Take your knowledge of fishes to the next level

Fishes of the World, Fifth Edition is the only modern, phylogenetically based classification of the world's fishes. The updated text offers new phylogenetic diagrams that clarify the relationships among fish groups, as well as cutting-edge global knowledge that brings this classic reference up to date. With this resource, you can classify orders, families, and genera of fishes, understand the connections among fish groups, organize fishes in their evolutionary context, and imagine new areas of research. To further assist your work, this text provides representative drawings, many of them new, for most families of fishes, allowing you to make visual connections to the information as you read. It also contains many references to the classical as well as the most up-to-date literature on fish relationships, based on both morphology and molecular biology.

The study of fishes is one that certainly requires dedication--and access to reliable, accurate information. With more than 30,000 known species of sharks, rays, and bony fishes, both lobe-finned and ray-finned, you will need to master your area of study with the assistance of the best reference materials available. This text will help you bring your knowledge of fishes to the next level.

* Explore the anatomical characteristics, distribution, common and scientific names, and phylogenetic relationships of fishes

* Access biological and anatomical information on more than 515 families of living fishes

* Better appreciate the complexities and controversies behind the modern view of fish relationships

* Refer to an extensive bibliography, which points you in the direction of additional, valuable, and up-to-date information, much of it published within the last few years

Fishes of the World, Fifth Edition is an invaluable resource for professional ichthyologists, aquatic ecologists, marine biologists, fish breeders, aquaculturists, and conservationists.

JOSEPH S. NELSON, PhD, (1937–2011) is the author of the first four editions, was a Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

TERRY C. GRANDE, PhD, is an expert in fish morphology, development, and phylogeny. She is Professor of Biology at Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, IL, USA.

MARK V.H. WILSON, PhD, is an expert in fish evolution, paleontology, and taxonomy. He is a Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and Affiliate Professor of Biology at Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, IL, USA.

Zusammenfassung

Take your knowledge of fishes to the next level

Fishes of the World, Fifth Edition is the only modern, phylogenetically based classification of the world's fishes. The updated text offers new phylogenetic diagrams that clarify the relationships among fish groups, as well as cutting-edge global knowledge that brings this classic reference up to date. With this resource, you can classify orders, families, and genera of fishes, understand the connections among fish groups, organize fishes in their evolutionary context, and imagine new areas of research. To further assist your work, this text provides representative drawings, many of them new, for most families of fishes, allowing you to make visual connections to the information as you read. It also contains many references to the classical as well as the most up-to-date literature on fish relationships, based on both morphology and molecular biology.

The study of fishes is one that certainly requires dedicationand access to reliable, accurate information. With more than 30,000 known species of sharks, rays, and bony fishes, both lobe-finned and ray-finned, you will need to master your area of study with the assistance of the best reference materials available. This text will help you bring your knowledge of fishes to the next level.

• Explore the anatomical characteristics, distribution, common and scientific names, and phylogenetic relationships of fishes
• Access biological and anatomical information on more than 515 families of living fishes
• Better appreciate the complexities and controversies behind the modern view of fish relationships
• Refer to an extensive bibliography, which points you in the direction of additional, valuable, and up-to-date information, much of it published within the last few years

MEMORIES OF JOE NELSON xxix

FOREWORD xxxiii

PREFACE xxxvii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xxxix

INTRODUCTION 1

Taxonomic Diversity 3

Importance to People 4

Systematics and Classification 4

Anatomical Terminology 7

Distribution and Biogeography 8

Human Impacts 11

PHYLUM CHORDATA 13

SUBPHYLUM UROCHORDATA (Tunicata: the tunicates) 15

Class ASCIDIACEA (ascidians), 15

Class THALIACEA (salps), 15

Order PYROSOMIDA, 15

Order DOLIOLIDA, 15

Order SALPIDA, 15

Class APPENDICULARIA, 15

SUBPHYLUM CEPHALOCHORDATA (Acrania, in part) 16

Order AMPHIOXIFORMES (lancelets), 16

Family BRANCHIOSTOMATIDAE, 16

Family EPIGONICHTHYIDAE, 16

SUBPHYLUM CRANIATA 18

INFRAPHYLUM MYXINOMORPHI 19

Class MYXINI, 20

Order MYXINIFORMES (1)hagfishes, 20

Family MYXINIDAE (1)hagfishes, 20

INFRAPHYLUM VERTEBRATA (vertebrates) 22

SUPERCLASS PETROMYZONTOMORPHI 23

Class PETROMYZONTIDA, 23

Order PETROMYZONTIFORMES (2)lampreys, 23

Family PETROMYZONTIDAE (2)northern lampreys, 24

Family GEOTRIIDAE (3)southern lampreys, 25

Family MORDACIIDAE (4)southern topeyed lampreys, 26

SUPERCLASS GNATHOSTOMATA (jawed vertebrates) 34

EUGNATHOSTOMATA, 40

GRADE CHONDRICHTHYOMORPHI 40

Class CHONDRICHTHYEScartilaginous fishes, 40

Superorder HOLOCEPHALIMORPHA, 50

Order CHIMAERIFORMES (3)chimaeras, 51

Family CALLORHINCHIDAE (5)plownose chimaeras, 52

Family RHINOCHIMAERIDAE (6)longnose chimaeras, 52

Family CHIMAERIDAE (7)shortnose chimaeras or ratfishes, 53

Subclass EUSELACHII (sharks, rays, and related fossils), 53

Infraclass ELASMOBRANCHII, 56

Division SELACHIIsharks, 58

Superorder GALEOMORPHI, 58

Order HETERODONTIFORMES (4)bullhead sharks, 59

Family HETERODONTIDAE (8)bullhead sharks, 59

Order ORECTOLOBIFORMES (5)carpet sharks, 59

Family PARASCYLLIIDAE (9)collared carpet sharks, 60

Family BRACHAELURIDAE (10)blind sharks, 60

Family ORECTOLOBIDAE (11)wobbegongs, 61

Order LAMNIFORMES (6)mackerel sharks, 63

Order CARCHARHINIFORMES (7)ground sharks, 68

Superorder SQUALOMORPHI, 73

Series HEXANCHIDA, 73

Order HEXANCHIFORMES (8)six-gill sharks, 73

Family CHLAMYDOSELACHIDAE (31)frilled sharks, 74

Family HEXANCHIDAE (32)cow sharks, 74

Series SQUALIDA, 75

Order SQUALIFORMES (9)dogfish sharks, 75

Series SQUATINIDA, 78

Order ECHINORHINIFORMES (10)bramble sharks, 78

Family ECHINORHINIDAE (39)bramble sharks, 78

Order SQUATINIFORMES (11)angel sharks, 79

Family SQUATINIDAE (40)angel sharks, 79

Order PRISTIOPHORIFORMES (12)saw sharks, 80

Family PRISTIOPHORIDAE (41)saw sharks, 80

Division BATOMORPHIrays, 80

Order TORPEDINIFORMES (13)electric rays, 82

Family TORPEDINIDAE (42)torpedo electric rays, 82

Family NARCINIDAE (43)numbfishes, 83

Order RAJIFORMES (14)skates, 84

Family RAJIDAE (44)skates, 84