The animals loosely termed fish constitute more than half of all known vertebrate species. There are approximately 27,000 described living species of bony fishes (Euteleostomi = Osteichthyes), about 70 species of hagfishes and some 34 species of lampreys. Approximately 970 species are chondrichthyans, the sharks and their relatives, which were the subject of volume 3 in this series. It is perhaps because fishes live in a buoyant medium, whether it be fresh or sea water, that they show a diversity in body shapes that is unparalleled by other vertebrates. There is also a unique diversity in the modes of reproduction, whether by external or internal fertilization, and this, with the morphology and fine structure of the reproductive system and its components, is the subject of Part A. Part B deals with complementary topics: testes, sperm, and sperm competition; endocrinology of reproduction; pheromones and reproduction; copulatory structures: taxonomic overview and the potential for sexual selection; sexual selection: signaling and courtship; adaptation and evolution of reproductive mode in copulating cottoid species; fertilization; sex determination; parental care; reproduction in relation to conservation and exploitation of marine fishes; Cryopreservation of Gametes; Embryogenesis and Development; and Molecular Genetics of Development.

Understanding the biology of the innumerable number of aquatic species on our planet is the focus of sustained research efforts. Environmental degradation, management or rehabilitation of wild stocks, and the forecasted climatic changes are fueling interest in the study of the ecology, feeding behavior, and nutrition of aquatic animals in their natural habitat. In parallel, the rapid expansion of aquaculture in many parts of the world has supported vigorous research programs on nutrition, and feeding of cultivated aquatic organisms. More than 250 aquatic species are cultivated on a commercial scale using a wide variety of production systems. This great diversity results in great opportunities and tremendous challenges. Topics covered in this book are as diverse as, feeding ecology of fish in their natural habitat, feeding behavior, digestive anatomy, biochemistry and physiology of different fish species at different life stages, the impact of diet on gastro-intestinal development and health, nutrition and disease resistance, and modeling conversion of food or feed inputs into biomass.

Gills of healthy fishes are their lifeline to meet the challenges arising from their changing environment: oxygen gradient, alkalinity, temperature fluctuations and the added pollutants. The diverse and ever changing aquatic environment has a major impact on the organization of various organ-systems of fishes. This book contains seventeen chapters covering bony fishes which are focal to the current study. The chapters primarily cover fish respiration but also include osmoregulation, these being the two main functions of gills. Concurrently, cardiorespiratory synchronization has been well addressed. It is hoped that this book with its broad coverage and well-supported with illustrations will not only infuse interest in readers but merit a permanent place on the shelves of ichthyological literature.

This seven-volume series is the most extensive treatise on early life histories of the freshwater fishes of North America. It represents the state-of-the-art in fishery biology and provides a systematic approach to the study of early life histories of all the fishes in this region. Each volume contains distinguishing characteristics and a pictorial guide to the families of fishes in the OR Drainage, followed by chapters on the families. This series fills a gap in the literature, providing information on the spawning habitat requirements, reproductive behavior, and ecological relationships during the first few months of life for most species. This fifth volume examines the families aphredoderidae through sciaenidae.

Pacific salmon inhabit a vast ecosystem that encompasses the rivers within and the ocean between coastal countries. From steep, cold snowmelt streams to major tributaries, from estuaries to the deep ocean, the range of Pacific salmon includes the Tachia River in Taiwan, the permafrost zone of Chukotka that flows to the Chukchi Sea, the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean between Japan and California, the streams and rivers of the Yukon Territory and British Columbia, and the myriad waterways in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California, as far south as Rio Santo Domingo in Baja California. The North Pacific Rim nations--the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan, China, and the Koreas--enjoy vastly different economic, ecological, and cultural relationships with salmon and, until now, the types of data available to assess the abundance and biodiversity of these fish were almost as varied as the scientists who collect them. Atlas of Pacific Salmon is the first book to apply a common, newly calibrated yardstick to measure, across this broad ecosystem, the state of Pacific salmon, which have suffered precipitous declines in abundance and diversity in recent decades. The only map-based assessment of distribution and risk of extinction for seven species of Pacific salmon at one consistent scale, under one authorship, the Atlas is the result of five years' work by Xanthippe Augerot and other foremost experts in the field. Using state-of-the-art GIS mapping tools, this book offers a multidimensional view of Pacific salmon populations from a watershed perspective, through the natural boundaries in which the fish migrate, spawn, and mature. More than three dozen stunning full-page maps overlay the human, climatic, geological, and environmental impacts on salmon populations.

