A guide to larvae and juveniles of some common fsh species from the Mekong River Basin

The Mekong River Basin has one of the world’s richest fsh faunas, with about 850 species now recorded. While guidebooks are available for the identifcation of adult or sub-adult fsh, there is very little published information on early life-stages. This guidebook provides descriptions and illustrations for larval and juvenile stages of 64 indigenous Mekong fshes, most of which are important in fsheries and some of which have high conservation signifcance, as well as one exotic species.

 

The guides for each species include hand-drawn fgures of the stages of development of each species from early larvae, through pre-larvae and post-larvae to juvenile fsh. The descriptions and tabulations cover important diagnostic features, including morphology, meristics and pigmentation. The guide also summarises some basic information on classifcation, size, ecology, biology and conservation status for each species.

 

The book will be useful for anyone involved in monitoring or surveys of the Mekong basin’s fishes.Accurate identifcation is required in all ichthyological studies. In many studies, for example of migration and spawning, it is particularly important to be able to identify larvae and juveniles. This guide will also support those involved in applied research, such as on the impacts of hydroelectric and irrigation dams on fsh spawning and recruitment, as well as in aquaculture and other felds. Much basic work will be facilitated by the availability of this manual and it is hoped that many similar guidebooks will be produced to enhance the quality of research on Mekong fsheries.