Reef Fishes of the Sea of Cortez: The Rocky-Shore Fishes of the Gulf of (Paperback)

~ Donald A. Thomson (Author), Lloyd T. Findley (Author), Alex N. Kerstitch (Author), Alex N. , et al Kerstitch (Illustrator), Paul R. Ehrlich (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From reviews of earlier editions: "This fine book is an authoritative and comprehensive summary of a geographically and zoologically varied region of the Pacific and is an important contribution to ichthyology. The authors have done an excellent job summarising the complex and diverse fish fauna of the Sea of Cortez; the illustrators ... provide a great service to the reader in providing their collection of superb drawings and paintings." -Aquaculture "The collaboration of an ecologist, a taxonomist, and an artist-photographer with years of experience in the Gulf of California has resulted in an excellent book on the reef fishes of this area... Certainly this merging of scientific disciplines has produced a book with a broader scientific, as well as popular, coverage of a regional fish fauna than many of its contemporaries." -Terra "Hallelujah! Fishwatchers, natural historians, and biologists alike are rejoicing with the reprinting of this guide... Contains many fine drawings, colour plates, and photographs; easy-to-read text emphasising ecology, Spanish names for each fish (a nice touch)... A great addition to your library, whether you want to study fish or just catch and eat them." -Books of the Southwest

Product Description

First published in 1979, this guide has become the standard resource for scientists, divers, and spearfishers interested in the fishes of the tropical Pacific Coast. The authors have revised and updated this edition to include the most current taxonomic information, additional species descriptions, and new illustrations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; Revised edition (May 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292781555
• ISBN-13: 978-0292781559
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #240,192 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, December 3, 2000

By A Customer

Summed up in one word, disappointed. I never dreamed that the pictures in this book would be in black and white. So much for fish identification when snorkeling, which is why I bought this book. If you want this book for Identification purposes, forget about it. However, if you don't mind seeing page after page of these beautiful fishes in black and white (What is the point?) then this book is for you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview of the Sea of Cortez fishes, May 28, 2004

By	Allen Andrews "Astrofish" (Monterey, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I noticed that one person reviewed this excellent book from a narrow perspective and I want to say that I totally disagree. This book is not really intended as a hand guide to identify fishes for the snorkeling amature. It is intended to give you an overview on what is known about the fishes of this region AND for the experienced snorkeler or diver or fisherman, it truly is an excellent guide in identification to species. I have worked as an ichthyologist in the region numerous times and the book was invaluable. I think it is well written and is full of interesting facts about the fishes of the region. The challenge with the black and white illustrations (which are excellent) is using them in concert with the written description. It's a fun book to use and read. I highly recommend it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pros and Cons, November 21, 2005

By	Que Tal Carolyn "Sister Carolina" (Now living in Illinois, formerly on a boat in the Sea of Cortez) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm sort of in between the other two reviewers. Yes, the pix are all in black and white, and it doesn't work well as a handy guide after an afternoon's snorkeling trip. But it gives a lot of information -- far more than the other fish guides for the region. So I wouldn't be without it, but I also rely on the other guides that DO have more color pictures. I wish there was one comprehensive guide for this area, but there isn't, so you need to buy two or three if you really want good coverage.