PREFACE
Volume I of this treatise is devoted to osmotic and ionic regulation,
the physiology of excretion, and certain aspects of fish metabolism. The
endocrinology of fishes i s considered in Volume 11. Few fields of animal
physiology have expanded more rapidly during the past decade.
The publication in 1957 of “The Physiology of the Pituitary Gland of
Fishes” (New York Zoological Society) by Grace E. Pickford and J. W.
Atz provided a detailed bibliography and review of all the significant
earlier work on the endocrinology of fishes; the authors of this comprehensive book dealt not only with the pituitary but with other endocrine
systems related to it. The intervening years have seen intense research in
fish endocrinology, resulting in numerous monographs and reviews devoted to particular subjects and increasing numbers of fish papers in
General and Comparative Endocrinology which first appeared in 1961.
New factors, such as some of the neurohypophysial hormones, have been
discovered in previously known endocrine organs; additional functions,
such as those of prolactin, have been described for previously known
hormones; new hormones, such as calcitonin, have been recognized in tissues (the ultimobranchial glands) which only a decade ago were not
accepted as endocrine organs. This has been an exciting period in comparative endocrinology, and the aquatic vertebrates with their vast range
of specialized functions have held the key to several sigdicant discoveries-particularly those of phylogenetic interest.
We originally planned to include all of fish endocrinology in Volume
11. However, this has proved impossible because of the length of the
contributions and, more particularly, because of the space (which we
consider justiiied) that has been devoted to the pituitary gland. Consequently, the physiology of reproduction will appear in Volume I11 and
the physiology of the pineal gland will be discussed in Volume IV. The
actions of transmitter substances are not dealt with separately but will
be found in several volumes where their effects on different organ systems are described. We hope that Volume I1 will prove particularly valuable to fish endocrinologists and that it will also find an important place
in the literature of comparative physiology and endocrinology.
July, 1969
v i i
W. S. HOAR
D. J. RANDALL
Volume I of this treatise is devoted to osmotic and ionic regulation,
the physiology of excretion, and certain aspects of fish metabolism. The
endocrinology of fishes i s considered in Volume 11. Few fields of animal
physiology have expanded more rapidly during the past decade.
The publication in 1957 of “The Physiology of the Pituitary Gland of
Fishes” (New York Zoological Society) by Grace E. Pickford and J. W.
Atz provided a detailed bibliography and review of all the significant
earlier work on the endocrinology of fishes; the authors of this comprehensive book dealt not only with the pituitary but with other endocrine
systems related to it. The intervening years have seen intense research in
fish endocrinology, resulting in numerous monographs and reviews devoted to particular subjects and increasing numbers of fish papers in
General and Comparative Endocrinology which first appeared in 1961.
New factors, such as some of the neurohypophysial hormones, have been
discovered in previously known endocrine organs; additional functions,
such as those of prolactin, have been described for previously known
hormones; new hormones, such as calcitonin, have been recognized in tissues (the ultimobranchial glands) which only a decade ago were not
accepted as endocrine organs. This has been an exciting period in comparative endocrinology, and the aquatic vertebrates with their vast range
of specialized functions have held the key to several sigdicant discoveries-particularly those of phylogenetic interest.
We originally planned to include all of fish endocrinology in Volume
11. However, this has proved impossible because of the length of the
contributions and, more particularly, because of the space (which we
consider justiiied) that has been devoted to the pituitary gland. Consequently, the physiology of reproduction will appear in Volume I11 and
the physiology of the pineal gland will be discussed in Volume IV. The
actions of transmitter substances are not dealt with separately but will
be found in several volumes where their effects on different organ systems are described. We hope that Volume I1 will prove particularly valuable to fish endocrinologists and that it will also find an important place
in the literature of comparative physiology and endocrinology.
July, 1969
v i i
W. S. HOAR
D. J. RANDALL