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It's a Wonderful Hypogean Life: A Guide to the Troglomorphic Fishes of the World

It's a Wonderful Hypogean Life: A Guide to the Troglomorphic Fishes of the World There are at least 86 species of troglomorphic fishes belonging to 18 families. Some of those families are characterized by features that can be labeled as preadaptations to the hypogean life; others are not. The level of structural reduction in eye development and pigmentation is highly variable, even within some populations. Reduction in number and complexity of scales does occur but has yet to be fully documented. Reduction in the size and structure of the swim(gas)bladder may be another troglomorphic feature. There is considerable doubt on the taxonomic position of many species of troglomorphic fishes given that a number of them have been described solely on the basis of morphology while genetically they may be very closely correlated to genera different from those they have been assigned to. Geographically speaking there are no evident patterns since many of those species are not found in karstic areas but in phreatic waters. These fishes represent an excellent example of convergent evolution. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Environmental Biology of Fishes Springer Journals

It's a Wonderful Hypogean Life: A Guide to the Troglomorphic Fishes of the World

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References (182)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Subject
Life Sciences; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Zoology; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/ Biogeography; Environment, general; Nature Conservation
ISSN
0378-1909
eISSN
1573-5133
DOI
10.1023/A:1011844404235
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

There are at least 86 species of troglomorphic fishes belonging to 18 families. Some of those families are characterized by features that can be labeled as preadaptations to the hypogean life; others are not. The level of structural reduction in eye development and pigmentation is highly variable, even within some populations. Reduction in number and complexity of scales does occur but has yet to be fully documented. Reduction in the size and structure of the swim(gas)bladder may be another troglomorphic feature. There is considerable doubt on the taxonomic position of many species of troglomorphic fishes given that a number of them have been described solely on the basis of morphology while genetically they may be very closely correlated to genera different from those they have been assigned to. Geographically speaking there are no evident patterns since many of those species are not found in karstic areas but in phreatic waters. These fishes represent an excellent example of convergent evolution.

Journal

Environmental Biology of Fishes – Springer Journals

Published: Oct 12, 2004

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