Well over 300 freshwater fish species found in the region’s rivers, lakes and dams feature in this fully revised third edition of Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Updated and expanded, this definitive guide includes newly described species, the latest taxonomic changes, new photographs and full-colour illustrations, and up-to-date distribution maps.
An in-depth introduction, supported by explanatory illustrations and photographs, covers:
- A short history of fish science in the region.
- Eco-regions in which species occur.
- Anatomy, biology and ecology.
- Human impacts on fishes.
- Conservation status.
- New understanding of evolutionary relationships between fish groups.
The book also includes: detailed species accounts (size, diagnostic features, biology, ecology, conservation and uses by humans); and succinct descriptions of large taxonomic groups of fish, with global distribution charts.
It is an invaluable tool for anglers, students and academics in the field, as well as conservationists.
About the author
Emeritus Professor Paul H. Skelton has focused on freshwater fishes all his professional life. He began his career at the Albany Museum in Makhanda (Grahamstown) as curator of lower vertebrates. In 1984, he joined the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (formerly the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology) as curator of freshwater fishes, becoming director in 1995 – a position he held until his retirement in 2011. He has received several awards for his contribution to the field and has served on the IUCN Freshwater Specialist Group. He lives in Port Alfred, South Africa.