Oceanic anglerfishes
Subtitle: extraordinary diversity in the deep sea
By: Theodore W. Pietsch.
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Berkeley
Language: eng
Number of pages: 557
ISBN-13: 9780520255425
Subjects: Anglerfishes; Anglerfishes -- Classification
Genres: Classification.
Description: No environment on Earth imposes greater physical and biological constraints on life than the deep oceanic midwaters. Near-freezing temperatures, the absence of sunlight, enormous pressure, and a low food supply make habitation by any living thing almost inconceivable. Yet 160 species of anglerfishes are found there in surprising profusion. Monstrous in appearance, anglerfishes possess a host of unique and spectacular morphological, behavioral, and physiological innovations. In this fully illustrated book, the first to focus on these intriguing fish, Theodore W. Pietsch delivers a comprehensive summary of all that is known about anglerfishes--morphology, diversity, evolution, geographic distribution, bioluminescence, and reproduction. --from publisher description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.