This study consists of two sections aimed at investigating the evolutionary history of two groups of : (1) molecular systematics of the cichlid genus Vieja, and (2) phylogeography of the Mountain Mullet, Agonostomus monticola. Results from these studies shed light on the importance of taxon sampling when investigating phylogenetic relationships among closely related groups of fishes and subsequent taxonomic revisions. Results also illustrate the importance of incorporating the complex geological history of Middle America into understanding the evolutionary history of the trans-isthmian species. [Partial Abstract].

Sequenced biological macromolecules have revitalized systematic studies of evolutionary history. Molecular Systematics of Fishes is the first authoritative overview of the theory and application of these sequencing data to fishes. This volume explores the phylogeny of fishes at multiple taxonomic levels, uses methods of analysis of molecular data that apply both within and between fish populations, and employs molecule-based phylogenies to address broader questions of evolution. Targeted readers include ichthyologists, marine scientists, and all students, faculty, and researchers interested in fish evolution and ecology and vertebrate systematics. - Focuses on the phylogeny and evolutionary biology of fishes - Contains phylogenies of fishes at multiple taxonomic levels - Applies molecule-based phylogenies to broader questions of evolution - Includes methods for critique of analysis of molecular data

An understanding of gonorynchiform morphology and systematic inter- and intra-relationships has proven vital to a better understanding of the evolution of lower teleosts in general, and more specifically of groups such as the clupeiforms (e.g., herrings and anchovies), and ostariophysans (e.g., carps, minnows and catfishes). This book examines the

Warren, Jr.

The fish faunas of continental South and Central America constitute one of the greatest concentrations of aquatic diversity on Earth, consisting of about 10 percent of all living vertebrate species. Historical Biogeography of Neotropical Freshwater Fishes explores the evolutionary origins of this unique ecosystem. The chapters address central themes in the study of tropical biodiversity: why is the Amazon basin home to so many distinct evolutionary lineages? What roles do ecological specialization, speciation, and extinction play in the formation of regional assemblages? How do dispersal barriers contribute to isolation and diversification? Focusing on whole faunas rather than individual taxonomic groups, this volume shows that the area’s high regional diversity is not the result of recent diversification in lowland tropical rainforests. Rather, it is the product of species accumulating over tens of millions of years and across a continental arena.