Fishes: a guide to their diversity

There are more than 33,000 species of living fishes, accounting for more than half of the extant vertebrate diversity on Earth. This unique and comprehensive reference showcases the basic anatomy and diversity of all 82 orders of fishes and more than 150 of the most commonly encountered families, focusing on their distinctive features.;Introduction -- What Is a Fish? -- Why This Book? -- Systematics of Fishes -- About This Book -- Anatomy of Fishes -- External Anatomy -- Body Shapes -- Fins -- Fin-ray Elements and Dorsal-fin Configurations -- Pelvic-fin Positions -- Caudal-fin Shapes -- Mouth Positions -- Oral and Pharyngeal Jaw Diversity -- Standard Measurements -- Sensory Systems -- Skeletal Anatomy -- THE FISHES: VERTEBRATA-Vertebrates -- Preface -- AGNATHA (CYCLOSTOMATA) Jawless Fishes -- MYXINIFORMES: MYXINIDAE-Hagfishes -- PETROMYZONTIFORMES-Lampreys -- GNATHOSTOMATA Jawed Vertebrates -- Chondrichthyes Cartilaginous Fishes -- HOLOCEPHALI-Chimaeras -- ELASMOBRANCHII-Sharks and Rays -- SELACHII-Sharks -- BATOIDEA-Skates and Rays -- Osteichthyes Bony Fishes -- SARCOPTERYGII-Lobe-finned Fishes -- COELACANTHIFORMES: LATIMERIIDAE-Coelacanths -- CERATODONTIFORMES-Lungfishes -- ACTINOPTERYGII Ray-finned Fishes -- Actinopterygii I Lower Ray-finned Fishes -- POLYPTERIFORMES: POLYPTERIDAE-Bichirs -- ACIPENSERIFORMES-Sturgeons and Paddlefishes -- HOLOSTEI-Gars and Bowfins -- TELEOSTEI-Teleosts -- OSTEOGLOSSOMORPHA-Bonytongues and Mooneyes -- ELOPOMORPHA -- OTOCEPHALA -- OSTARIOPHYSI -- EUTELEOSTEI -- Actinopterygii II Acanthomorpha- Spiny-rayed Fishes -- LAMPRIDIFORMES-Opahs and Relatives -- POLYMIXIIFORMES: POLYMIXIIDAE-Beardfishes -- PERCOPSIFORMES-Trout-perches and Relatives -- GADIFORMES-Cods and Relatives -- ZEIFORMES-Dories -- STEPHANOBERYCIFORMES-Pricklefishes -- BERYCIFORMES-Alfonso Squirrelfishes -- PERCOMORPHA -- ATHERINOMORPHA -- SYNBRANCHIFORMES-Swamp Eels -- DACTYLOPTERIFORMES: DACTYLOPTERIDAE-Flying Gurnards -- SCORPAENIFORMES-Scorpionfishes, Seabasses, and Relatives -- PERCIFORMES (PERCOIDEI)-Perches and Relatives -- CARANGIFORMES-Jacks and Relatives -- LABRIFORMES-Wrasses and Relatives -- "CHROMIDES"- Cichlids, Damselfishes, and Relatives -- NOTOTHENIIFORMES-Icefishes and Relatives -- TRACHINIFORMES-Weeverfishes and Relatives -- PHOLIDICHTHYIFORMES: PHOLIDICHTHYIDAE-Convict Blennies