Despite a steady increase in the pace of biodiversity exploration and research in Sri Lanka, the origins of the island’s fauna and flora have never yet been explored in a synthetic work. This book is a first attempt to draw together the diverse threads that make up this fascinating story. It reviews the historical and recent scientific literature to provide a state-of-the-art context for understanding how the island's biota came to be as it is today. It lays special emphasis on the ecology, biogeography and phylogeography of freshwater fishes, which are arguably the best-studied vertebrate group in the country. The text is richly illustrated with more than 200 figures, photographs and maps, supported also by extensive references to the literature.
This volume is intended to serve as a sourcebook for scientists, students and enthusiasts of Sri Lanka’s spectacular biodiversity, highlighting not just what is known but also the many gaps in our knowledge that beckon as objects of future inquiry. A clear understanding of how, when and from where the ancestors of the plants and animals that now inhabit the island came – whether from Jurassic Gondwana or Pleistocene lndia – is perhaps the first and most important step also in deciding future conservation priorities. The Ecology and Biogeography of Sri Lanka: A Context for Freshwater Fishes provides an indispensable foundation for understanding and appreciating Sri Lanka’s unique biodiversity in its historical and evolutionary context.