Catfishes Systematics, Biology and Farming

The book on "Catfishes: Systematics, Biology and Culture" By Prof H.A. Khan deals with the teleosts belonging to the order siluiriformes. They form an important group of fishes next to cyprinids in their abundance and diversity. Catfishes are valued for food and game. They have become popular due to their hardy nature and adaptability to thrive both in fresh and brackish water. A vivid description of 162 species, belonging to 51 genera inhabiting inland waters of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Srilanka and Pakistan has been given of their systematics (identifying characters, colours and geographical distribution). Some important culturable species found in Thailand and America have also been described. It is the first comprehensive treatise on catfishes, describing the biology (nutrition and growth, reproduction and life history, diseases genetics etc.) and culture of several important species. The book has been adequately illustrated to facilitate the species identification and is supplemented by a comprehensive list of references and index of scientific names of catfishes. An interesting part of book is the detailed description of various farming techniques of important culturable catfishes species as followed in advance countries like America, Europe as well as various Asian countries and Africa for the guidance of those entrepreneurs who want to start their own catfishes farming. The book is quite indispensable for catfish farmers, aquarists, students (both) graduate and post-graduate), teachers, planners, naturalists, and environmental scientists interested in the development of catfish farming in the country and elsewhere. The book contains about 300 printed pages and 74 illustrations of fishes.