Freshwater Fishes of North America

When the first volume of Freshwater Fishes of North America was published, it was immediately hailed as the definitive reference in the field. Readers have been fervently awaiting the next volume in this encompassing three-book set ever since. Now complete, volume 2, covering families Characidae to Poeciliidae, is the result of decades of analysis by leading fish experts from universities and research laboratories across North America.Each volume in this authoritative synthesis covers the ecology, morphology, reproduction, distribution, behavior, taxonomy, conservation, and the fossil record of the included North American fish families. The encyclopedic reviews of each family are accompanied by color photographs (nearly 250 in this volume alone), range maps, and artwork created by noted fish illustrator Joseph R. Tomelleri. The result is a rich textual and visual experience that covers everything known about the diversity, natural history, ecology, and biology of North American freshwater fishes.Volume 2 covers the following North American families of fishes:Characidae (Characins)Ictaluridae (North American Catfishes)Ariidae (Sea Catfishes)Heptapteridae (Three-barbeled Catfishes)Osmeridae (Smelts)Esociformes (Esocidae, Pikes and Umbridae, Mudminnows)Percopsidae (Trout-perches)Amblyopsidae (Cavefishes)Aphredoderidae (Pirate Perches)Gadidae (Cods and Cuskfishes)Mugilidae (Mullets)Atherinopsidae (New World Silversides)Beloniformes (Needlefishes and Halfbeaks)Rivulidae (New World Rivulines)Profundulidae (Middle American Killifishes)Goodeidae (Goodeids)Fundulidae (Topminnows)Cyprinodontidae (Pupfishes)Poeciliidae (Livebearers)The chapter authors of Volume 2 are:Gianetta AdamsClyde BarbourMicah BennettRicardo Bentancur-R.Peter B. Z. BerendzenBrooks M. BurrMollie CashnerRobert C. CashnerBruce B. ColletteMatthew DavisAlice F. EchelleAnthony A. EchelleFernando GalvezMichael GhedottiNicholas GidmarkTerry GrandeRobert L. HopkinsLauren M. KuehneFrank McCormickNorman Mercado-SilvaAnn U. O'ConnellMartin T. O'ConnellJulian D. OldenClaudia Patricia Ornelas-GarciaMark Sabaj PerezKyle R. PillerSteven PowersJacob SchaeferJuan J. Schmitter-SotoAndrew M. SimonsRoger A. TaborCheryl ThieleMatthew ThomasMelvin L. Warren, Jr.Mark V. H. Wilson