The darters are a fascinating group of colorful and diminutive freshwater fish whose beauty rivals that of the tropical reef fishes. Native only to North America, the darters occur widely, especially in the United States, but are little known to the general public, largely because of their small size -- few exceed six inches and some measure a mere one inch at maturity. This book is the first comprehensive guide to the darters, covering all named and several undescribed forms -- 140 species in all. Each species account includes a synoptic description to aid in separation of similar species and subspecies, a range map, and discussion of the species' distribution, natural heritage, abundance, and scientific name. An illustrated key and glossary will further assist scientists, students, fishermen, and aquarium specialists in identifying darter species. Central to this volume is the series of 144 handsome color photographs illustrating nearly all known darter species and several subspecies. Most of the specimens shown were caught by the authors at sites throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and photographed by them on site using a recently developed technique that captures the full brilliance of the living fish. Because of their importance as indicators of environmental quality, the darters are receiving increasing attention today from scientists and naturalists. Public interest was focused recently on the plight of the snail darter, but many other darter species are either threatened or endangered, and others face an uncertain future as human activities continue to degrade our waterways. All those with an interest in preserving the natural heritage of our rivers and streams will find this comprehensive guide to the darters an invaluable tool.

This informative new volume on the reproduction and development of zebrafish provides a timely and fundamental set of chapters presenting new data and critical reviews to the novice student and veteran researcher alike. It covers two major areas of zebrafish biology, reproduction and development, with toxicology emphasised in a number of chapters. Historically, reproductive biology of zebrafish has not been given the attention afforded to the more intensively studied aspects of embryonic development in this model species. In part, this may be due to fewer tools available to zebrafish reproductive biologists. However, with the advent of transparent juvenile and adult lines, new areas of reproduction research become visible both figuratively and literally. Two chapters are devoted to presenting these exciting new fish lines and examples of their use in research to the reproductive biology research community. Reproduction and embryonic development are a continuum which is emphasised in a new review on RNA-binding proteins in the zebrafish oocyte. It is increasingly clear that embryonic development is dependent upon factors present in the female gamete known collectively as "maternal effects", and these oocyte components are beautifully summarised in this chapter. Other chapters cover normal spawning periodicity and vitellogenic oocyte growth dynamics that should interest ovarian physiologists and those interested in zebrafish husbandry.

This book provides a good mix of both basic and applied topics in the hope that it will be useful and of interest to scientists working on finfish. It has 15 chapters written by 27 contributors and many of them are highly respected scientists. Given the global importance of salmon, contributors are from many countries including 11 from Japan and Russia. These authors bring slightly different and important perspectives to the book, and their expertise and research may not be known to many young scientists in Europe and in the Americas. The volume starts with an overview of salmon, their economic and social importance, and their impacts on the environment. Subsequent topics include morphological, physiological and behavioural differences between wild and farmed salmon; growth, food utilisation and water flow requirements of wild and hatchery salmon; the real and potential ecological impacts of sea cages and hatcheries; the potential use of waste product (gelatine) from the salmon industry; salmon behaviour and genetics including their broad applications that contribute to our understanding of fish biology, and nutritional and anti-nutritional factors in salmon culture. There are also chapters on environmental impacts and the economic importance of the commercial fishery and salmon farming industry; these are very important components of the industry, especially to the seafood sector.

'Scales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious.' Science

'Delightful' New Scientist

Seventy per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures and reigning supreme among them are the fish.

There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colours or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. And yet the mesmerising and complex lives of fish remain largely underrated and unseen, living hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight and out of mind.

Helen Scales is our guide on an underwater journey, as we fathom the depths and watch these animals going about the glorious business of being fish. As well as the fish, we meet devoted fishwatchers past and present, from voodoo zombie potion hunters and scientists who taught fish how to walk to nonagenarian explorers of the deep sea.

Woven throughout are vignettes of Helen's own aquatic explorations, from eerie nighttime dives with glowing fish and up-close encounters with giant manta rays, to floating in the middle of a swirling shoal being watched by thousands of inquisitive eyes.

As well as being a rich and entertaining read, this book will inspire readers to think again about these animals and the seas they inhabit, and to go out and appreciate the wonders of fish, whether through the glass walls of an aquarium or, better still, by gazing into the fishes' wild world and swimming through it.

'Engaging and informative' The Economist

Brazil is home to equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical, and subtropical climatic regions. The semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil, considered an area of drought polygon, has distinctive scrub vegetation referred to as Caatinga that covers over 10% of the Brazilian territory with approximately twenty million inhabitants. The Caatinga is considered one of the 37 Wilderness Areas of the World, and it plays an important role in the maintenance of regional macro-ecological processes, as well as indirectly supporting regions with biodiversity and endemism. The Brazilian semiarid region is also home to Neotropical fish species that occur in diversified aquatic ecosystems, exhibiting different strategies to survive and reproduce. In this scenario of fantastic diversity there exists an intensive and yet insufficiently known interaction of environmental factors and fish communities. To fully understand this it is necessary to know the details about how it works. For completed book description please visit our website at the link below.

