Note 75 — Chapter XVI · DISPERSION OF FRESH-WATER FISHES[63]
Reading edition
The table below shows approximately the composition of the fresh-water fish fauna of Europe, as compared with that of North America north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Families. Europe. N. America.
Lamprey Petromyzonidæ 3 species. 8 species.
Paddle-fish Polyodontidæ — " 1 "
Sturgeon Acipenseridæ 10 " 6 "
Garpike Lepisosteidæ — " 3 "
Bowfin Amiidæ — " 1 "
Mooneye Hiodontidæ — " 3 "
Herring Clupeidæ 2 " 5 "
Gizzard-shad Dorosomidæ — " 1 "
Salmon Salmonidæ 12 " 28 "
Characin Characinidæ — " 1 "
Carp Cyprinidæ 61 " 230 "
Loach Cobiridæ 3 " — "
Sucker Catostomidæ — " 51 "
Catfish Siluridæ 1 " 25 "
Trout-perch Percopsidæ — " 2 "
Blindfish Amblyopsidæ — " 6 "
Killifish Cyprinodontidæ 3 " 52 "
Mud-minnow Umbridæ 1 " 2 "
Pike Esocidæ 1 " 5 "
Alaska blackfish Dalliidæ — " 1 "
Eel Anguillidæ 2 " 1 "
Stickleback Gasterosteidæ 3 " 7 "
Silverside Atherinidæ 2 " 2 "
Pirate perch Aphredoderidæ — " 1 "
Elassoma Elassomidæ — " 2 "
Sunfish Centrarchidæ — " 37 "
Perch Percidæ 11 " 72 "
Bass Serranidæ 1 " 4 "
Drum Sciænidæ — " 1 "
Surf-fish Embiotocidæ — " 1 "
Cichlid Cichlidæ — " 2 "
Goby Gobiidæ 2 " 6 "
Sculpin Cottidæ 2 " 21 "
Blenny Blenniidæ 3 " — "
Cod Gadidæ 1 " 1 "
Flounder Pleuronectidæ 1 " — "
Sole Soleidæ 1 " 1 "
Total: Europe, 21 families; 126 species. North America, 34 families; 590 species. A few new species have been added since this enumeration was made.
According to Dr. Günther (Guide to the Study of Fishes, p. 243), the total number of species now known from the temperate regions of Asia and Europe is about 360. The fauna of India, south of the Himalayas, is much more extensive, numbering 625 species. This latter fauna bears little resemblance to that of North America, being wholly tropical in its character.