This definitive reference on the fishes of Venezuela's Caura River basin documents all 477 known species in one of the most biodiverse freshwater ecosystems on earth. The product of decades of fieldwork and research by three leading authorities, this volume represents the most comprehensive treatment of the Caura's fish fauna ever published.

Originating in the Guyana Central Highlands and flowing into the Orinoco, the Caura River supports fisheries of immense ecological, cultural, and economic significance, with annual landings at its mouth exceeding 20 thousand metric tons. Supporting chapters introduce the basin's geology, geography, and hydrology, trace its biogeographic history, and explain how past connections to Amazonian and Atlantic drainages shaped its extraordinary diversity.

The book's key features include:

        -fully annotated species accounts with diagnostic descriptions and key identifying traits

        -676 illustrations, including Mikolji's celebrated underwater photography

        -habitat and ecological notes for each species

        -reflections on economic value and cultural and spiritual significance

        -5 distribution maps and 16 data tables

        -concluding chapters on conservation status, potential threats, and management strategies

Fishes of the Caura River will appeal to ichthyologists, conservation biologists, ecologists, fisheries managers, aquarists, natural history collection curators, and anyone with a serious interest in Neotropical freshwater biodiversity.