This book presents topical research in the study of the physiology, habitat and conservation of eels. Topics discussed in this compilation include the species and geographic distribution of freshwater eels; the ecological risk for organotin accumulation in relation to life history in the anguillid eel; habitat use and migration in the Japanese eel anguilla japonica and quality and vitamin content of the eggs of the Japanese eel.

An essential reference for biologist, naturalists and scuba divers. The only reference that covers every known reef fish from the East Indian region.

Marine and freshwater biotoxins are a well-known problem in food safety, mainly for filter-feeding mollusks and for freshwater aquaculture. This is a challenging matter since, in recent years, toxic algal blooms seems to grow in frequency and duration, leading to longer closure of harvesting areas, disruption in trade, mortality in farmed fish and a growing concern in producers, consumers and health authorities. Unfortunately, in recent years toxins from far latitudes are emerging, leading to new human health problems. Research and exhaustive knowledge of a problem makes it easier to draw a scenario where the best management strategies are gathered. This book combines all if the information related to food-borne illness associated with marine or freshwater biotoxins, the anthropogenic and environmental factors that cause the appearance of toxic episodes and all available analytical procedures for phycotoxins detection.

B logging has revolutionised the way we communicate our interests and spread news. This book is a compilation of various articles from the blog, Tetrapod Zoology(currently hosted at www.scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology). As of early 2010, Tet Zoo - as it's affectionately known - is in its fifth year. It's become reasonably popular (it has a daily readership of several thousand) and is now well known internationally. Or, it is, at least, among people interested in zoology and in scientific blogging. Welcome to the world of Tet Zoo: mphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals(the tetrapods), living and fossil. Their evolution, ecology, behaviour and biology. Think killer eagles, dinosaurs, giant caimans, mystery cats and lake monsters

Reef Aquarium Success - Volume 1: Learn How To Maintain A Beautiful Mini-Ocean Environment Within Your Tank" is Volume 1 of the original electronic book "Reef Keeping Basics - Successful Reef Management." To assist in the marketing and promotion of that original book, the author - Eric V. Van Der Hope, decided to publish a paperback version of the book. Also, because the original electonic book comprised over 700 pages & over 300 colorful images, it wasn't cost effective to produce as a single printed book. Thus, "Reef Aquarium Success - Volume 1" has become part 1 of an extremely informative and educational resource.About "Reef Aquarium Success - Volume 1""A Comprehensive Reef Keeping Resource - Written by Hobbyists - For Hobbyists "Do You Want To Maintain A Beautiful Pristine Reef Environment Successfully, While Maintaining Proper Conditions For The Health of Your Tropical Fish, Invertebrates and Corals?Learn to master what it takes to successfully maintain a mini-ocean environment within your home or office Here's just a sample of what's revealed within the pages of "Reef Aquarium Success - Volume 1": Discover what the most important aspect to consider is before even beginning the thought of maintaining your very own mini-reef environment Learn 10 critically important steps to help guarantee your chances of establishing a successful reef tank.You'll get a revealing look at some of the most common mistakes hobbyists make that result in disastrous results. This is your opportunity to make sure that you don't do the same.Learn what type of water you should use - this can ultimately be your most important decision you make to help guarantee the success of your mini-ocean environment.Learn what the most important types of testing are at setup, how often it should be done, and what the parameters should be.There are several types of lighting arrangements you must choose from. Deciding what type of lighting is suitable for your tank will have a direct link to the survival of your reef environment.Learn how important a refugium is (usually in a sump below the tank) which has fast become one of the most useful filtration methods used by hobbyists around the world.This book is for everybody - especially for 'newbies'. There is no better way to learn more efficiently than from individuals who have been through it all before. If your goal is to be successful at something - then you must imitate someone who is doing it successfully Your chances of success within this hobby will increase dramatically if you do 1 thing - follow the advice from proven methods

Computation and Interpretation of Biological Statistics of Fish Populations, first published in 1975, deals with the general field of biological statistics of fish populations. It is a compilation of the more important procedures used to estimate abundance, age composition, rate of growth, and mortality rates in fish populations, with working examples of all the computations. Computation and Interpretation of Biological Statistics of Fish Populations is one of the most highly cited scientific references in the field of fisheries.

The primary purpose of this book is to provide for identification of estuarine and coastal fishes that may be encountered by angling, seining, or trawling on the Georgia coast. Sport and commercial species are emphasized, but all groups occurring on the Continental Shelf are discussed. This book will be especially useful to ecologists who need to identify species in order to study community structure within the estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Information on habitats and seasonality will also aid scientists in collecting certain species for research projects.

Ever since humankiind first ventured out onto the oceans, sailors came back with stories of sea monsters. For two hundred years, scientists have been attempting to classify these 'creatures' within an acceptable zoological frame of reference. The most important of these was produced by Professor Bernard Heuvelmans half a century ago. Michael Woodley, takes a look at Heuvelmans' classification model, re-examines it in the light of new discoveries in palaeontology and ichthyology over the past fifty years, and reaches some astounding conclusions.

