Preface -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- 1. Fish Osmoregulation in Special Environments -- INTRODUCTION -- 'Environment': What does it Mean? -- Normal and/or Special Environments -- 'Adaptation' -- 'Osmo-ionoregulation' in Fish-An Outline of Basic Principles -- OSMOTICALLY SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS -- The Intertidal Environment -- The Hyper-saline Waters -- DEEP-SEA ENVIRONMENT -- The Deep-Sea -- Life in the Deep-Sea -- CONCLUSION -- References -- 2. Alcolapia grahami: A Fish Inhabiting a Highly Alkaline Environment of Lake Magadi, Kenya -- INTRODUCTION -- Respiration -- Osmoregulation -- Feeding and Digestion -- Breeding -- References -- 3. Cave Fishes: The Consequences of the Life in Darkness -- INTRODUCTION -- MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS -- Regressive Traits -- Constructive Traits -- Constructive and Regressive Traits in One System: The Brain -- CHANGES IN THE PHYSIOLOGY OF CAVE FISHES -- BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS IN CAVE-DWELLING FISHES -- Biological Clock -- Reaction to Light -- Dorsal Light Reaction -- Alarm Reaction -- Social Groups -- Food and Feeding Behavior -- Reproductive Behavior -- Agonistic Behavior -- Life History -- HOW TO EXPLAIN ALL THESE CHANGES? -- References -- 4. Circadian Rhythms in Hypogean Fish: With Special Reference to the Cave Loach, Nemacheilus evezardi -- INTRODUCTION -- CIRCADIAN RHYTHM: CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES -- CIRCADIAN RHYTHM IN CAVE FISH -- BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN NEMACHEILUS EVEZARDI -- Kotumsar Cave: Location, Structure and Geophysical Parameters -- The Hypogean Loach, Nemacheilus evezardi -- Circadian Rhythm in Burying Behavior -- Circadian Rhythm in Surfacing Behavior -- Phototactic Behavior and Circadian Rhythm -- Circadian Rhythm in Chromatophore Population -- Circadian Rhythm in Tissue Metabolites and Enzymes -- Circadian Rhythm in Swimming Activity.

Circadian Rhythm in Locomotor Activity in N. evezardi -- DOES NEMACHEILUS EVEZARDI POSSESS A FUNCTIONAL CIRCADIAN PACEMAKER? -- GENERAL CONCLUSIONS -- References -- 5. Hemoglobinless Antarctic Icefish: Adaptations to Living at Sub-zero Temperatures -- INTRODUCTION -- THE SOUTHERN OCEAN MARINE ENVIRONMENT -- ANTIFREEZE PROTEINS -- CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM -- RESPIRATORY AND OTHER ADAPTATIONS -- References -- 6. Fish Life in Special Environments: Mitochondrial Function in the Cold -- INTRODUCTION -- Evolutionary Adaptation to Cold: Does Mitochondrial Abundance and Oxidative Capacity Indicate Compensation for Cold Temperatures? -- Evolutionary Adaptation to Cold: Maintenance of Mitochondrial ADP Affinities without Thermal Compensation of Maximal Capacities -- Evolutionary Adaptation to Cold: Changes in Phospholipid Composition -- Costs of Enhanced Mitochondrial Activity -- Permanent vs Temporary Cold: Contrast between the Two Poles -- Phenotypic Plasticity of Muscle Oxidative Capacities during Temperature Change -- Phenotypic Plasticity of Mitochondrial Properties: Thermal Compensation -- Phenotypic Plasticity of Mitochondria: Process and Results -- Seasonal Cycles and Coordination of Changes in Mitochondrial Capacities -- References -- 7. Hypoxic Survival in Two Extremes: Under the Ice and on Coral Reefs -- INTRODUCTION -- THE CRUCIAN CARP-A MASTER OF HYPOXIC SURVIVAL -- Respiratory Adaptations in Crucian Carp -- The Anoxic Crucian Carp Brain -- Circulatory Adaptations in Crucian Carp -- HYPOXIA TOLERANCE IN CORAL REEF TELEOSTS -- Coral Gobies: The Most Extreme Coral Dwellers -- Cardinalfishes: Mouthbrooding versus Hypoxic Survival -- Coral Reef Fish Larvae: Transition from Record Swimming Performance to Hypoxia Tolerance -- CONCLUSIONS -- References -- 8. Endocrinology of Migratory Fish Life Cycle in Special Environments: The Role of Metamorphoses.

INTRODUCTION -- METAMORPHOSES DURING THE BIOLOGICAL LIFE CYCLES OF MIGRATORY FISHES -- Larval (First) Metamorphosis -- Secondary Metamorphosis -- ENDOCRINOLOGY OF LARVAL METAMORPHOSES -- Two Opposite Roles of Thyroid Hormones in Vertebrates -- Endocrine Control of Teleost Larval Metamorphosis -- Conclusion: Evolution of the Role of Thyroid Hormones in Larval Metamorphosis in Vertebrates -- ENDOCRINOLOGY OF SECONDARY METAMORPHOSES -- Smoltification -- Silvering -- Conclusion: Evolution of the Endocrine Control of Secondary Metamorphoses -- Conclusions and Perspectives -- References -- 9. Fish Muscle Function and Pressure -- INTRODUCTION -- HOW CAN HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE (HP) MODIFY MUSCLE FUNCTION? -- Pressure and Electrophysiological Events -- Pressure on Non-adapted Fish -- Pressure Acclimatization -- Deep-living Fishes -- PRESSURE AND FISH ACTIVITY -- The Pressure Threshold, Pt -- Buoyancy -- Temperature -- CONCLUSIONS -- References -- 10. Alepocephaloids, a Key Teleostean Group: Their Myology, Functional Anatomy, Phylogeny and Specializations to Deep-Water Environments -- INTRODUCTION -- FISHES EXAMINED AND METHODS USED -- Myology of Alepocephalus rostratus, Xenodermichthys copei and Searsia koefoedi -- CHEEK MUSCULATURE -- Ventral Cephalic Musculature -- Pectoral Girdle Musculature -- DISCUSSION -- References -- 11. Diversity and Adaptation in Deep-channel Neotropical Electric Fishes -- INTRODUCTION -- DEEP-CHANNEL ELECTRIC FISH FAUNAS OF THE NEOTROPICS -- North West South America and Central America (Regions 1, 2 and 3) -- The Magdalena and Maracaibo Drainages (Regions 4 and 5) -- The Orinoco Drainage (Region 6) -- The Potaro-Essequibo and Coastal Drainages of the Guyanas (Region 7) -- The Amazon River (Region 8) -- The Brazilian Littoral (Regions 9-11) -- The Paraná-Paraguay-Uruguay System (Region 12).

NEOTROPICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AND THE DIVERSIFICATION OF DEEP-CHANNEL GYMNOTIFORMS -- Habitat -- Species Richness and Endemicity -- PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONDITIONS IN DEEP-RIVER CHANNELS -- Light Penetration -- Currents -- Temperature -- Dissolved Oxygen and other Physico-chemical Conditions -- SPECIALIZATIONS FOR LIFE IN DEEP RIVER CHANNELS -- The Electrogenic and Electrosensory System (EES) -- Morphological Specializations -- Specializations of the Electrogenic and Electrosensory System and Environmental Correlates of Signal Design -- Behavioral Specializations -- SUMMARY -- References -- Index.