Instruction
Paper: Write a life-history summary for a group of fishes, normally a family or a subset of the family. You must include references for your family’s information (peer-reviewed, minimum of 10 references). It should be no more than 10 pages single-spaced, 20 double spaces with in text citations. Use Copeia guide to authors for formatting guidelines. Suggested topics that your paper should cover:
1. Taxonomy/Phylogeny: What are the higher taxonomic units for the family: Phylum, Class (subclass), Order (suborder). Include any references you find on cladistic analysis for the group. What are its closest relatives (sister taxa)? List all species in your group, scientific and common names, with the authority for each.
2. Anatomy/Physiology: Highlight any anatomical features unique to the family. What anatomical features distinguish the group? What unique physiological mechanisms does it use for osmoregulation, sensory systems, migration, etc. Make sure you show what the life stages look like (egg, larvae, juvenile, and adults) ontogenetic change for at least one species in the family. Include supporting references.
3. Ecology/Behavior: What are the foods each species consumes? Does it change with ontogeny? Where are they found (show a distribution map)? What kind of reproductive strategy does the family have? Is it the same for all species in the group, or do different species do different things while mating? Where does the species spawn? How many eggs are produced? Is it r or K selected? Include any references that describe spawning seasons, population estimates, stock changes over time, etc.
4. Evolution: What is the fossil evidence to show that this family evolved in the geological periods that are described in the test? When did the family first appear in the fossil record? Include supporting references.