History of the Monographic Series Fishes of the Western North Atlantic

The monographic series Fishes of the Western North Atlantic (FWNA) is widely used as a reference for fishes of the region. The original goal of FWNA was to develop comprehensive species accounts to address the identification, nomenclature, biology, and distribution of all the fishes in the region; however, only ten Parts were completed, from the lancelets, cyclostomes, and sharks in 1948 to the needlefishes, halfbeaks, sauries, and flyingfishes in 2019. Production of FWNA engaged broad participation from the ichthyological community with 48 authors from 28 institutions, including museums, universities, federal and state agencies, and marine laboratories. With publication of Part Ten, the series concluded, and all Parts were reissued. Here we present a history and evolution of the series over the 85 years since the series was proposed in 1937 and assess its impact on ichthyology, the ichthyologists who participated in FWNA, and the institutions that supported them.