PREFACE TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION
PREFACE TO THE 2001 EDITION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

PRONUNCIATION OF FAMILY NAMES
Families and Maps 

AGNATHA-Jawless Fishes
Petromyzontidae-Iampreys
Geotriidae-pouched lamprey
Mordaciidae-Southern Hemisphere lampreys

GNATHOSTOMATA-Jawed Fishes

CHONDRICHTHYES-Cartilaginous Fishes
Carcharhinidae-requiem sharks
Potamotrygonidae-river stingrays
Dasyatidae-whiptail stingrays

SARCOPTERYGII-Lungfishes
Ceratodontidae-Australian lungfish
Lepidosirenidae-South American lungfish
Protopteridae-African lungfishes

ACTINOPTERYGII-Ray-Finned Fishes
Polypteridae-bichirs
Acipenseridae-sturgeons
Polyodontidae-paddlefishes
Lepisosteidae-gars
Amiidae-bowfin
Osteoglossidae-bonytongues
Pantodontidae-butterflyfish
Hiodontidae-mooneye and goldeneye
Notopteridae-featherbacks
Mormyridae-elephantfishes
Gymnarchidae-aba
Anguillidae-freshwater eels
Denticipitidae-denticle herring
Engraulidae-anchovies
Pristigasteridae-pristigasterids
CIupeidae-herrings
Sundasalangidae-sundasalangids
Kneriidae-kneriids
Phractolaemidae-snake mudhead
Cyprinidae-minnows, carps
Gyrinocheilidae-algae eaters
Catostomidae-suckers
Cobitidae-loaches
Balitoridae-river or hillstream loaches
Distichodontidae-distichodontids
Citharinidae-citharinids
Parodontidae-parodontids
Curimatidae-curimatids
Prochilodontidae-prochilodontids
Anostomidae-anostomids, headstanders
Chilodontidae-chilodontids, headstanders
Crenuchidae-crenuchids, South American darters
Hemiodontidae-hemiodontids
Alestidae-African characins or tetras
Gasteropelecidae-hatchetfishes, flying characins
Characidae-characids
Acestrorhynchidae-acestrorhynchids
Cynodontidae-cynodontids
Erythrinidae-trahiras
Lebiasinidae-Iebiasinids
Ctenoluciidae-pike characins
Hepsetidae-African pike characins
Diplomystidae-diplomystids
Cetopsidae-whale-like catfishes
Ictaluridae-North American or bullhead catfishes
Claroteidae-claroteid catfishes
Austroglanididae-austroglanidid catfishes
Bagridae-bagrid catfishes
Pimelodidae-Iong-whiskered catfishes
Cranoglanididae-armorhead catfishes
Siluridae-silurid catfishes
Schilbeidae-schilbeid catfishes
Pangasiidae-pangasiid catfishes
Chacidae-squarehead, angler, or frogmouth catfishes
Plotosidae-eeltail catfishes
Clariidae-air-breathing or walking catfishes
Heteropneustidae-air sac or stinging catfishes
Malapteruridae-electric catfishes
Ariidae-sea catfishes
Mochokidae-upside-down catfishes, squeakers
Doradidae-thorny or talking catfishes
Auchenipteridae-driftwood catfishes, slopehead catfishes
Arnblycipitidae-torrent catfishes
Akysidae-strearn catfishes
Sisoridae-sisorid catfishes
Erethistidae-erethistid catfishes
Aspredinidae-banjo catfishes
Amphiliidae-loach catfishes
Nematogenyidae-nematogenyid catfishes
Trichomycteridae-parasitic or pencil catfishes
Callichthyidae-armored catfishes
Scoloplacidae-spiny dwarf catfishes
Loricariidae-suckerrnouth armored catfishes
Astroblepidae-climbing catfishes
Sternopygidae-glass knifefishes
Rhamphichthyidae-sand knifefishes
Hypopomidae-hypopomid knifefishes
Apteronotidae-ghost knifefishes
Gyrnnotidae-naked-back knifefishes
Electrophoridae-electric eel or electric knifefish
Esocidae-pikes
Urnbridae-rnudminnows
Osmeridae-smelts
Salangidae-icefishes or noodlefishes
Retropinnidae-Southern Hemisphere smelts and graylings
Lepidogalaxiidae-salamanderfish
Galaxiidae-galaxiids
Salmonidae-salmons, trouts
Percopsidae-trout-perches
Aphredoderidae-pirate perch
Amblyopsidae-cavefishes
Bythitidae-viviparous brotulas
Gadidae-cods
Batrachoididae-toadfishes
Mugilidae-mullets
Bedotiidae-bedotiids
Melanotaeniidae-rainbowfishes
Pseudomugilidae-blue eyes
Atherinidae-silversides
Telmatherinidae-sailfin silversides or Celebes rainbowfishes
Phallostethidae-phallostethids or priapium fishes
Adrianichthyidae-ricefishes, medakas
Belonidae-needlefishes
Hemiramphidae-halfbeaks
Aplocheilidae-Old World aplocheiloids
Rivulidae-New World aplocheiloids or rivulines
Profundulidae-Middle American killifishes
Fundulidae-topminnows and killifishes
Valenciidae-valenciids
Anablepidae-four-eyed fishes
Poeciliidae-poeciliids
Goodeidae-goodeids
Cyprinodontidae-pupfishes, killifishes
Gasterosteidae-sticklebacks
Syngnathidae-pipefishes and seahorses
Indostomidae-indostomids
Synbranchidae-swamp eels
Chaudhuriidae-earthworlll eels
Mastacembelidae-spiny eels
Cottidae-sculpins
Comephoridae-Baikal oilfishes
Abyssocottidae-abyssocottids
Centropomidae-snooks
Ambassidae-Asiatic glassfishes
Moronidae-temperate basses
Percichthyidae-temperate perches
Centrarchidae-sunfishes
Percidae-perches, darters
Apogonidae-cardinalfishes, mouth-almighty
Coiidae-tigerperches
Polynemidae-threadfins
Sciaenidae-drums, croakers
Monodactylidae-moonfishes
Toxotidae-archerfishes
Nandidae-Asian leaffishes
Polycentridae-African and South American leaffishes
Pristolepididae-pristolepidids
Terapontidae-grunters
Kuhliidae-flagtails
Elassomatidae-pygmy sunfishes
Cichlidae-cichlids
Embiotocidae-surfperches
Bovichthyidae-bovichthyids
Cheimarrhichthyidae-torrentfish
Rhyacichthyidae-loach gobies
Odontobutidae-odontobutids
Eleotridae-sleepers, gudgeons
Gobiidae-gobies
Kurtidae-nurseryfishes
Scatophagidae-scats
Luciocephalidae-pikehead
Anabantidae-climbing gouramies
Helostomatidae-kissing gourami
Belontiidae-gouramies
Osphronemidae-giant gouramies
Channidae-snakeheads
Achiridae-American soles
Soleidae-soles
Cynoglossidae-tonguefishes
Tetraodontidae-puffers

GLOSSARY
APPENDIX A: PRINCIPAL RIVERS OF THE WORLD
APPENDIX B: PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE WORLD
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF FAMILIES