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PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online OPEN ACCESS every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Book Review Study on biological and ecological characteristics of mudskippers Ali Reza Radkhah & Soheil Eagderi 26 May 2019 | Vol. 11 | No. 7 | Pages: 13948–13950 DOI: 10.11609/jot.4984.11.7.13948-13950 For Focus, Scope, Aims, Policies, and Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0 For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-2 For reprints, contact <[email protected]> The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors. Partner Member Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2019 | 11(7): 13948–13950 Fish are the most diverse and Study on biological and ecological Book Review numerous group of vertebrates characteristics of mudskippers in the world. This indicates ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) the importance of fsh among Ali Reza Radkhah 1 & Soheil Eagderi 2 ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) vertebrates in biodiversity 1,2 PLATINUM and evolutonary studies since Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, they exhibit morphological, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. OPEN ACCESS 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), physiological, and behavioural 2 [email protected] adaptatons (Satari 2003). Access to biological and ecological informaton on fsh stocks can be very helpful in understanding the status of fsh in the future. In other specialists in the felds of evoluton, environment, fsh words, the ecological data presented on the status of behaviour, and physiology. fsh species in aquatc ecosystems can be highly efectve This work atempts to review the chapters of this in directng and achieving management-protecton book. In the current book, the aspects of biology and policies in the future. Hence, this informaton can be ecology of mudskippers such as anatomy, distributon, used by experts and fshery managers. Mudskippers (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Oxudercinae) are a group of fsh that live in intertdal zones of mangrove Fishes Out of Water: Biology and Ecology of ecosystems (Graham 1997; Abdoli et al. 2017). Mudskippers, 1st Editon. According to Polgar & Crosa (2009), there are about 30 – Zeehan Jaafar & Edward O. Murdy (eds.) species of mudskippers around the world that belong Date of publicaton: 2017 to four genera: Periophthalmus, Periophthalmodon, Publisher: CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA Boleophthalmus, and Scartelaos. These fshes are air- Pages: 390pp breathing gobies that are found in the coasts of Africa, Asia, and Australia (Kutschera et al. 2008; Kutschera & ISBN 978-1-498-71787-8 (print) Elliot 2013). Therefore, these fshes can be used as ISBN 978-1-315-119-86-1 (eBook) ecological indicators to study and detect polluton levels in aquatc ecosystems. Mudskippers live in ecosystems that have severe environmental conditons such as large fuctuatons in temperature, high turbidity, low oxygen, and high levels of polluton (Abdoli et al. 2017). In spite of these conditons, they adapt themselves to live in these ecosystems (Murdy 1989). In fact, adaptaton in morphological, physiological and behavioural traits enable them to move between aquatc and terrestrial habitats (Colombini et al. 1996; Kutschera et al. 2008). Due to the ecological importance of mudskippers, it is necessary to provide a comprehensive reference about these fshes. Therefore, the present work aims to introduce the current book ttled Fishes out of Water: Biology and Ecology of Mudskippers edited by Zeehan Jaafar and Edward O. Murdy. This book contains 15 chapters published by CRC press in 2017. Because of its valuable content, this book has become a complete reference on mudskippers. This valid reference will be useful for a wide range of students, researchers, and DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.4984.11.7.13948-13950 Date of publicaton: 26 May 2019 (online & print) 13948 Book review systematcs, physiology, and conservaton are studied. Authors state that ecological conditons like hypoxia can The unique adaptatons of these fshes in nature are also afect these biological characteristcs. fully explored. Chapter 11 focuses on territoriality, aggression, and The frst chapter examines the taxonomy and courtship behaviours in mudskipper species. Territory systematc aspects of mudskippers. In this chapter, behaviour in these fshes usually occurs to preserve their the authors state that mudskippers are tropical and habitats. Courtship behaviour, however, is carried out by subtropical fshes belonging to the family Oxudercidae male fshes during matng to atract atenton of many and subfamily Oxudercinae (Order: Gobiiformes). They more females. The investgaton of these behaviours can also provide the frst reports on the descripton of be useful to the study of ethology in mudskippers. mudskipper species. For example, the authors state that Chapter 12 is intended to investgate the Gobius pectnirostris and G. barbarus were frst described spatotemporal changes in the distributon of mudskipper in 1758 and 1766, respectvely. The second chapter species. In this chapter, the authors acknowledge focuses on the distributon of mudskippers in the world. that the spatotemporal variatons of mudskipper The fndings have shown that mudskipper species are species indicate their adaptaton to semi-terrestrial widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical coastal habitats. In Chapter 13, the care and management habitats of the Indo-West Pacifc (IWP) and the eastern of mudskipper species in captvity conditons are Atlantc. Chapters 3 and 4 study the early development, investgated. In fact, mudskippers are very interestng age, and growth of mudskippers. The authors investgate and atractve fshes and there is a high tendency to early development in some species of mudskippers (Ps. keep them in captvity. Therefore, it is necessary to argentlineatus and Ps. modestus). The study on the manage these fsh species in artfcial environments development of mudskipper species in their early life such as aquariums. In this chapter, authors provide stages can provide useful informaton on the growth important and useful informaton about the proper patern of the species. preservaton of mudskipper species in aquariums. This Chapter 5 reviews respiratory and circulatory informaton is derived from the biological and ecological adaptatons in mudskippers. In this chapter, the authors characteristcs of mudskippers in natural habitats. focus on respiratory organs in mudskipper species. They Chapter 14 investgates the conservaton of fsh habitats. state that these species have been considered aquatc Anthropogenic actvites are one of the most important air-breathing fshes. Therefore, the respiratory system factors that can destroy the habitats of fshes. Coastal of these fshes is diferent from that of others. In development, polluton of water resources, and creaton chapter 6, the structure and functon of sensory organs of heterogeneity in habitats such as mangrove forests are investgated. The olfactory organ is considered are examples of anthropogenic actvites that afect important and key in the respiratory system of fsh. The the habitats of mudskippers. Unfortunately, human structure of the olfactory organ in mudskippers is very dependence on natural resources such as forests and diferent from that in other fsh and is of a unique type. aquatc ecosystems has increased the severity of these Studies have shown that the unique structure of the efects. olfactory organ in mudskipper species can be the result In chapter 15, the fnal chapter, the leading challenges of adaptaton in specifc conditons (from aquatc habitat of future researches about mudskippers are discussed. to land). Chapter 7 focuses on nitrogen metabolism and The authors state that litle works have been carried nitrogenous waste excreton in two mudskipper species, out on their natural history and ecology. Therefore, it is Periophthalmodon schlosseri and Boleophthalmus necessary to carry out further researches with the aim boddart. The obtained results show that these fsh of examining the biological and ecological characteristcs species have ornithine-urea cycle in their bodies. This of mudskippers. In additon, the authors explain that cycle can establish a balance for fsh in aquatc and coastal development in diferent parts of the world, such terrestrial habitats. In Chapter 8, locomoton paterns as Australia, has destroyed the habitats of mudskippers. of mudskippers in aquatc and terrestrial environments