The major aim of this work is, to help clarify the interrelationships of catfishes, with major implications on the study of the general evolution of these fishes. A great part of this work, therefore, deals with a cladistic analysis of catfish higher-level phylogeny based on extensive morphological data, in which are included some terminal taxa not included in previous analyses, but principally a large number of characters traditionally excluded from those analyses, with particular attention being given to catfish morphology. This analysis gives particular importance to complex, integrated structures. It will be interest to students, ichthyologists and biologists working in evolution, taxonomy and phylogeny.

This is a landmark volume in South Carolina marine biology for specialists and sportsmen alike. A scientific milestone, this comprehensive illustrated guide to the characteristics, distribution, and ecology of freshwater fishes in South Carolina marks the first such endeavor since 1860 to document this aspect of the Palmetto State's diverse natural history. ""Freshwater Fishes of South Carolina"" is the result of longterm collaboration between a quartet of leading experts on the state's freshwater fishes - Fred C. Rohde, Rudolf G. Arndt, Jeffrey W. Foltz, and Joseph M. Quattro. From mudminnows and sunfishes to lampreys and sturgeons, the guide describes more than one hundred fifty species of freshwater and coastal estuarine fishes that spend all or major portions of their lives in the fresh waters of South Carolina. For each species the authors provide diagnostic characteristics including size, markings, similar species, and sexual dimorphism as well as information on biology, habitat, and distribution. Color photographs and detailed distribution maps accompany each description. The volume also includes a history of ichthyology in South Carolina, a chapter on methods for the collection and identification of fishes, and a chapter on conservation biology documenting species of concern for the state and reasons for their decline. This handsome reminder of the rich biodiversity in South Carolina's rivers, streams, and lakes serves not only as a vital scientific tool for marine researchers, students, resource managers, ecologists, and state policy makers but also as a valuable resource for sportsmen and natural history enthusiasts across the region.

In 1969 Peter Matthiessen set out with the expedition led by Peter Gimbel, whose aim was to find and film underwater for the first time the most dangerous of all sea creatures - the great white shark. Acting as the expedition's chronicler and spare hand (both on the surface and below), Matthiessen accompanied the crew from the Carribean to the whaling grounds off the Durban coast, to various islands in the Indian Ocean, to Ceylon, and finally to success off the bleak south coast of Australia. Blue Meridian records the awesome experience of swimming in open water among hundreds of sharks, the beauties of strange seas and landscapes and the camaraderie, humour and tension of people who live in close proximity and risk their lives day by day.

Hagfishes and lampreys, both examples of jawless fishes, are elongated, eel-like animals lacking paired fins, and are the only living representatives of ancient creatures that gave rise to current species of fish and, eventually, humans. This volume provides an overview of the current status of knowledge on a variety of topics related to jawless fishes, including their taxonomy, zoogeography, phylogeny, molecular biology, evolution, life history, role in the ecosystem, and fisheries and management of hagfishes and lampreys worldwide. This is the first book dealing exclusively with the various aspects of jawless fish species throughout the world. It brings together a number of papers providing new data on jawless fishes, and offers readers a range of useful information within a single reference, reflecting the growing appreciation for hagfishes and lampreys worldwide.

This book provides a useful text for research students and scientists on the latest knowledge about the immune system of fish, cutting edge technologies and the step required to develop, test and commercialise fish vaccines. It brings together information that is currently difficult to obtain in one book, and highlights problem areas and research topics that still need to be addressed to improve future vaccines.

Some of the world's most beautiful, intelligent and highly adapted mammals inhabit our seas and oceans, and have stirred the human imagination for many centuries. As our knowledge of marine mammals grows, the need exists for a reliable and complete reference to the ecology and biology of these fascinating creatures. The Handbook of Marine Mammals series was founded with this in mind and now reaches its conclusion with this sixth and final volume. Within the pages of this classic series, scientists, conservationists and informed layperson alike can find the definitive review of all the world's whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and related species as well as sea otters and sea cows. Volume 6 covers the remaining dolphins and porpoises in a series of 17 chapters, each written by a specialist author with extensive personal research experience of the species. Each chapter provides a description of the species, and includes sections on the aspects of distribution and abundance, anatomy, physiology, behavior, reproduction, parasites and diseases and the impact of human activity on the animal's population and well-being. Numerous maps, photos and drawings illustrate the text.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a valuable and common model for researchers working in the fields of genetics, oncology and developmental sciences. This full-color atlas will aid experimental design and interpretation in these areas by providing a fundamental understanding of zebrafish anatomy. Over 150 photomicrographs are included and can be used for direct comparison with histological slides, allowing quick and accurate identification of the anatomic structures of interest. Hematoxylin and eosin stained longitudinal and transverse sections demonstrate gross anatomic relationships and illustrate the microscopic anatomy of major organs. Unlike much of the current literature, this book is focused exclusively on the zebrafish, eliminating the need for researchers to exclude structures that are only found in other fish.

A composition of 74 of the most important commercial species of the Atlantic, with weights and sizes.