The deluxe, comprehensive guide to the native species of Mississippi Download Plain Text version Where was the largest bass caught in Mississippi? What streams are sometimes home to the gulf sturgeon? How can an angler tell a grass pickerel from a walleye? In Inland Fishes of Mississippi, Stephen T. Ross answers these questions and many more. Mississippi waters are some of the richest inland fish habitats in the United States. In fact, only four states have more native fish than Mississippi's 204. Inland Fishes of Mississippi is for anglers and nature lovers who want to learn more about this thriving diversity. Introductory chapters present the history of the study of fish in Mississippi, the distribution patterns of species, important conservation issues, and valuable information on identifying fish by examining body shape and structure. Following these are illustrated keys to all the families of fish known to inhabit inland waters. Each key is a detailed guide to identifying the specific species within a family of fish. Keys include: color photographs of freshly collected examples meanings of scientific names for fish descriptions of color and physical changes maximum sizes of fish, including records for game fish precise maps of distribution vital information on habitat requirements, feeding, and behavior tips on where to catch a species status of conservation efforts For both the casual angler and the ichthyologist, Inland Fishes of Mississippi will prove a constant resource and an irreplaceable asset for identifying, observing, and catching the state's various species. Stephen T. Ross is professor of biological sciences and Curator of Fishes at the University of Southern Mississippi. The editor for ecology and ethology of Copeia, he has also published articles in numerous journals such as American Naturalist, Environmental Biology of Fishes, and Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

"This book represents the most in-depth treatment of crayfishes for the state of Alabama to date. Alabama is currently known to host 99 species of crayfishes. The findings in this book are based on more than 9,000 records gathered from across the entire state. The authors collected specimens and data from all of Alabama's major and minor waterways and lakes, as well as specialized habitats such as burrows, roadside ditches, marshes, swamps, and temporary autumnal ponds. They visited all the major museums with holdings of crayfish specimens from Alabama, yielding a list of historical records including 4,259 specimen lots from approximately 2,200 unique locations. These records were used to build a database containing all available specimen metadata, including, but not limited to: species identification, number of individuals collected, location, date of collection, names of collectors, who identified the specimens, and the museum in which they are stored. Field work was conducted over a 14-year period during which a total of 4,487 specimen lots were collected and added to the database from approximately 2,600 unique locations sampled across Alabama. Prior to this book, no single comprehensive book or reference has ever been published on the crayfishes of Alabama. This book compiles 166 years of crayfish distributional and biological data for the 99 known Alabama species. It begins with chapters on the physiography and waterways of Alabama. One chapter discusses the general distributional patterns and habitat associations of Alabama crayfishes. Subsequent chapters discuss crayfish biology, ecology, conservation, and anatomy. Detailed species accounts include descriptions of morphological characters, life color, maximum size, comparative species, distribution and habitat, biology, crayfish associates, and conservation status. Color photographs, morphological plates, and dot maps showing distributions are included for each species; for many species, multiple color photos demonstrate the known color variations within each species. An illustrated key is provided to guide the identification of all 99 species. As the most up-to-date and comprehensive source of information on Alabama crayfishes to date, "Crayfishes of Alabama" provides a new perspective on Alabama's unique place as a biodiversity hotspot. It will be of lasting value to aquatic biologists and ecologists throughout the Southeast and crayfish biologists around the world, as well as of interest to natural resource managers, aquaculture farmers, and naturalists"--

This work reveals the astounding diversity of Alabama's fishes through colour plates by Joseph Tomelleri and detailed information from the authors. These two leading scientists (Boschung is co-editor of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fishes, Whales, and Dolphins) have dedicated years to documenting the diets, growth rates, reproduction, sizes, distribution, and status of Alabama's fishes, and they present this wealth of information in a helpful user-friendly format. Keys to the species provide fast, accurate identification and allow anglers to determine the species of fish they have just caught. Ideal for everyone interested in the diversity of our world.

Knowledge of the early life stages of fishes is crucial for the effective monitoring and management of fish populations and habitats, and the evaluation of environmental impacts and recovery of endangered species. Unfortunately, the proper identification of targeted species has stunted the development of the field. Now a series has emerged