Customer Reviews

Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, and Adjacent Waters, Second Edition (W. L. Moody Jr. Natural History Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book IS NOT a fun book about the fishes you are going to see while fishing or SCUBA diving. If you want that for this area try Peterson's Field Guide or Dr. Bob Shipp's Guide. It IS the definitive treatise on the systematics and identification of all fish one can find in the described area (Texas, Louisiana and adjacent waters). While I give five stars to this book I would not recommend it to any but the most serious of amateurs (professionals already know about it). Before you open it you need to know what a dichotomous key is and how to use it. The pictures are there for confirmation, not identification. It is laid out with an excellent introduction that explains all of the necessary terminology then jumps into how to identify any fish caught to the family level. After identification of the family it gives a key to that family and a brief (it has to be, there are several hundred fish mentioned) description of each species. That is what a field guide does Within it's scope this is the best one available.

This is a one of a kind book that allows the lay-fisherman to identify any fish he comes across in the Louisiana and Texas gulf coast. It has been hard to find, and I am delighted to see it listed here with you.

This is an excellent text for the professional (or near professional) to use in identification of fishes in the Gulf. It is NOT for the beginner, and if you are a beginner you will be disappointed due to the technical layout and terms in this book. Additionally, I think the artistic illustrations by Dinah Bowman are FANTASTIC, but of course I am slightly biased because she is my mother. :)

Good for biologists and wanna be/soon to be biologist. Has useful fish species keys, pretty good key to families too, decent descriptions & definitions. Pictures of some species leaves something to be desired (especially some of the sharks, which turn out to be fish mounted on walls). Doesn't cover juvenile differences well, but most people are looking at adults anyway.

The book is written for college study, however, the pictures are of less than good quality. Many of the fish were dead for quite awhile before photographed. This isn't the best source if you're looking for a book to help you identify fish of the Gulf.

This book is literaly THE FISH BIBLE. It is not for a novice but for fishing it is the BEST money can by. I know alot of marine biologist that swear by it. IT IS GREAT FOR TEXAS COAST.

Good text book for classifing any fish found in the Gulf of Mexico by families, but not a quick picture reference book for identifying your catch. ... If the pictures had been better in "Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico". I would have given it a five stars rateing.

I really like the keys to help identify out fish by spines, etc, but some of the photos are not good representations of the fish. I am glad I bought the book, but I supplement it with other "picture books"

Good information, but laid out in a boring text book style. Probably more suited to fisherman than divers. Pictures in one chapter with description and information in another chapter. Most of the pictures are of dead fish laying on the dock rather than in the water.

Good information, but laid out in a boring text book style. Probably more suited to fisherman than divers. Pictures in one chapter with description and information in another chapter. Most of the pictures are of dead fish laying on the dock rather than in the water.