Contents -- Preface to the Paperback Edition -- Preface to the 2001 Edition -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Pronounciation of Family Names -- Families and Maps -- Agnatha-Jawless Fishes -- Petromyzontidae-Iampreys -- Geotridae-pouched lamprey -- Mordaciidae-Southern Hemisphere lampreys -- Gnathostomata-Jawed Fishes -- Chondrichthyes-Cartilaginous Fishes -- Carcharhinidae-requiem sharks -- Potamotrygonidae-river stingrays -- Dasyatidae-whiptail stingrays -- Sarcopterygii-Lungfishes -- Ceratodontidae-Australian lungfish -- Lepidosirenidae-South American lungfish -- Protopteridae-African lungfishes -- Actinopterygii-Ray-Finned Fishes -- Polypteridae-bichirs -- Acipenseridae-sturgeons -- Polyodontidae-paddlefishes -- Lepisosteidae-gars -- Amiidae-bowfin -- Osteoglossidae-bonytongues -- Pantodontidae-butterfly fish -- Hiodontidae-mooneye and goldeneye -- Notopteridae-featherbacks -- Mormyridae-elephantfishes -- Gymnarchidae-aba -- Anguillidae-freshwater eels -- Denticipitidae-denticle herring -- Engraulidae-anchovies -- Pristigasteridae-pristigasterids -- Clupeidae-herrings -- Sundasalangidae-sundasalangids -- Kneriidae-kneriids -- Phractolaemidae-snake mudhead -- Cyprindae-minnows, carps -- Gyrinoceilidae-algae eaters -- Catostomidae-suckers -- Cobitidae-loaches -- Balitoridae-river or hillstream loaches -- Distichodontidae-distichodontids -- Citharinidae-citharinids -- Parodontidae-parodontids -- Curmimatidae-curimatids -- Prochilodontidae-prochilodontids -- Anostomidae-anostomids, headstanders -- Chilodontidae-chilodontids, headstanders -- Crenuchidae-crenuchids, South American darters -- Hemiodontidae-hemiodontids -- Alestidae-African characins or tetras -- Gasteropelecidae-hatchetfishes, flying characins -- Characidae-characids -- Acestrorhynchidae-acestrorhynchids -- Cynodontidae-cynodontids -- Erythrinidae-trahiras.

Lebiasinidae-lesbiassinids -- Ctenoluciidae-pike characins -- Diplomystidae-diplomystids -- Cetopsidae-whale-like catfishes -- Ictaluridae-North American or bullhead catfishes -- Claroteidae-claroteid catfishes -- Austroglanididae-austroglanidid catfishes -- Bagridae-bagrid catfishes -- Pimelodidae-long-whiskered catfishes -- Cranoglanididae-armorhead catfishes -- Siluridae-silurid catfishes -- Schilbeidae-schilbeid catfishes -- Pangasiidae-pangasiid catfishes -- Chacidae-squarehead, angler, or frogmouth catfishes -- Plotosidae-eeltail catfishes -- Clariidae-air-breathing or walking catfishes -- Heteroponeustidae-air sac or stinging catfishes -- Malapteruridae-electric catfishes -- Arridae-sea catfishes -- Mochokidae-upside-down catfishes, squeakers -- Doradidae-thorny or talking catfishes -- Auchenipteridae-driftwood catfishes, slopehead catfishes -- Amblycipitidae-torrent catfishes -- Akysidae-stream catfishes -- Sisoridae-sisorid catfishes -- Erethistidae-erethistid catfishes -- Asprendinidae-banjo catfishes -- Amphiliidae-loach catfishes -- Nematogenyidae-nematogenyid catfishes -- Trichomycteridae-parasitic or pencil catfishes -- Callicthyidae-armored catfishes -- Scoloplacidae-spiny dwarf catfishes -- Loricariidae-suckermouth armored catfishes -- Astroblepidae-climbing catfishes -- Sternopygidae-glass knifefishes -- Rhamphichthyidae-sand knifefishes -- Hypopomidae-hypopomid knifefishes -- Apteronotidae-ghost knifefishes -- Gymnotidae-naked-back knifefishes -- Electrophoridae-electric eel or electric knifefish -- Esocidae-pikes -- Umbridae-mudminnows -- Osmeridae-smelts -- Salangidae-icefishes or noodlefishes -- Retropinnidae-Southern Hemisphere smelts and graylings -- Lepidogalaxiidae-galaxiids -- Salmonidae-salmons, trouts -- Percopsidae-trout-perches -- Aphredoderidae-pirate perch -- Bythitidae-viviparous brotulas -- Gadidae-cods.

Batrachoididae-toadfishes -- Mugilidae-mullets -- Bedotiidae-bedotiids -- Melanotaeniidae-rainbowfishes -- Pseudomugilidae-blue eyes -- Atherinidae-silversides -- Telmatherinidae-sailfin silversides or Celebes rainbowfishes -- Phallostethidae-phallostethids or priapium fishes -- Adrianichthyidae-ricefishes, medakas -- Belonidae-needlefishes -- Hemiramphidae-halfbreaks -- Aplocheilidae-Old World aplocheiloids -- Rivulidae-New World apolocheiloids or rivulines -- Profundulidae-Middle American killifishes -- Fundulidae-topminnows and killifishes -- Valenciidae-valenciids -- Anablepidae-four-eyed fishes -- Poeciliidae-poeciliids -- Goodeidae-goodeids -- Cyprinodontidae-pupfishes, killifishes -- Gasterosteidae-sticklebacks -- Syngnathidae-pipefishes and seahorses -- Indostomidae-indostomids -- Synbranchidae-swamp eels -- Chaudhuriidae-earthworm eels -- Mastacembelidae-spiny eels -- Cottidae-sculpins -- Comephoridae-Baikal oilfishes -- Abyssocottidae-abyssocottids -- Centropomidae-snooks -- Ambassidae-Asiatic glassfishes -- Moronidae-temperate basses -- Percichthyidae-temperate perches -- Centrarchidae-sunfishes -- Percidae-perches, darters -- Apogonidae-cardinalfishes, mouth-almighty -- Coiidae-tigerperches -- Polyneimidae-threadfins -- Sciaenidae-drums, croakers -- Monodactylidae-moonfishes -- Toxotidae-archerfishes -- Nandidae-Asian leaffishes -- Polycentridae-African and South American leaffishes -- Pristolepididae-pristolepidids -- Terapontidae-grunters -- Kuhliidae-flagtails -- Elassomatidae-pygmy sunfishes -- Cichlidae-cichlids -- Embiotocidae-surfperches -- Bovichthyidae-bovichthyids -- Cheimarrhichthyidae-torrentfish -- Rhyacicthyidae-odontobutids -- Odontobutidae-odontobutids -- Eleotridae-sleepers, gudgeons -- Gobiidae-gobies -- Kurtidae-nurseryfishes -- Scatophagidae-scats -- Luciocephalidae-pikehead -- Anabantidae-climbing gouramies.

Helostomatidae-kissing gourami -- Belontiidae-gouramies -- Osphronemidae-giant gouramies -- Channidae-snakeheads -- Achiridae-American soles -- Soleidae-soles -- Cynoglossidae-tonguefishes -- Tetraodontidae-puffers -- Glossary -- Appendix A: Principal Rivers of the World -- Appendix B: Principal Lakes of the World -- Bibliography -- Index -- Alphabetical List of Families.