Fishes: A Guide to Their Diversity. Philip A. Hastings
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Labridae—Wrasses and Relatives
“Chromides”—Cichlids, Damselfishes, and Relatives
Cichlidae—Cichlids
Pomacentridae—Damselfishes
Embiotocidae—Surfperches
Nototheniiformes—Icefishes and Relatives
Trachiniformes—Weeverfishes and Relatives
Uranoscopidae—Stargazers
Pholidichthyiformes—Pholidichthyidae—Convict Blennies
Blenniiformes—Blennies
Tripterygiidae—Triplefin Blennies
Blenniidae—Combtooth Blennies
Labrisomidae—Labrisomid Blennies
Chaenopsidae—Tube Blennies
Blenniiform Diversity
Gobiesociformes—Gobiesocidae—Clingfishes
Gobiiformes—Gobies and Relatives
Gobiidae—Gobies
Eleotridae—Sleepers
Gobiiform Diversity
Acanthuriformes—Surgeonfishes and Relatives
Acanthuridae—Surgeonfishes
Acanthuriform Diversity
Xiphiiformes—Billfishes and Swordfishes
Scombriformes—Tunas and Relatives
Scombridae—Mackerels and Tunas
Scombriform Diversity
Stromateiformes—Butterfishes and Relatives
Icosteiformes—Icosteidae—Ragfishes
Caproiformes—Caproidae—Boarfishes
Anabantiformes—Gouramies and Snakeheads
Cottiformes—Sculpins, Eelpouts, and Relatives
Hexagrammidae—Greenlings
Cottidae—Sculpins
Liparidae—Snailfishes
Zoarcidae—Eelpouts
Cottiform Diversity
Ophidiiformes—Cusk-eels and Brotulas
Ophidiidae—Cusk-eels
Bythitidae—Viviparous Brotulas
Batrachoidiformes—Batrachoididae—Toadfishes
Lophiiformes—Anglerfishes
Antennariidae—Frogfishes
Ceratioidei—Deep-sea Anglerfishes
Lophiiform Diversity
Pleuronectiformes—Flatfishes
Paralichthyidae—Sand Flounders
Pleuronectidae—Righteye Flounders
Bothidae—Lefteye Flounders
Achiridae—American Soles
Cynoglossidae—Tonguefishes
Tetraodontiformes—Plectognaths
Balistidae—Triggerfishes
Monacanthidae—Filefishes
Ostraciidae—Boxfishes
Tetraodontidae—Puff ers
Diodontidae—Porcupinefishes
Molidae—Molas
Tetraodontiform Diversity
Glossary
References
Index
Phylogenetic hypothesis including all orders covered in this book
INTRODUCTION
In nearly every body of water around the world, the most abundant vertebrate is a fish. From the deepest parts of the ocean to high alpine streams, fishes live and reproduce, sometimes in places where no other vertebrates can survive. Whether peering out from a submarine while conducting deep-sea research, or stopping for a drink of water during a hike in the mountains, explorers, scientists, and naturalists find fishes.
With well over 30,000 species, fishes account for more than half of the total extant vertebrate diversity on Earth—in other words, there are more living species of fishes than of amphibians, turtles, lizards, birds, and mammals combined. Not only are fishes diverse in number of their species, but they are diverse in the habitats in which they live, the foods that they eat, the ways in which they reproduce, communicate, and interact with their environment, and the behaviors that they exhibit. Fishes can also be extremely abundant: the most abundant vertebrates on the planet are the small bristlemouth fishes (Gonostomatidae) that are common throughout the vast open ocean. In some cases abundant fishes such as cods, tunas, salmons, herrings, and anchovies support massive fisheries that feed hundreds of millions of people. By supporting coastal communities and societies, these fisheries (and the fishes they target) have helped shape human history, becoming the foundation for coastal economies and an engine for global exploration and expansion.
WHAT IS A FISH?
Humans use the term “fish” to refer to several groups of vertebrates that do not have a clear set of diagnostic characteristics unique to them. “Fishes” is not a monophyletic group (i.e., a group made up of an ancestor and all of its descendants) because the tetrapods, which share a common vertebrate ancestor with fishes, are excluded. Thus “fish” typically refers to any vertebrate that is not a tetrapod. Fishes (usually) live in water, (usually) obtain oxygen through gills, are (usually) ectothermic (i.e., cold blooded), and (usually) have limbs in the form of fins. Naturally, there are exceptions to each of these rules. Some fishes spend time out of the water, some breathe air, some are endothermic (i.e., warm blooded), and some have no limbs at all.
While there is no clear set of characteristics that distinguishes all fishes from all other vertebrates, there are four groups that collectively make up the fishes. The extant fishes include the jawless fishes (Agnatha), the cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes), the rayfinned fishes (Actinopterygii), and a small portion of the lobe-finned fishes (Sarcopterygii). Of the extant fishes, the ray-finned fishes are by far the most speciose, accounting for more than 30,000 species, the cartilaginous fishes include about 1,200 species, and the jawless fishes include fewer than 100 species. Only eight species of lobe-finned fishes, two species of coelacanths, and six species of lungfishes are considered by most to be “fishes,” while the remaining 28,000 or more sarcopterygian species are tetrapods.
WHY THIS BOOK?
This book is intended to be a reference text for students and lovers of fishes to assist them in learning the morphology, diagnostic characters, and basic ecology of fishes. It started as a guide to the systematics of fishes, compiled by the senior author for use in ichthyology courses at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of Arizona. It will serve that purpose, but will also provide an entry into the world of fishes for anyone interested in exploring their diversity. To our knowledge, no comparable volume exists. While numerous excellent regional guides to fishes are available (e.g., Eschmeyer and Herald, 1983; Hart, 1973; McEachran and Fechhelm, 1998, 2005;