Fishes of the World - Hardcover

Nelson, Joseph S.

3.57

7 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471864757 ISBN 13: 9780471864752

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 1984

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Considered a classic guide to fish classification and identification, it is the only book which uses recent findings in arranging all major fish groups worldwide. Covers 445 families in which over 21,700 species of living fishes are recognized. Adopts a synthetic approach to classification and presents groups in evolutionary order. This edition updates all families to reflect progress and changes in the field.

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From the Back Cover:

"Of all the literature I use while preparing field guides for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Nelson's Fishes of the World is, by far, the one I refer to most often. [This] book is a standard reference . . . I continue to use it extensively in the ichthyology courses I teach, particularly in laboratory sessions."
—Kent E. Carpenter Old Dominion University

"Fishes of the World is a unique and essential resource for anyone seriously interested in the diversity and evolution of fishes. The family accounts provide quick summaries of current knowledge on all groups of living fishes and many key fossil taxa. It is a required work for every student in my laboratory."
—William E. Bemis Kingsbury Director of Shoals Marine Laboratory, Cornell University

"Only classics are known by the single name of their author, and certainly [Nelson's book] has for four editions been such a book for all those who seek an accessible, up-to-date, readable reference on fish classification. Once again, Nelson presents a balanced view of the sometimes tumultuous, but ever-exciting, study of the phylogenetic relationships and classification of fishes. In doing so, Nelson makes an excellent case for organismal biology, highlighting the many and varied morphological characters we use to diagnose fish taxa and differentiate among the 515 families of living species."
—Lynne R. Parenti Curator of Fishes and Research Scientist, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

Fishes of the World, Fourth Edition is the updated edition of a true classic in the field. A unique presentation of a modern, cladistically based classification of all the major living and fossil fish groups, this indispensable reference helps scientists and others identify and classify specimens, make familial connections, understand the evolution of fishes, and springboard into further research.

The taxonomy of fishes presented includes the anatomical characteristics, distribution, common and scientific names, and phylogenetic relationships for all 515 families of living fishes. Packed with representative species drawings and information on phylogentic relationships, this informative Fourth Edition features:

Both fossil and extant species
More than 500 illustrations
Fully vetted scientific and common names
An extensive bibliography

About the Author:

JOSEPH S. NELSON, PHD, is Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He is also Chair of the Joint ASIH-AFS Committee on Names of Fishes.

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