Biology And Evolution Of The Mexican Cavefish

Download Biology And Evolution Of The Mexican Cavefish full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Biology And Evolution Of The Mexican Cavefish ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish

Author : Alex Keene
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128023651
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (28 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish by : Alex Keene

Download or read book Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish written by Alex Keene and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2015-10-12 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology—evolution, development, ecology, and behavior—using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts. Includes a mixture of images and illustrations such as the geographical distribution of cave pools and the developmental biology of the nervous system Features a companion site with geographical maps Fills a notable gap in the literature on a topic of broad interest to the scientific community Presents the recent sequencing of the cavefish genome as a groundbreaking development for researchers working with diverse biological systems

Origin and Evolution of Biodiversity

Author : Pierre Pontarotti
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319959549
Total Pages : 361 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Origin and Evolution of Biodiversity by : Pierre Pontarotti

Download or read book Origin and Evolution of Biodiversity written by Pierre Pontarotti and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-27 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book includes 19 selected contributions presented at the 21st Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in Marseille in September 2017. The chapters are grouped into the following five categories: · Genome/Phenotype Evolution · Self/Nonself Evolution · Origin of Biodiversity · Origin of Life · Concepts The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille serve to gather leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research. The aim of these meetings is to promote the exchange of ideas to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering an up-to-date overview of recent findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is in invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.

The Mechanosensory Lateral Line

Author : Sheryl Coombs
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 146123560X
Total Pages : 712 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (612 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Mechanosensory Lateral Line by : Sheryl Coombs

Download or read book The Mechanosensory Lateral Line written by Sheryl Coombs and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 712 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume represents the published proceedings of an international conference on the Neurobiology and Evolution of the Mechanosensory Lateral Line System held August 31 to September 4, 1987, at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Bielefeld, West Germany. The goal of this confer ence was to bring together researchers from all over the world to share informa tion about a major aquatic sensory system, the evolution and function of which have largely remained an enigma since the 18th century. The "lateral line" or "lateralis" system has been used as an umbrella term to describe what originally (without the aid of modern anatomical techniques) looked like a series of pits, grooves, and lines on the head and trunk of fishes and some amphibians. For at least the past 30 years, however, it has been recognized that the lateralis system comprises not one, but at least two functional classes of receptors: mechanoreceptors and electroreceptors. The relative ease with which the appropriate stimulus could be defined and measured for the electroreceptive class has resulted in an explosion of information on this submodality during the past 20 years. As a result, there is little ambiguity about the overall function of the electrosensory system, now generally regarded as an independent system in its own right. A similarly clear definition for the function of the mechanosensory lateralis system has not been as forthcoming.

Evolution in the Dark

Author : Horst Wilkens
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3662545128
Total Pages : 217 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (625 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Evolution in the Dark by : Horst Wilkens

Download or read book Evolution in the Dark written by Horst Wilkens and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-05-25 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides fascinating insights into the development and genetics of evolutionary processes on the basis of animals living in the dark, such as the Astyanax cave fish. Biologically functionless traits show high variability, which results from neutral deleterious mutations no longer being eliminated by natural selection, which normally acts to preserve functional capability. These negative mutations accumulate until the traits they are responsible for become rudimentary or even lost. The random genetic basis of regressive evolution is in accordance with Nei’s Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution, which applies to the molecular level. Such processes are particularly conspicuous in species living in constant darkness, where, for example in Astyanax, all traits depending on the exposure to light, like eyes, pigmentation, visually triggered aggressive behaviour, negative phototaxis, and several peripheral outcomes of circadian rhythmicity, are useless and diminish. In compensation constructive traits like taste, olfaction or the lateral line senses are improved by selection and do not show variability. Regressive and constructive traits inherit independently, proving that the rudimentation process is not driven by pleiotropic linkage between them. All these traits are subject to mosaic evolution and exhibit unproportional epistatic gene effects, which play an important role in evolutionary adaptation and improvement. Offering valuable evolutionary insights and supplemented by a wealth of illustrations, this book will appeal to evolutionary and developmental biologists alike.

Biology of Subterranean Fishes

Author : Eleonora Trajano
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781138115477
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (154 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Biology of Subterranean Fishes by : Eleonora Trajano

Download or read book Biology of Subterranean Fishes written by Eleonora Trajano and published by . This book was released on 2017-06-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Analyzing the evolutionary losses characteristic of subterranean animals, this volume is a comprehensive account of all known subterranean species. Cataloging examples of eyelessness and loss of structure in general, it evaluates the Lamarkian theory of degeneration evident in these animals versus the common assumption of adaptation and a struggle for existence. It includes an extensive introduction, history of investigations, consideration of non-stygobitic fishes in caves, and a detailed analysis of the conservation status of these very rare animals.

In Search of the Causes of Evolution

Author : Peter R. Grant
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 140083709X
Total Pages : 410 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (8 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis In Search of the Causes of Evolution by : Peter R. Grant

Download or read book In Search of the Causes of Evolution written by Peter R. Grant and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evolutionary biology has witnessed breathtaking advances in recent years. Some of its most exciting insights have come from the crossover of disciplines as varied as paleontology, molecular biology, ecology, and genetics. This book brings together many of today's pioneers in evolutionary biology to describe the latest advances and explain why a cross-disciplinary and integrated approach to research questions is so essential. Contributors discuss the origins of biological diversity, mechanisms of evolutionary change at the molecular and developmental levels, morphology and behavior, and the ecology of adaptive radiations and speciation. They highlight the mutual dependence of organisms and their environments, and reveal the different strategies today's researchers are using in the field and laboratory to explore this interdependence. Peter and Rosemary Grant--renowned for their influential work on Darwin's finches in the Galápagos--provide concise introductions to each section and identify the key questions future research needs to address. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Myra Awodey, Christopher N. Balakrishnan, Rowan D. H. Barrett, May R. Berenbaum, Paul M. Brakefield, Philip J. Currie, Scott V. Edwards, Douglas J. Emlen, Joshua B. Gross, Hopi E. Hoekstra, Richard Hudson, David Jablonski, David T. Johnston, Mathieu Joron, David Kingsley, Andrew H. Knoll, Mimi A. R. Koehl, June Y. Lee, Jonathan B. Losos, Isabel Santos Magalhaes, Albert B. Phillimore, Trevor Price, Dolph Schluter, Ole Seehausen, Clifford J. Tabin, John N. Thompson, and David B. Wake.

Cave Biology

Author : Aldemaro Romero Díaz
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 0521828465
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (218 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Cave Biology by : Aldemaro Romero Díaz

Download or read book Cave Biology written by Aldemaro Romero Díaz and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-23 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A critical examination of current knowledge and ideas on cave biology, with emphasis on evolution, ecology, and conservation.

Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution

Author : Kenneth P. Dial
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022626839X
Total Pages : 435 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (262 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution by : Kenneth P. Dial

Download or read book Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution written by Kenneth P. Dial and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-07-20 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did flying birds evolve from running dinosaurs, terrestrial trotting tetrapods evolve from swimming fish, and whales return to swim in the sea? These are some of the great transformations in the 500-million-year history of vertebrate life. And with the aid of new techniques and approaches across a range of fields—work spanning multiple levels of biological organization from DNA sequences to organs and the physiology and ecology of whole organisms—we are now beginning to unravel the confounding evolutionary mysteries contained in the structure, genes, and fossil record of every living species. This book gathers a diverse team of renowned scientists to capture the excitement of these new discoveries in a collection that is both accessible to students and an important contribution to the future of its field. Marshaling a range of disciplines—from paleobiology to phylogenetics, developmental biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology—the contributors attack particular transformations in the head and neck, trunk, appendages such as fins and limbs, and the whole body, as well as offer synthetic perspectives. Illustrated throughout, Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution not only reveals the true origins of whales with legs, fish with elbows, wrists, and necks, and feathered dinosaurs, but also the relevance to our lives today of these extraordinary narratives of change.

Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research

Author : Livia D'Angelo
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128212454
Total Pages : 476 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (282 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research by : Livia D'Angelo

Download or read book Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research written by Livia D'Angelo and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-08-28 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fish, and particularly zebrafish, have become the fastest-growing segment of the research population. They offer several advantages, in terms of biology and technologies to apply, and thus are employed in numerous research fields. Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research: Biology, Husbandry and Research Applications for Zebrafish, Medaka, Killifish, Swordtail Fish, Cavefish, Stickleback, Goldfish and Danionella Translucida addresses the relevant and increasing need to collect cutting-edge knowledge on husbandry, maintenance, welfare and experimental protocols of the most common freshwater species under standard laboratory conditions. Provides husbandry and management protocols, devices and water systems Shows strength and weakness of breeding Explores potential scientific applications and experimental protocols. with regards to the most used freshwater fish used for scientific purposes

The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats

Author : David C. Culver
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0192552767
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (925 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats by : David C. Culver

Download or read book The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats written by David C. Culver and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition of this widely cited textbook continues to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave and subterranean biology, describing this fascinating habitat and its biodiversity. It covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The authors draw on a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats. One of the barriers to the study of subterranean biology has been the extraordinarily large number of specialized terms used by researchers; the authors explain these terms clearly and minimize the number that they use. This new edition retains the same 10 chapter structure of the original, but the content has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout to reflect the huge increase in publications concerning subterranean biology over the last decade.

Extremophile Fishes

Author : Rüdiger Riesch
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319133624
Total Pages : 329 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (191 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Extremophile Fishes by : Rüdiger Riesch

Download or read book Extremophile Fishes written by Rüdiger Riesch and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-24 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments.

The biology of hypogean fishes

Author : Romero Aldemaro
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9781402000768
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The biology of hypogean fishes by : Romero Aldemaro

Download or read book The biology of hypogean fishes written by Romero Aldemaro and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2001-12-31 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hypogean (cave, artesian) fishes have fascinated researchers even before they were described in the scientific literature in 1842. Since then, a number of scientists have used them to justify their own evolutionary ideas, from neo-Lamarckism to neo-Darwinism, from neutral evolution to selectionist approaches. Research in recent years has shown that these fishes are much more complex in their adaptations to the subterranean environment than previously believed: there are those with features expected from living in total darkness (complete blindness and depigmentation) and poor in nutrients (extremely low metabolic rates); others differ very little, if any, from their epigean (surface) ancestors in their morphology and physiology (but not so in their behavior). Some of them even live in nutrient-rich environments. Actually, one of the most overlooked facets of these animals is that there are more species of hypogean fishes without troglomorphisms (blindness, depigmentation) than with troglomorphic ones. The study of these apparently `unadapted' fishes is providing new insights into our understanding of the evolution of phenotypic characters, founding effect, behavioral, and physiological adaptations. The 86 species of troglomorphic fishes described so far belong to 18 different families, many of which would hardly fit the notion that they were 'preadapted' to conquer the underground environment. Further, many troglomorphic `species' show very little genotypic differentiation when compared with their putative ancestors, indicating that massive phenotype changes can be achieved via little genetic reorganization, a reorganization that mostly affects regulatory genes. These and many other topics are discussed in this volume containing 29 papers, written by 41 authors from 9 countries. Hopefully, this volume will convince many other researchers that hypogean fishes represent a unique opportunity to study a concept in evolutionary biology that is only superficially understood: convergent evolution.

The Diversity of Fishes

Author : Gene Helfman
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1444311905
Total Pages : 736 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (443 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Diversity of Fishes by : Gene Helfman

Download or read book The Diversity of Fishes written by Gene Helfman and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-04-03 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition of The Diversity of Fishes represents a major revision of the world’s most widely adopted ichthyology textbook. Expanded and updated, the second edition is illustrated throughout with striking color photographs depicting the spectacular evolutionary adaptations of the most ecologically and taxonomically diverse vertebrate group. The text incorporates the latest advances in the biology of fishes, covering taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, biogeography, ecology, and behavior. A new chapter on genetics and molecular ecology of fishes has been added, and conservation is emphasized throughout. Hundreds of new and redrawn illustrations augment readable text, and every chapter has been revised to reflect the discoveries and greater understanding achieved during the past decade. Written by a team of internationally-recognized authorities, the first edition of The Diversity of Fishes was received with enthusiasm and praise, and incorporated into ichthyology and fish biology classes around the globe, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The second edition is a substantial update of an already classic reference and text. Companion resources site This book is accompanied by a resources site: www.wiley.com/go/helfman The site is being constantly updated by the author team and provides: · Related videos selected by the authors · Updates to the book since publication · Instructor resources · A chance to send in feedback

The biology of hypogean fishes

Author : Aldemaro Romero
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9401597952
Total Pages : 366 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (15 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The biology of hypogean fishes by : Aldemaro Romero

Download or read book The biology of hypogean fishes written by Aldemaro Romero and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-06-29 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hypogean (cave, artesian) fishes have fascinated researchers even before they were described in the scientific literature in 1842. Since then, a number of scientists have used them to justify their own evolutionary ideas, from neo-Lamarckism to neo-Darwinism, from neutral evolution to selectionist approaches. Research in recent years has shown that these fishes are much more complex in their adaptations to the subterranean environment than previously believed: there are those with features expected from living in total darkness (complete blindness and depigmentation) and poor in nutrients (extremely low metabolic rates); others differ very little, if any, from their epigean (surface) ancestors in their morphology and physiology (but not so in their behavior). Some of them even live in nutrient-rich environments. Actually, one of the most overlooked facets of these animals is that there are more species of hypogean fishes without troglomorphisms (blindness, depigmentation) than with troglomorphic ones. The study of these apparently `unadapted' fishes is providing new insights into our understanding of the evolution of phenotypic characters, founding effect, behavioral, and physiological adaptations. The 86 species of troglomorphic fishes described so far belong to 18 different families, many of which would hardly fit the notion that they were 'preadapted' to conquer the underground environment. Further, many troglomorphic `species' show very little genotypic differentiation when compared with their putative ancestors, indicating that massive phenotype changes can be achieved via little genetic reorganization, a reorganization that mostly affects regulatory genes. These and many other topics are discussed in this volume containing 29 papers, written by 41 authors from 9 countries. Hopefully, this volume will convince many other researchers that hypogean fishes represent a unique opportunity to study a concept in evolutionary biology that is only superficially understood: convergent evolution.

Cave Ecology

Author : Oana Teodora Moldovan
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319988522
Total Pages : 545 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Cave Ecology by : Oana Teodora Moldovan

Download or read book Cave Ecology written by Oana Teodora Moldovan and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-01-05 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cave organisms are the ‘monsters’ of the underground world and studying them invariably raises interesting questions about the ways evolution has equipped them to survive in permanent darkness and low-energy environments. Undertaking ecological studies in caves and other subterranean habitats is not only challenging because they are difficult to access, but also because the domain is so different from what we know from the surface, with no plants at the base of food chains and with a nearly constant microclimate year-round. The research presented here answers key questions such as how a constant environment can produce the enormous biodiversity seen below ground, what adaptations and peculiarities allow subterranean organisms to thrive, and how they are affected by the constraints of their environment. This book is divided into six main parts, which address: the habitats of cave animals; their complex diversity; the environmental factors that support that diversity; individual case studies of cave ecosystems; and of the conservation challenges they face; all of which culminate in proposals for future research directions. Given its breadth of coverage, it offers an essential reference guide for graduate students and established researchers alike.

Groundwater Ecology and Evolution

Author : Florian Malard
Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 0128191201
Total Pages : 642 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Groundwater Ecology and Evolution by : Florian Malard

Download or read book Groundwater Ecology and Evolution written by Florian Malard and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2023-03-11 with total page 642 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Groundwater Ecology and Evolution, Second Edition is designed to meet a multitude of audience needs. The state of the art in the discipline is provided by the articulation of six sections. The first three sections successively carry the reader into the basic attributes of groundwater ecosystems (section 1), the drivers and patterns of biodiversity (section 2), and the roles of organisms in groundwater ecosystems (section 3). The next two sections are devoted to evolutionary processes driving the acquisition of subterranean biological traits (section 4) and the way these traits are differently expressed among groundwater organisms (section 5). Finally, section 6 shows how knowledge acquired among multiple research fields (sections 1 to 5) is used to manage groundwater biodiversity and ecosystem services in the face of future groundwater resource use scenarios. Emphasis on the coherence and prospects of the whole book is given in the introduction and conclusion. Provides a modern synthesis of research dedicated to the study of groundwater biodiversity and ecosystems Bridges the gap between community ecology, evolution, and functional ecology, three research fields that have long been presented isolated from each other Explains how this trans-disciplinary integration of research contributes to understanding and managing of groundwater ecosystem functions Reveals the contribution of groundwater ecology and evolution in solving scientific questions well beyond the frontiers of groundwater systems

Ecology and Evolution of Poeciliid Fishes

Author : Jonathan P. Evans
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 0226222764
Total Pages : 424 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (262 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Ecology and Evolution of Poeciliid Fishes by : Jonathan P. Evans

Download or read book Ecology and Evolution of Poeciliid Fishes written by Jonathan P. Evans and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2011-09-26 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of biology is populated by numerous model species or organisms. But few vertebrate groups have aided evolutionary and ecological research more than the live-bearing fishes of the family Poeciliidae. Found throughout tropical and subtropical waters, poeciliids exhibit a fascinating variety of reproductive specializations, including viviparity, matrotrophy, unisexual reproduction, and alternative mating strategies, making them ideal models for research on patterns and processes in ecology, behavior, and evolution. Ecology and Evolution of Poeciliid Fishes is a much-needed overview of the scientific potential and understanding of these live-bearing fishes. Chapters by leading researchers take up a wide range of topics, including the evolution of unisexual reproduction, life in extreme environments, life-history evolution, and genetics. Designed to provide a single and highly approachable reference, Ecology and Evolution of Poeciliid Fishes will appeal to students and specialists interested in all aspects of evolutionary ecology.