Ebook: Fishes of Antarctica: A biological overview

The Antarctic fish fauna has evolved over a long period of geographic and climatic isolation. In the course of this evolution, Antarctic fish have developed specialized adaptations, some of which characterize these organisms as unique. In strong contrast to the continental shelf faunas elsewhere, the Antarctic shelf ichthyofauna is dominated by a single highly endemic group, the Notothenioidei. This group of perciform fish probably first appeared and diversified in the early Tertiary. The development of the Polar Front (referred to as the Antarctic Convergence in the older literature) resulted in a natural oceanographic barrier to migration in either direction, and thus became a key factor in the evolution of Antarctic fish. The dominance of the Antarctic continental shelf fauna by a single taxonomic group of fish provides a simplified natural laboratory for exploring the wealth of physiological, biochemical and ecological adaptations that characterize the fauna. Understanding of the patterns of adaptation in this highly specialized group of fish can tell us much about of evolution.

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This book represents the state-of-the-art of Antarctic fish research, as a result of multidisciplinary approaches and multinational collaborative efforts. Of particular interest is, therefore, the interaction between traditional taxonomists, evolutionary biologists, physiologists and molecular scientists. Several chapters present, for the first time, a comparative analysis between the Antarctic and Arctic ichthyofauna. The difference in the two polar environments entail important implications in the mechanisms of adaptation in fish.

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This book represents the state-of-the-art of Antarctic fish research, as a result of multidisciplinary approaches and multinational collaborative efforts. Of particular interest is, therefore, the interaction between traditional taxonomists, evolutionary biologists, physiologists and molecular scientists. Several chapters present, for the first time, a comparative analysis between the Antarctic and Arctic ichthyofauna. The difference in the two polar environments entail important implications in the mechanisms of adaptation in fish.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XI
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
A Comparison of Adaptive Radiations of Antarctic Fish with those of NonAntarctic Fish....Pages 3-26
Front Matter....Pages 27-27
Age, Growth and Maximum Size of Antarctic Notothenioid Fish — Revisited....Pages 29-40
Maternal Output in Polar Fish Reproduction....Pages 41-52
Development, Dispersal and Recruitment: A Paradox for Survival Among Antarctic Fish....Pages 53-62
The Pelagic Fish Community of the Polar Frontal Zone off the Kerguelen Islands....Pages 63-74
Preliminary Investigations on the Evolution of the Tribe Electronini (Myctophiformes, Myctophidae)....Pages 75-85
Diversity of Digenea, Parasites of Fishes in Various Areas of the Antarctic....Pages 87-94
Front Matter....Pages 95-95
Cold Adaptation and Stenothermy in Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes: What Has Been Gained and What Has Been Lost?....Pages 97-109
Do Antarctic Fish Respond to Heat Shock?....Pages 111-118
Aspects of Eco-Physiological Adaptations in Antarctic Fish....Pages 119-128
The Oxidative Metabolism of Antarctic Fish: Some Peculiar Aspects of Cold Adaptation....Pages 129-138
Molecular Adaptation of Microtubules and Microtubule Motors from Antarctic Fish....Pages 139-149
Metallothionein in Antarctic Fish....Pages 151-161
Respiration and Activity of Arctic and Antarctic Fish with Different Modes of Life: A Multivariate Analysis of Experimental Data....Pages 163-174
Antarctic Fish Immunoglobulins: Preliminary Data on Structure and Antibody Specificity....Pages 175-184
Vascular Adaptations for a Low Pressure / High Flow Blood Supply to Locomotory Muscles of Antarctic Icefish....Pages 185-195
Cardiac and Locomotory Muscle Mass in Antarctic Fishes....Pages 197-204
Atrial Natriuretic Peptides in Antarctic Fish....Pages 205-213
Exercise in the Cold: High Energy Turnover in Antarctic Fish....Pages 215-224
Front Matter....Pages 225-236
The Neuroendocrine System in the Intestinal Tract and Pancreas of Antarctic Fish....Pages 95-95
Front Matter....Pages 237-246
Four Years in Notothenioid Systematics: A Molecular Perspective....Pages 247-256
Chromosome Diversification in Antarctic Fish (Notothenioidei)....Pages 257-257
Phylogeny of the Channichthyidae (Notothenioidei, Teleostei) Based on Two Mitochondrial Genes....Pages 259-273
Allozymic Polymorphism and Phylogeny of the Family Channichthyidae....Pages 275-285
Origin and Mechanism of Evolution of Antifreeze Glycoproteins in Polar Fishes....Pages 287-298
Evolution of Sensory Systems: A Comparison of Antarctic and Deep-Sea Ichthyofauna....Pages 299-309
Molecular Adaptations of Antarctic Fish Hemoglobins....Pages 311-328
Evolutionary Studies on Teleost Hemoglobin Sequences....Pages 329-338
Back Matter....Pages 339-353
....Pages 355-359