Goal of the book

The aim of this extraordinary book is to present a current checklist of all described species and related synonyms within the order Siluriformes, with the source of the description provided for each name so that you can easily find further details about the taxon in question. The book is intended for anyone interested in this exceptionally diverse group of fish, whether they are aquarists or ichthyologists, and can serve as a basic guide for further study. Since an average of 60 new species are described each year, there is currently no book that comprehensively covers all taxa, making it much more difficult to find literature, even in today's electronic age. The book will feature high-quality photographs of all genera, with the ambition of presenting an average of three representative species for each genus. 

As a result, the book will have approximately 900 pages and will be printed on premium A4 paper to showcase the high-quality photographs. Of course, there will be an index of all taxa, making it easy to find the relevant page. The book should not be viewed as a work written by ichthyologists but purely as a factual checklist that serves as a comprehensive overview of the diversity of the order Siluriformes. 

Although, of course, by the time the book is published, which is planned for the end of 2027, other species will have been described, it is planned to publish a supplement every year, which will include new taxonomic changes and new species for the past year. Thanks to these supplements, the basic book will remain up-to-date in the coming years.

Extraordinary care will be taken to ensure the quality of the book, both in terms of data and the selection of photographs, which we hope to obtain from leading photographers and ichthyologists (see the sub-tab "Photos request"). 

I would like to thank everyone who expresses interest in the book and fills out a non-binding pre-order (see the tab in the top bar). Due to the high financial costs of printing, only about 300 copies will be published.

Sarcoglanis simplex Myers & Weitzman 1966. (taken from original description)