Reviews
A must have for those with an interest in the fishes of the region.
Finally! A truly comprehensive and well-illustrated field guide to the fishes of the Chesapeake Bay is available.
Director of the National Science Foundation office in Tokyo, Murdy and Musick catalogue fish... in the largest of US estuaries... The information is oriented towards fishing, and the excellent drawings by marine science illustrator Val Kells are not fanciful in-habitat creations, but aids for identifying the species of the fish in the bottom of the boat.
The only comprehensive field guide to the Chesapeake's fishes, this book is an indispensable resource for both anglers and students of the Bay.
[Kells] is meticulous in her detail that makes her final product scientifically accurate so that her images can be used by scientist and the public alike. Anyone with an interest in the Chesapeake Bay and its fishes will find her work invaluable as a resource.
Field Guide to the Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake... The science is solid as it should be from two veteran ichythologists, but it also carries an engaging human touch that brings each species to life.
Overall, a very useful guide to fish of this region.
The new Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake.
The authors accomplished what they set out to do and did it well. Those with an interest in fishes of the Chesapeake region should buy the book: they won’t be sorry.
Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake, from the freshwater head of tide on the rivers to the salty Virginia Capes and the Atlantic. The science is solid, as it should be from two veteran Bay ichthyologists, but it also carries an engaging human touch that brings each species to life through brief but informative paragraphs on where and how often it turns up in the Chesapeake, what it eats, and why it is important ecologically, commercially, and recreationally. This field guide will certainly find a place on my skiff.
Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay is an incredibly valuable and overdue update on the myriad species that now inhabit North America's largest estuary. This work is a must have for anglers, naturalists, scientists, outdoors people and anyone who just loves the Chesapeake Bay. Authors (and scientists) Murdy and Musick should be congratulated for such a comprehensive effort and the illustrations of artist Val Kells are nothing short of extraordinary.
Another outstanding field guide illustrated by Val Kells. This guide's illustrations and distinctive diagnostic characteristics are accompanied by life history information taken by the authors from their previous excellent text, Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. The dichotomous keys allow anyone to identify a fish to the family level and then the key to each of the families to the species level... A must for professionals, fishermen and the public who live in this area and adjacent areas and want to identify and learn about the 211 fishes described in detail.
Book Details
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Watershed, History, and Hydrology of the Chesapeake Bay
General Characteristics of Chesapeake Bay Fish Fauna
Seasonal Fish Faunal Changes
Conservation and Environmental
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Watershed, History, and Hydrology of the Chesapeake Bay
General Characteristics of Chesapeake Bay Fish Fauna
Seasonal Fish Faunal Changes
Conservation and Environmental Management of Chesapeake Bay Fishes
The Scope of This Field Guide
Organization
How to Identify Fishes in the Bay
How to Use the Keys
Morphology
Basic Counts and Measurements
Species Accounts
Lampreys - Family Petromyzontidae
Dogfish sharks - Family Squalidae
Requiem sharks - Family Carcharhinidae
Hammerhead sharks - Family Sphyrnidae
Hound sharks - Family Triakidae
Basking shark - Family Cetorhinidae
Sand tigers - Family Odontaspididae
Angel sharks - Family Squatinidae
Sawfishes - Family Pristidae
Whiptail stingrays - Family Dasyatidae
Butterfly rays - Family Gymnuridae
Eagle rays - Family Myliobatidae
Cownose rays - Family Rhinopteridae
Skates - Family Rajidae
Sturgeons - Family Acipenseridae
Gars - Family Lepisosteidae
Bowfins - Family Amiidae
Tenpounders - Family Elopidae
Tarpons - Family Megalopidae
Freshwater eels - Family Anguillidae
Conger eels - Family Congridae
Herrings - Family Clupeidae
Anchovies - Family Engraulidae
Suckers - Family Catostomidae
Carps and minnows - Family Cyprinidae
Sea catfishes - Family Ariidae
North American catfishes - Family Ictaluridae
Pikes - Family Esocidae
Mudminnows - Family Umbridae
Lizardfishes - Family Synodontidae
Cusk-eels - Family Ophidiidae
Cods - Family Gadidae
Merlucciid hakes - Family Merlucciidae
Phycid hakes - Family Phycidae
Toadfishes - Family Batrachoididae
Goosefishes - Family Lophiidae
Mullets - Family Mugilidae
New World silversides - Family Atherinopsidae
Needlefishes - Family Belonidae
Halfbeaks - Family Hemiramphidae
Pupfishes - Family Cyprinodontidae
Topminnows - Family Fundulidae
Livebearers - Family Poeciliidae
Sticklebacks - Family Gasterosteidae
Pipefishes - Family Syngnathidae
Sculpins - Family Cottidae and Lumpfishes - Family Cyclopteridae
Searobins - Family Triglidae
Butterfishes - Family Stromateidae
Cutlassfishes - Family Trichiuridae
Sand lances - Family Ammodytidae
Jacks - Family Carangidae
Cobia - Family Rachycentridae
Remoras - Family Echeneidae
Mackerels - Family Scombridae
Barracudas - Family Sphyraenidae
Stargazers - Family Uranoscopidae
Drums and croakers - Family Sciaenidae
Spadefishes - Family Ephippidae
Bluefish - Family Pomatomidae
Clingfishes - Family Gobiesocidae
Gobies - Family Gobiidae
Temperate basses - Family Moronidae
Perches - Family Percidae
Combtooth blennies - Family Blenniidae
Snakeheads - Family Channidae
Butterflyfishes - Family Chaetodontidae
Mojarras - Family Gerreidae
Porgies - Family Sparidae
Snappers - Family Lutjanidae
Grunts - Family Haemulidae
Sunfishes - Family Centrarchidae
Wrasses - Family Labridae
Medusafishes - Family Centrolophidae
Sea basses and groupers - Family Serranidae
Triggerfishes - Family Balistidae
Porcupinefishes - Family Diodontidae
Filefishes - Family Monacanthidae
Boxfishes - Family Ostraciidae
Puffers - Family Tetraodontidae
American soles - Family Achiridae
Tonguefishes - Family Cynoglossidae
Sand flounders - Family Paralichthyidae
Righteye flounders - Family Pleuronectidae
Turbots - Family Scophthalmidae
Appendices
1. Key to the Orders and Families of Chesapeake Bay Fishes
2. Key to the Families of Perciformes Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay
3. Keys to Species within Families
4. Fish Species Rarely Recorded from the Chesapeake Bay
Glossary of Selected Technical Terms
Index to Scientific Names
Index to Common Names