Fishes of the World (PDF)

"Of all the literature I use while preparing field guides for theFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Nelson'sFishes of the World is, by far, the one I refer to most often.[This] book is a standard reference. I continue to use itextensively in the ichthyology courses I teach, particularly inlaboratory sessions."
-Kent E. Carpenter Old Dominion University
"Fishes of the World is a unique and essential resource for anyoneseriously interested in the diversity and evolution of fishes. Thefamily accounts provide quick summaries of current knowledge on allgroups of living fishes and many key fossil taxa. It is a requiredwork for every student in my laboratory."
-William E. Bemis Kingsbury Director of Shoals Marine Laboratory,Cornell University
"Only classics are known by the single name of their author, andcertainly [Nelson's book] has for four editions been such a bookfor all those who seek an accessible, up-to-date, readablereference on fish classification. Once again, Nelson presents abalanced view of the sometimes tumultuous, but ever-exciting, studyof the phylogenetic relationships and classification of fishes. Indoing so, Nelson makes an excellent case for organismal biology,highlighting the many and varied morphological characters we use todiagnose fish taxa and differentiate among the 515 families ofliving species."
-Lynne R. Parenti Curator of Fishes and Research Scientist,National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
Fishes of the World, Fourth Edition is the updated edition of atrue classic in the field. A unique presentation of a modern,cladistically based classification of all the major living andfossil fish groups, this indispensable reference helps scientistsand others identify and classify specimens, make familialconnections, understand the evolution of fishes, and springboardinto further research.
The taxonomy of fishes presented includes the anatomicalcharacteristics, distribution, common and scientific names, andphylogenetic relationships for all 515 families of living fishes.Packed with representative species drawings and information onphylogentic relationships, this informative Fourth Editionfeatures:

* Both fossil and extant species
* More than 500 illustrations
* Fully vetted scientific and common names
* An extensive bibliography