The Cichlid Fishes: Nature's Grand Experiment in Evolution

Cichlid fishes are amazing creatures. In terms of sheer number of species, they are the most successful of all families of vertebrate animals, and the extent and speed with which they have evolved in some African lakes has made them the darlings of evolutionary biologists. But what truly captivates biologists like George Barlow -- not to mention thousands of aquarists the world over -- is the complexity of their social lives and their devotion to family (most species of cichlids are monogamous and many pairs share the responsibility of raising offspring). In this wonderful book, Barlow describes the unusually high intelligence of these fishes, their complex mating and parenting rituals, their bizarre feeding and fighting habits, and the unusual adaptations and explosive rate of speciation that have enabled them to proliferate and flourish. A celebration of their diversity, The Cichlid Fishes is also a marvelous exploration of how these unique animals might help resolve the age-old puzzle of how species arise and evolve.

Author: George Barlow
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 03/07/2002
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.08lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.09w x 0.94d
ISBN13: 9780738205281
ISBN10: 0738205281
BISAC Categories:
- Science | Life Sciences | Marine Biology
- Science | Life Sciences | Zoology | General
- Science | Life Sciences | Evolution

About the Author
George W. Barlow is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California at Berkeley.