The Okefenokee Swamp, located in southeastern Georgia and northern Florida, is the largest freshwater wetland in the United States. In this illustrated guide to the fishes of the swamp, Joshua Laerm and B. J. Freeman provide descriptions and drawings of thirty-six species, ranging from the American eel to the speckled madtom, chain pickerel, and blackbanded darter. For each fish, the authors include latinate, common, and variant names and discuss differences from similar species, local habitats as well as occurrences beyond the Okefenokee, and feeding and mating patterns. With each entry Laerm and Freeman also relate brief comments and tips borrowed from the folklore of the swamp and the experience of fishermen and cooks. The guide thus notes the variety of bait-from kernels of corn to rotten liver-that will hook a catfish; discusses which fishes are more easily taken by gigging; reveals the sport involved in catching the flavorful American eel; and identifies those fishes, such as the swamp darter, that are common as aquarium pets. Providing descriptions, drawings, and scientific and general information, Fishes of the Okefenokee Swamp is a complete handbook for the angler, naturalist, and scholar.

Fish, or lower vertebrates, occupy the basal nodes of the vertebrate phylogeny, and are therefore crucial in interpreting almost every feature of more advanced vertebrates, including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Recent research focuses on combining evolutionary observations - primarily from the fish fossil record - with developmental data from living fishes, in order to better interpret evolutionary history and vertebrate phylogeny. This book highlights the importance of this research in the interpretation of vertebrate evolution, bringing together world-class palaeontologists and biologists to summarise the most interesting, current and cutting-edge topics in fish evolution and development. It will be an invaluable tool for researchers in early vertebrate palaeontology and evolution, and those particularly interested in the interface between evolution and development.

For cognitive ecologists, fish biologists, animal behaviorists, and inquiring anglers. How and why do trout think? How do they decide where to eat and which food to eat? Why do they refuse to behave as predicted, stumping anglers by rejecting a larger fly for a smaller one or not responding at all to anything in an angler's box? How do trout know to bolt to one particular covered area after being hooked or flushed? Why can trout smell better than humans but not remember as well? Citing the most recent scientific findings in a readily understandable form, Thomas C. Grubb, Jr. addresses these questions and more in The Mind of the Trout. It is the first book to bring together many varied concepts of cognitive ecology as applied to trout and their salmonid relatives: char, salmon, grayling, and whitefish.

This handy illustrated guide covers the ninety-one species of sharks, skates, and rays found in waters along the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. It will be an essential reference for shark enthusiasts, coastal residents, tourists, aquarium visitors, scientists, and anyone interested in these fascinating fish. In his introduction, Frank J. Schwartz provides a general explanation of the physical features of sharks, skates, and rays. He also discusses matters such as the possible causes of shark attacks, conservation concerns surrounding sport and commercial shark fishing, breeding habits, and shark fossils. Each species of shark, skate, and ray is shown in a clear illustration, accompanied by a concise description and notes on its color, size, distribution, and occurrence. A series of keys based on physical characteristics will aid readers in accurately identifying each species.

A home aquarium seems a peaceful place. Gazing at its inhabitants as they swim slowly through their small universe is a soothing, even hypnotic, experience. But this seeming tranquillity is only surface deep. Like their wild counterparts, these tiny, glittering beings exhibit a wide array of fascinating behaviors.Stephan Reebs provides a delightfully entertaining, yet scientifically grounded, look at what fishes do and how they do it. From defending their young, to seeking out the perfect sexual partner, to telling time, fishes display a variety of behaviors that may not be readily apparent to the casual observer. Reebs not only describes the behaviors, but also outlines simple experiments that can be performed by observers wishing to learn for themselves just how resourceful and bizarre these creatures can be.How Fish Behave introduces us to damselfishes that sing like birds, elephantfishes that communicate electrically, and sticklebacks that deceive other fish into believing they have found food. Drawing on the experimental evidence behind such intrinsically interesting responses, Reebs demonstrates how science is conducted in the field of animal behavior."

This book provides a comprehensive collection of timely reviews of our current understanding of the fundamental principles of nitrogen metabolism and excretion in fish. Emphasis is placed on critical assessment of how new studies impact these topics, and the articles reflect the diversity of current research approaches.

"This work is unique and especially important because it brings together, for the first time, information on the entire fish fauna of the Gulf of Mexico. Other volumes cover only subsets of Gulf fishes....This represents the most complete survey of the ichthyofauna of the Gulf of Mexico ever compiled." -- Philip A. Hastings, Research Scientist and Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates, University of Arizona

The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world and contains over 15 percent of all known species of marine fishes. This diverse fish fauna has been the subject of many publications, but, until now, no work has ever surveyed all known species, including the deep sea fishes and those of the southern Gulf.

This book is the first of two volumes that will cover the entire fish fauna of the Gulf of Mexico. An introductory section that outlines the Gulf's geographical setting, geological origin, current patterns, tides, sediments, meteorology, ecology, and biological exploration is followed by a key for the forty-four orders of fishes known from the Gulf. Keys and descriptions are provided for families, which are arranged phylogenetically, and for the species, which are arranged alphabetically, described, and distinguished from similar species. All but a few species are illustrated.

Volume 2 is tentatively scheduled for publication in early 2006.