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