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Title:
Essential fish biology : diversity, structure and function / Derek Burton (professor emeritus, Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada), Margaret Burton (professor emeritus, Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada).
Author:
Burton, Derek, author.

Burton, Margaret (Biologist), author.
Publication Information:
Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2018.
Call Number:
QL615 .B878 2018
Abstract:
Essential Fish Biology provides an introductory overview of the functional biology of fish and how this may be affected by the widely contrasting habitat conditions within the aquatic environment. It describes the recent advances in comparative animal physiology which have greatly influenced our understanding of fish function as well as generating questions that have yet to be resolved. Fish taxa represent the largest number of vertebrates, with over 25,000 extant species. However, much of our knowledge, apart from taxonomy and habitat descriptions, has been based on relatively few of them, usually those which live in fresh water and/or are of commercial interest. Unfortunately there has also been a tendency to base our interpretation of fish physiology on that of mammalian systems, as well as to rely on a few type species of fish. This accessible book redresses the balance by using examples of fish from a wide range of species and habitat, emphasizing diversity as well as recognizing shared attributes with other vertebrates. -- from back cover.
Edition:
First edition.
ISBN:
9780198785552

9780198785569
Physical Description:
xix, 417 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm
Contents:
1. Fish diversity -- Summary -- Introduction -- Classification -- Variety in fish structure and function -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 2. The integument -- Summary -- Introduction -- Fish skin structure -- Fish scales -- Bony plates and scutes -- Habitat and colour -- Abnormal skin colour -- Colour change -- Skin variability -- Skin responses to heat and cold -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 3. The skeleton, support and movement -- Summary -- Introduction -- Cartilage and bone -- The exoskeleton -- The endoskeleton -- Trends in the fish skeleton -- Articulation of the skeleton -- Locomotion -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 4. Food procurement and processing -- Summary -- Introduction -- Food and feeding -- The food-processing system -- Feeding periodicity -- The control of feeding behaviour -- Gut activity and its control -- Temperature and feeding -- Fish nutrition -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 5. Transport: blood and circulation -- Summary -- Introduction -- Overview of the fish vascular system -- The basic circulation for gill-breathing fish -- The heart -- Blood pressure -- Venous return -- The circulation in air-breathing fish -- Portal systems -- Retia -- The secondary circulation -- Change in the circulation -- Blood -- The spleen -- The thymus -- The immune system -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 6. Gas exchange -- Summary -- Introduction -- Major gases exchanged by fish -- The gas-exchange surface -- Gills -- Air-breathing fish -- Problems with oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the aqueous environment -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 7. Metabolism, homeostasis and growth -- Summary -- Introduction -- Fish metabolism -- Temperature and metabolism -- Homeostasis and relations with the aquatic environment -- Mechanisms for water and ionic regulation in freshwater fish -- Chloride cells -- Marine chondrichthyans and ionic regulation -- Euryhaline and stenohaline fish -- Control of osmoregulation -- The liver -- Energy storage -- Growth -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 8. Excretion -- Summary -- Introduction -- Pathways for excretion -- Sites for excretion -- The structure and function of the fish kidney -- Verifying regulation of, and pathways for, excretion -- The control/regulation of excretion --

9. Reproduction -- Summary -- Introduction -- Sexual dimorphism -- Hermaphroditism, sex determination and manipulation -- The male reproductive system -- The female reproductive system -- Genital pores -- Gametogenesis -- Spermatogenesis -- Oogenesis -- Fertilization -- Egg and larval development -- Post-reproduction -- Reproductive migrations and reproductive mortality -- Spawning and reproductive patterns -- Reproductive omission: skipped spawning -- Reproductive success -- Factors controlling or influencing reproduction -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 10. Integration and control: hormones -- Summary -- Introduction -- Hormone nomenclature and classification -- The chemical structure of hormones -- Hormone candidates -- Characteristics of hormone control -- Fish hormones in relation to mammalian hormones -- Stored and bound hormones, prohormones -- Neurosecretion -- Interaction of hormones with their targets -- Endocrine organs, glands, tissues and cells -- Endocrine roles in controlling specific functions -- Overview -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 11. Integration and control: the nervous system -- Summary -- Introduction -- Neural cells -- Antagonistic control -- The organization of the fish nervous system -- The central nervous system -- The peripheral nervous system -- The spinal and cranial nerves -- The automatic nervous system -- Individual effector control systems -- Learned behaviour -- Overview -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 12. Perception and sensation -- Summary -- Introduction -- Photoreceptors: vision -- Chemoreceptors: taste, smell and internal stimuli -- Mechanoreceptors: introduction -- Water movement perception and equilibrium systems -- The lateral line system: perception of low-frequency vibration -- The ear: hearing and gravity perception -- Detecting electric fields and discharges -- Magnetoreceptors -- Nociceptors and thermoreceptors -- Overview -- Bibliography -- 13. Special adaptations -- Summary -- Introduction -- Special adaptations linked to habitat: warm, shallow water -- Special adaptations linked to habitat: cold, deep-water systems -- Limited habitats -- Fish communication -- Sound production -- Electric fish -- Defence -- Special adaptations linked to morphology -- Special adaptations: positional -- Hermaphroditism and polymorphism -- Symbioses -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- 14. Fish behaviour -- Summary -- Introduction -- Neural pathways and behaviour -- Learning, memory and play -- Behaviour centred on movement -- Social behaviour -- Chemoreception and pheromones in fish behaviour -- Reproductive behaviours -- Recognition -- Innate behaviour -- Fish behaviours and humans -- Temperature sensitivity -- Habitat and behaviour -- Overview -- Appendix -- Bibliography -- 15. Obtaining information -- Summary -- Introduction -- Choosing fish to study -- Sources of background information -- Species studied -- Type fish -- Fish habitat and availability/suitability for study -- Captive fish and sources -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- 16. Conservation and fish function -- Summary -- Introduction -- Conservation physiology -- Abundance -- Extinction -- Habitat destruction -- Rehabilitation -- Disease -- Fishing -- Conservation and the fisheries -- Responsibility: the tragedy of the commons -- The role of physiology in conservation -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- Bibliography.
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