems used in taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of carcharhinoids. Chapter twelve defines the Order Carcharhiniformes, lists its families and includes a taxonomic key to the families. Chapters thirteen through twenty review the eight carcharhinoid families and chapter twenty-one is an extended discussion of the phylogeny of carcharhinoids with cladistic analysis of taxa at various levels. L. J. V. Compagno is Curator of Fishes and Head of the Shark Research Center at Iziko - Museums of Cape Town, South Africa.

The Zebrafish: Disease Models and Chemical Screens, Fourth Edition, the latest volume in the Methods in Cell Biology series, looks at methods for analyzing genetics, genomics, and transcriptomics of zebrafish. Chapters cover such topics as gene-trap mutagenesis, genetic screens for mutations, gene editing in zebrafish, homologous gene targeting, genome-wide RNA tomography, developmental epigenetics, and the zebrafish interactome. * Covers sections on model systems and functional studies, imaging-based approaches, and emerging studies* Includes chapters written by experts in the field* Contains cutting-edge material on the topics discussed

Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology-evolution, development, ecology, and behavior-using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts.

Originally published as Bulletin of the US Bureau of Fisheries, Volume XLIII, 1927, Part I, this is a classic of the fisheries literature that has been out-of-print and unavailable too long. For each species included in the book, the authors attempted to provide common names, descriptions (in language as non-technical as possible), diagnostic characteristics, variations, food and feeding habits, spawning, embryology and larval development, growth rates, relative abundance, commercial importance, habitat and specimens in the Smithsonian collection.

Epizootic Ulcerative Fish Disease Syndrome covers both the background and current information on the EUS disease relevant to fisheries and aquaculture delivered in a systematic and succinct way. The book is an essential resource for the aquaculture and fisheries researcher interested in finding solutions to the spread of the disease across the globe and students in relevant programs, including an in-depth description and analysis of the disease, as well as the structure and composition of the virus, while offering prevention and control methodologies. Clinical veterinarians, aquaculture disease practitioners, farmers, and those who are interested in aquatic virology will find this book to be a useful guide on the topic.

This book introduces the theory and practice of Chinese freshwater fish culture to the world. Fish resources, reproduction, feeding and nutrition, genetics and breeding, fry and fingerling nursing, integrated fish farming, fish culture in lakes, reservoirs, pens and cages, luxury species culture, as well as disease control are described. A representative collection of the Chinese literature is cited, most of it exposed to the world for the first time. This volume will be invaluable to all aquaculturists and animal/fisheries scientists.

Amphioxus Immunity: Tracing the Origin of Human Immunity covers a remarkable range of information about Amphioxus and its evolutionary context. This compilation of what is currently known about Amphioxus, with a sharp focus on its immune system, includes 13 topics, such as: Amphioxus as a model for understanding the evolution of vertebrates basic knowledge of immunology immune organs and cells of amphioxus a genomic and transcriptomic view of the Amphioxus immunity pattern recognition system in Amphioxus transcription factors in Amphioxus the complement system of Amphioxus the oxidative burst system in Amphioxus immune effectors in Amphioxus lipid signaling of immune response in Amphioxus apoptosis in amphioxus; primitive adaptive immune system of Amphioxus and future research directions This valuable reference book is loaded with information that will be useful for anyone who wishes to learn more about the origin of vertebrates and adaptive immunity.

This fourth volume in the series covers such topics as endogenous fuels, electric organs, histidine-related dipeptides, and origins of luciferins. The book will be invaluable to fisheries scientists, aquaculturists, and animal biochemists, physiologists and endocrinologists; it will provide researchers and students with a pertinent information source from theoretical and experimental angles.

Fish, Justice, and Society is an in-depth look into the fishing industry, fish, and aquatic environments. This book delves past the facade of what may be known by the average fisherman, bringing to the surface new information about numerous species and aquatic habitats. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject of fish, law, and human behavior. It is a standalone work, but complements Cusack's Fish in the Bible (2017). It is a treatise on the subject of animal law while also serving the common fisherman information on compliance issues.