Author: Rodolfo Claro

Publisher: Smithsonian Institution

Published: 2014-06-17

Total Pages: 478

ISBN-13: 1935623443

Situated at the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba's coastal waters are home to one of the most diverse fish faunas in the Western Hemisphere. However, until now, information in English about Cuban marine fishes and their habitats has been limited. This comprehensive guide to the region's fishes fills that void. Originally published in Spanish in 1994, Ecology of the Marine Fishes of Cuba has been completely updated and revised for this English edition. The book collects and expands on the findings of more than 20 years of work by and international team of ichthyologists and marine biologists studying the coastal fishes and habitats of Cuba. In chapters arranged topically, the thirteen contributors detail the physical characteristics of the Cuban coast; document the physiology, behavior, reproduction, feeding patterns, and growth patterns of the region's fishes; and survey Cuba's fisheries management programs. The result is an unparalleled integration of English- and Spanish-language references on coastal fishes of the western Atlantic, complete with a comprehensive bibliography that constitutes a valuable reference in its own right. The extensive information presented here establishes an important foundation for comparisons of regional biological variations and demonstrates the need for proactive habitat and fishery management policies in the area.