A practical and theoretical approach to studies in fish taxonomy for students and early career researchers, based on the revision of the family Polynemidae

Abstract

In this paper, the author presents a practical and theoretical approach to studying fish taxonomy for students and early career researchers, based on his personal experience working on the revision of threadfins-marine and freshwater fishes of the family Polynemidae. The approach is systematically arranged and described under twelve chapters, including an introduction, an insight into fish taxonomy research opportunities, and a conclusion, in the following order: Introduction; Research start-up; Writing the first taxonomic paper; Revisionary work: focus on common and widespread species; Reassessment of type specimens and original descriptions; The distributional implications of target taxa; Morphology and Ecology; Comparison between revision and review of taxonomic papers; A strategy on the order of publications; Recognizing species differences: natural aptitude or plentiful experience?; Research frontier: the numerous undescribed Southeast Asian freshwater fish species; and Conclusion.