Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay

by Edward O. Murdy, John A. Musick, Valerie A. Kells

Overview

The ideal guide for identifying the more than 200 fish species that inhabit the Chesapeake.

Winner of the Design and Effectiveness Award of the Washington Publishers

The only comprehensive field guide to the Chesapeake's fishes, this book is an indispensable resource for both anglers and students of the Bay. Vivid illustrations by Val Kells complement the expertise of researchers Edward O. Murdy and John A. Musick. They describe fishes that inhabit waters ranging from low-salinity estuaries to the point where the Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Key features of this field guide include
• full-color illustrations of more than 200 species
• text that is presented adjacent to illustrations for easy reference
• detailed descriptions of physical characteristics, range, occurrence in the Bay, reproduction, diet, and statistics from fisheries research
• spot illustrations that highlight critical features of certain fish
• illustrations of juveniles when they look different from adults
• appendices that include identification keys

Formatted as a compact field guide for students, scientists, researchers, and fishermen, Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay should be a standard passenger on any boat that plies the Chesapeake's waters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421407685
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	05/01/2013
Pages:	360
Sales rank:	592,106
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Val Kells (KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC) is an award-winning marine science illustrator. She is the coauthor and illustrator of A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Maine to Texas and A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

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 10

Organization

How to Identify Fishes in the Bay

How to Use the Keys

Morphology

Basic Counts and Measurements

Species Accounts

Lampreys - Family Petromyzontidae 22

Dogfish sharks - Family Squalidae 23

Requiem sharks - Family Carcharhinidae 24

Hammerhead sharks - Family Sphyrnidae 30

Hound sharks - Family Triakidae 33

Basking shark - Family Cetorhinidae 34

Sand tigers - Family Odontaspididae 36

Angel sharks - Family Squatinidae 38

Sawfishes - Family Pristidae 40

Whiptail stingrays - Family Dasyatidae 42

Butterfly rays - Family Gymnuridae 50

Eagle rays - Family Myliobatidae 52

Cownose rays - Family Rhinopteridae 54

Skates - Family Rajidae 56

Sturgeons - Family Acipenseridae 62

Gars - Family Lepisosteidae 64

Bowfins - Family Amiidae 66

Tenpounders - Family Elopidae 67

Tarpons - Family Megalopidae 68

Freshwater eels - Family Anguillidae 70

Conger eels - Family Congridae 71

Herrings - Family Clupeidae 72

Anchovies - Family Engraulidae 84

Suckers - Family Catostomidae 85

Carps and minnows - Family Cyprinidae 88

Sea catfishes - Family Ariidae 96

North American catfishes - Family Ictaluridae 97

Pikes - Family Esocidae 105

Mudminnows - Family Umbridae 107

Lizardfishes - Family Synodontidae 108

Cusk-eels - Family Ophidiidae 109

Cods - Family Gadidae 110

Merlucciid hakes - Family Merlucciidae 113

Phycid hakes - Family Phycidae 114

Toadfishes - Family Batrachoididae 116

Goosefishes - Family Lophiidae 118

Mullets - Family Mugilidae 120

New World silversides - Family Atherinopsidae 122

Needlefishes - Family Belonidae 125

Halfbeaks - Family Hemiramphidae 128

Pupfishes - Family Cyprinodontidae 130

Topminnows - Family Fundulidae 132

Livebearers - Family Poeciliidae 140

Sticklebacks - Family Gasterosteidae 141

Pipefishes - Family Syngnathidae 144

Sculpins - Family Cottidae and Lumpfishes - Family Cyclopteridae 148

Searobins - Family Triglidae 150

Butterfishes - Family Stromateidae 152

Cutlassfishes - Family Trichiuridae 155

Sand lances - Family Ammodytidae 156

Jacks - Family Carangidae 158

Cobia - Family Rachycentridae 180

Remoras - Family Echeneidae 181

Mackerels - Family Scombridae 182

Barracudas - Family Sphyraenidae 190

Stargazers - Family Uranoscopidae 191

Drums and croakers - Family Sciaenidae 192

Spadefishes - Family Ephippidae 213

Bluefish - Family Pomatomidae 214

Clingfishes - Family Gobiesocidae 216

Gobies - Family Gobiidae 218

Temperate basses - Family Moronidae 223

Perches - Family Percidae 226

Combtooth blennies - Family Blenniidae 230

Snakeheads - Family Channidae 232

Butterflyfishes - Family Chaetodontidae 234

Mojarras - Family Gerreidae 236

Porgies - Family Sparidae 238

Snappers - Family Lutjanidae 243

Grunts - Family Haemulidae 244

Sunfishes - Family Centrarchidae 246

Wrasses - Family Labridae 260

Medusafishes - Family Centrolophidae 263

Sea basses and groupers - Family Serranidae 264

Triggerfishes - Family Balistidae 267

Porcupinefishes - Family Diodontidae 268

Filefishes - Family Monacanthidae 270

Boxfishes - Family Ostraciidae 273

Puffers - Family Tetraodontidae 274

American soles - Family Achiridae 276

Tonguefishes - Family Cynoglossidae 278

Sand flounders - Family Paralichthyidae 280

Righteye flounders - Family Pleuronectidae 287

Turbots - Family Scophthalmidae 288

Appendices

1 Key to the Orders and Families of Chesapeake Bay Fishes 291

2 Key to the Families of Perciformes Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay 298

3 Keys to Species within Families 303

4 Fish Species Rarely Recorded from the Chesapeake Bay 326

Glossary of Selected Technical Terms 335

Index to Scientific Names 339

Index to Common Names 343

What People are Saying About This

John Page Williams

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.

Ron Kernehan

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.

Bay Weekly - Dennis Doyle

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.

From the Publisher

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.
—John Page Williams, Senior Naturalist, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

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.
—Dennis Doyle, Bay Weekly

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.
—Ron Kernehan, M.S., Ichthyologist and current research leader on studies of the inshore fishes of Lower Delaware Bay and the Delaware Inland Bays

Editorial Reviews

A must have for those with an interest in the fishes of the region.
—Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report

Finally! A truly comprehensive and well-illustrated field guide to the fishes of the Chesapeake Bay is available.
—Wendy Gilbert, Mariner Chesapeake

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.
—Reference and Research Book News

The only comprehensive field guide to the Chesapeake's fishes, this book is an indispensable resource for both anglers and students of the Bay.
—Northeastern Naturalist

[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.
—Marine Environmental Research Corporation

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.
—John Page Williams, Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Overall, a very useful guide to fish of this region.
—Choice

The new Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake.
—Chesapeake Bay Magazine

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.
—Willliam D. Anderson, Jr. , Copeia

From the Publisher

Finally! A truly comprehensive and well-illustrated field guide to the fishes of the Chesapeake Bay is available.

Mariner Chesapeake - Wendy Gilbert

The new Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake.

Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Overall, a very useful guide to fish of this region.

Choice

[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.

Marine Environmental Research Corporation

The only comprehensive field guide to the Chesapeake's fishes, this book is an indispensable resource for both anglers and students of the Bay.

Northeastern Naturalist

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.

Chesapeake Bay Magazine - John Page Williams

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.

Reference and Research Book News

A must have for those with an interest in the fishes of the region.

Birdbooker Report - Ian Paulsen

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.

Copeia - Willliam D. Anderson