A Guide to the Study of Fishes, Volume 1 (of 2)Jordan, David Starr
History
A Guide to the Study of Fishes, Volume 1 (of 2)
Jordan, David Starr
Fishes; Fishes -- Bibliography; Zoology -- History
1. There are many other cases of the sort equally remarkable and
equally hard to explain. Among these is the presence of species of
paddle-fish and shovel-nosed sturgeon,[31] types characteristic of
the Mississippi Valley, in Central Asia. The presence of one and only
one of the five or six American species of pike[32] in Europe; of one
of the three species of mud-minnow in Austria,[33] the others being
American. Still another curious case of distribution is that of the
large pike-like trout of the genus _Hucho_, one species (_Hucho hucho_)
inhabiting the Danube, the other (_Hucho blackistoni_) the rivers of
northern Japan. Many such cases occur in different parts of the globe
and at present admit of no plausible explanation.
2. The supposed continental extension should show permanent traces in
greater similarity in the present fauna, both of rivers and of sea. The
other fresh-water genera of the regions in question are different, and
the marine fishes are more different than they could be if we imagine
an ancient shore connection. If New Zealand and Patagonia were once
united other genera than _Galaxias_ would be left to show it.
3. We know nothing of the power of _Galaxias_ to survive submergence in
salt water, if carried in a marine current. As already noticed, I found
young and old in abundance of the commonest of Japanese fresh-water
fishes in the open sea, at a distance from any river. Thus far, this
species, the hakone[34] dace, has not been recorded outside of Japan,
but it might well be swept to Korea or China. Two fresh-water fishes of
Japanese origin now inhabit the island of Tsushima in the Straits of
Korea.
4. The fresh-water fishes of Polynesia show a remarkably wide
distribution and are doubtless carried alive in currents. One
river-goby[35] ranges from Tahiti to the Riu Kiu Islands. Another
species,[36] originally perhaps from Brazil through Mexico, shows an
equally broad distribution.
5. We know that _Galaxias_ with its relatives must have been derived
from a marine type. It has no affinity with any of the fresh-water
families of either continent, unless it be with the Salmonidæ. The
original type of this group was marine, and most of the larger species
still live in the sea, ascending streams only to spawn.
When the investigations of geologists show reason for believing in
radical changes in the forms of continents, we may accept their
conclusions. That geological evidence exists which seems to favor
the existence of a former continent, Antarctica, is claimed on high
authority. If this becomes well established we may well explain the
distribution of _Galaxias_ with reference to it. But we cannot, on
the other hand, regard the anomalous distribution of _Galaxias_ alone
constituting proof of shore connection. There can be no doubt that
almost every case of anomalies in the distribution of fishes admits of
a possible explanation through "the slow action of existing causes."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account