JOSEPH S. NELSON, PHD, is Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He is also Chair of the Joint ASIH-AFS Committee on Names of Fishes.

Fishes of the World, Fourth Edition is the updated edition of a true classic in the field. A unique presentation of a modern, cladistically based classification of all the major living and fossil fish groups, this indispensable reference helps scientists and others identify and classify specimens, make familial connections, understand the evolution of fishes, and springboard into further research.

The taxonomy of fishes presented includes the anatomical characteristics, distribution, common and scientific names, and phylogenetic relationships for all 515 families of living fishes. Packed with representative species drawings and information on phylogentic relationships, this informative Fourth Edition features:

* Both fossil and extant species

* More than 500 illustrations

* Fully vetted scientific and common names

* An extensive bibliography