The Mesozoic was an important time in the evolution of chondrichthyan and actinopterygian fishes because it was then that most of the modern groups first entered the fossil record and began to radiate. By the end of the era, many archaic forms had disappeared and the foundation had been laid for the modern diversity of fishes. Despite this significant change, before 1990 there had been little concerted research on Mesozoic fishes and no synopsis or compilation of the systematics and paleoecology of Mesozoic fishes. To remedy this deficiency, Gloria ARRATIA organized the first symposium, 'Mesozoic Fishes - Systematics and Paleoecology' in Eichstätt, Germany in 1993, and, with G. VIOHL, edited the first volume in the Mesozoic Fishes series. Published in 1996 included 36 papers about elasmobranchs, actinopterygians, sarcopterygians, and the paleoecology of certain important fossil localities. Gloria ARRATIA and Hans-Peter SCHULTZE organized the second symposium in Buckow, Germany in 1997, and edited the resulting volume 'Mesozoic Fishes 2 - Systematics and Fossil Record', which included 31 papers. Andrea TINTORI, Markus FELBER, and Heinz FURRER organized the third symposium in Serpiano, near Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland in 2001. The results of that symposium included 33 papers edited by G. ARRATIA and A. TINTORI and published in 'Mesozoic Fishes 3 - Systematics, Paleoenvironments and Biodiversity'. Francisco POYATO-ARIZA organized the fourth symposium on 'Mesozoic Fishes - Systematics, Homology and Nomenclature' in Miraflores de la Sierra, near Madrid, Spain, in 2005. The results of that symposium included 24 papers edited by G. ARRATIA, H.-P. SCHULZE, and M. V. H. WILSON and published in 'Mesozoic Fishes 4 - Homology and Phylogeny'. Rosario GOMEZ, Katia GONZALEZ-RODRIGUEZ, and Jesús ALVARADO-ORTEGA organized the fifth and recent Symposium in the Museum del Desierto, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico from August 2 to 7, 2010. The results presented in 22 research papers, reflect the current state of knowledge about Mesozoic Fishes, but represent only a fraction of all contributions delivered during the meeting. Many of the oral papers were about important preliminary research, yet to be revealed in the published literature. The volume includes two main groups of fishes, actinopterygians (almost exclusively about teleosts) and sarcopterygians as well as papers dealing with important assemblages of fossil fishes of certain Mesozoic localities. Most of the papers are solely dedicated to Mesozoic fossil fishes, but some studies include related fishes up to the present, as well as papers dealing with specific morphological aspects of actinopterygians, and homology problems. New discoveries are presented about fishes from Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia. The new discoveries and interpretations along with critical evaluation of previous research collectively represent an exciting invitation and challenge to further research on Mesozoic Fishes.

ADAMS, Colin E., Scottish Centre for Ecology & the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. ALVARADO-ORTEGA, Jesús, Instituto de Geologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación, Coyoacán, México, México. AMARAL, Cesar R. L., Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, São Francisco Xavier, Maracanã, RJ, Brazil. ARRATIA, Gloria, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, The University of Kansas, Dyche Hall, Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A. BERRELL, Rodney W., Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. BORDEN, W. Calvin, Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. BRINKMAN, Donald B., Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. BRITO, Paulo M., Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, São Francisco Xavier, Maracanã, RJ, Brazil. CHALLANDS, Thomas James, School of Geosciences, Grant Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. CHATTERTON, Brian D. E., Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. CIONE, Alberto Luis, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. CUMBAA, Stephen L., Palaeobiology, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. DAVIS, Matthew P., The Field Museum, Department of Zoology, Chicago, Illinois, USA. ESPINOSA-ARRUBARRENA, Luis, Museo de Geología. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. FIELITZ, Christopher, Emory & Henry College, Emory, Virginia, U.S.A. FOWLER, Denver W., Museum of the Rockies, and Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, U.S.A. FREEDMAN, Elizabeth A., Museum of the Rockies, and Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, U.S.A. GIBB, Stacey, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. GONZÁLEZ-BARBA, Gerardo, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico. GONZÁLEZ-RODRÍGUEZ, Katia A., Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Museo de Paleontología, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico. GOUIRIC-CAVALLI, Soledad, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. GRANDE, Terry, Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. IRVIN, Kelly J., Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Benton, Arkansas, U.S.A. KAISER, Thomas, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. KEMP, Anne, Australian Rivers Institute, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. LISTON, Jeff, Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland School of Earth Sciences, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, University of Bristol, England Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. MARTÍN-ABAD, Hugo, Unidad de Paleontología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain. MICKLE, Kathryn, University of Kansas, Biodiversity Research Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A. Rockhurst University, Biology Department, St. Ignatius Science Building, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A. MURRAY, Alison M., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NEUMAN, Andrew G., Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. NEWBREY, Michael G., Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. POYATO-ARIZA, Francisco José, Unidad de Paleontología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain. SCHRÖDER-ADAMS, Claudia J., Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. SCHULTZE, Hans-Peter, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, The University of Kansas, Dyche Hall, Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A. SMITH, W. Leo, Division of Fishes, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. TISCHLINGER, Helmut, Stammham, Germany. UNDERWOOD, Charlie J., School of Earth Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK. WILSON, Mark V. H., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. WINKLER, Dale A., Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. WOODWARD, Holly N., Museum of the Rockies, and Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, U.S.A. YABUMOTO, Yoshitaka, Department of Natural History, Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan.