Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes [Hardcover]

John McEachran (Author), Janice D. Fechhelm (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0292752067 | ISBN-13: 978-0292752061 | Publication Date: 1998 | Edition: 1st

The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world and contains over 15 percent of all known species of marine fishes. This diverse fish fauna has been the subject of many publications, but, until now, no work has ever surveyed all known species, including the deep sea fishes and those of the southern Gulf. This book is the first of two volumes that will cover the entire fish fauna of the Gulf of Mexico. An introductory section that outlines the Gulf's geographical setting, geological origin, current patterns, tides, sediments, meteorology, ecology, and biological exploration is followed by a key for the forty-four orders of fishes known from the Gulf. Keys and descriptions are provided for families, which are arranged phylogenetically, and for the species, which are arranged alphabetically, described, and distinguished from similar species. All but a few species are illustrated.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This work is unique and especially important because it brings together, for the first time, information on the entire fish fauna of the Gulf of Mexico. Other volumes cover only subsets of Gulf fishes....This represents the most complete survey of the ichthyofauna of the Gulf of Mexico ever compiled. (Philip A. Hastings, Research Scientist and Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates, University of Arizona )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1120 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1st edition (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292752067
• ISBN-13: 978-0292752061
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.5 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,725,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, June 12, 1999

By 

K. Wilk (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes (Hardcover)

In every field of study there is a book that is regarded as "the bible". For the identification and description of the fish fauna of the Gulf of Mexico this two-volume book will certainly be it. It distills into one reference work the information that was (until now) scattered in a wide body of literature dealing with various parts of the Gulf. Volume 1 begins with a key to the 44 orders that are known to occur in the region, and then proceeds to describe the families and species in 40 of those orders (Volume 2 will deal with the remaining 4). The physical descriptions are very precise and detailed, accompanied by outstanding gray-scale illustrations, and supported by numerous references. Very much in the style of Bohlke and Chaplin's classic, "Fishes of the Bahamas and Adjacent Tropical Waters", its scope and content will appeal primarily to scientists, ichthyology students, professional fishermen, and others (fishwatchers, underwater photographers,...) with a strong interest in learning about and identifying the species of this region. Its massive size (1112 pages), however, makes it a rather unlikely take-along for your next scuba vacation. But you'll certainly want to use it when you get back.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent publication, November 9, 2000

By 

Frat Ēng "Firochromis" (Ankara, Turkey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes (Hardcover)

The Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico is the first of a planned two-volume set. Volume 1 covers the orders Myxiformes to Gasterosteiformes (40 orders). Volume 2 will cover the remaining 4 orders; Scorpaeniformes, Perciformes, Pleuronectiformes, and Tetraodontiformes. This book is intended to be a single source for identification and description of fishes that are known to occur in the Gulf of Mexico. It is comprehensive and scholarly in nature and would be of great use to researchers and students.

The book is arranged phylogenetically and includes a dichotomous key to the 44 orders of fishes, which occur in the Gulf of Mexico. For each order there is a key to families and then a key to species within each family. The species entries describe each fish and distinguish it from other species within the family. Nearly all entries include an illustration, most drawn from museum specimens. The distribution of each species within the Gulf and worldwide is provided. All entries include references for further study. The authors have gone to great depth in describing the families and species in the hopes that the book will be self-contained. The book also includes a glossary of terms, a bibliography of references cited and an index to scientific names.

The Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico is an excellent publication and belongs in libraries with an interest in either this geographical region or area of research. It would also be appropriate for researchers, naturalists, and students working in this area.