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Title: The Cichlid Fishes: Nature's Grand Experiment in Evolution by George W. Barlow, George Christopher Williams ISBN: 0-7382-0376-9 Publisher: Perseus Publishing Pub. Date: 25 October, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.75 (8 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Grand Narrative
Comment: The aquarium lights go out at a certain time every evening, and what's a fishkeeper to do but... read about fish?
Cichlidophiles can find many books on their favorite subject. These works, however, seem to go directly from beginner guides to dry, semi-scientific texts, perhaps poorly translated into English, with nothing in between. But publishing, like nature, abhors a vacuum.
Dr. George W. Barlow has woven together his own research with that of other scientists into a rich narrative of cichlid family history to fill this void. The Cichlid Fishes does read like a family history-flashy cousins, famous uncles, strange ancestors and the like-and science is their family diary.
No mistake, this is a serious exploration of Cichlidian evolutionary success. The important research Barlow and his peers have performed over the decades has answered many questions. Experiments and observation have shown that the Cichlids' spectacular rate of speciation arises from the physical characteristics of their jaws, thus increasing dietary options.
The strength of the research also lies in how many more questions it has raised. For example, the subject of parental care is understandably a dominant theme. The way the Discus feeds its young from secretions in its skin is documented, and the follow on question is, how did mammalian milk production evolve? The body of Cichlid data is a springboard for evolutionary studies everywhere.
Throughout this "serious" work, the reader finds that he or she is studying complex scientific theory painlessly. Barlow writes about his favorite subject with affection and humor, in a way that the hobbyist can enjoy as well as those who make a living in the field of biology. Definitions of scientific terms are seamlessly incorporated into the Cichlid story. After reading this book, you may find yourself spouting off words like "polygynandry" and "trophic" at your next hobbyist club meeting as if you were discussing the weather.
As in any family history, the story includes speculation on the future. What will happen to the fishes in this unsure world? Barlow gives statistics on the state of the Earth's waters and our affect on them, and presents his own opinions on their significance, based on the biology of Cichlids. Will Cichlids have a chance to continue evolving?
You, dear reader, are invited to explore Cichlid Fishes for yourself, in order to form your own opinion.
Surfing the web is something else you can do when the tank lights go out. For more information about The Cichlid Fishes, Dr. Barlow and his work, see his web page.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent addition the natural history collection!
Comment: The first thing that needs to be said about this book is that it is NOT a book about keeping cichlids in aquariums. I think that is a misconception some people may get since cichlids are such popular aquarium subjects. If you're looking for information on cichlids in the aquarium, you need to hunt down books by Paul Loiselle or Ad Konings. This is a book about evolutionary science.
The cichlids are really the animal darlings of the evolution field in the same sense that the Galapagos Islands are the geographical Mecca. This book focuses on cichlids from the African Great Lakes: Malawi., Victoria, and Tanganyika. The populations in these lakes have been isolated and thus present a wonderful living experiment in evolution and speciation. The New World members of Cichlidae aren't forgotten - there's plenty of examples from them too.
The text doesn't delve too deeply into scientific theory. It's still a relatively easy read for the layperson. Its aim is to explain why the cichlids fascinate biologists and evolutionists - without getting overly technical. It achieves that goal admirably.
The bibliography is worth the cover price. There are 23 pages of small-print references and a numerical guide to citations by chapter.
If you're an aquarist with an interest in the science behind the fish, a scientist with little experience with fish or evolution, or a "normal" person wondering what all the fuss is about, this is a good choice.
Rating: 5
Summary: Well done: Real aquarist needs evolutionary aspects
Comment: Clear, understandable and enjoyable, Mr Barlow's book helped me gain much insight about the evolutionary aspects of cichlid behaviours. Some of the cited examples for behavioral patterns are really spectacular! Male C. nicaraguense cichlids protecting the young of a foreign species, C. dovi, a large predatory cichlid species in Lake Nicaragua... I have never heard of something like that among fish. And the reasoning behind this behavior in the evolutionary sense... Or catfish raising the babies of cichlids in Malawi lake... It is always a new surprise to me to see once again how inventive the evolution is.
This is the kind of book I like most; based on scientific facts but written in a reader friendly manner, fully understandable and enjoyable. Thanks to spectacular examples and their clear explanations, very interesting too...
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