Back to Results
Cover image of Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay
Cover image of Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay
Share this Title:

Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay

Edward O. Murdy and John A. Musick
illustrated by Val Kells

Publication Date
Binding Type

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...

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.

Reviews

Reviews

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

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

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.

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

[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.

See All Reviews
About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
5.5
x
8.5
Pages
360
ISBN
9781421407685
Illustration Description
251 color illus., 2 maps
Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Watershed, History, and Hydrology of the Chesapeake Bay
General Characteristics of Chesapeake Bay Fish Fauna
Seasonal Fish Faunal Changes
Conservation and Environmental

Acknowledgments
Introduction
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
Organization
How to Identify Fishes in the Bay
How to Use the Keys
Morphology
Basic Counts and Measurements
Species Accounts
Lampreys - Family Petromyzontidae
Dogfish sharks - Family Squalidae
Requiem sharks - Family Carcharhinidae
Hammerhead sharks - Family Sphyrnidae
Hound sharks - Family Triakidae
Basking shark - Family Cetorhinidae
Sand tigers - Family Odontaspididae
Angel sharks - Family Squatinidae
Sawfishes - Family Pristidae
Whiptail stingrays - Family Dasyatidae
Butterfly rays - Family Gymnuridae
Eagle rays - Family Myliobatidae
Cownose rays - Family Rhinopteridae
Skates - Family Rajidae
Sturgeons - Family Acipenseridae
Gars - Family Lepisosteidae
Bowfins - Family Amiidae
Tenpounders - Family Elopidae
Tarpons - Family Megalopidae
Freshwater eels - Family Anguillidae
Conger eels - Family Congridae
Herrings - Family Clupeidae
Anchovies - Family Engraulidae
Suckers - Family Catostomidae
Carps and minnows - Family Cyprinidae
Sea catfishes - Family Ariidae
North American catfishes - Family Ictaluridae
Pikes - Family Esocidae
Mudminnows - Family Umbridae
Lizardfishes - Family Synodontidae
Cusk-eels - Family Ophidiidae
Cods - Family Gadidae
Merlucciid hakes - Family Merlucciidae
Phycid hakes - Family Phycidae
Toadfishes - Family Batrachoididae
Goosefishes - Family Lophiidae
Mullets - Family Mugilidae
New World silversides - Family Atherinopsidae
Needlefishes - Family Belonidae
Halfbeaks - Family Hemiramphidae
Pupfishes - Family Cyprinodontidae
Topminnows - Family Fundulidae
Livebearers - Family Poeciliidae
Sticklebacks - Family Gasterosteidae
Pipefishes - Family Syngnathidae
Sculpins - Family Cottidae and Lumpfishes - Family Cyclopteridae
Searobins - Family Triglidae
Butterfishes - Family Stromateidae
Cutlassfishes - Family Trichiuridae
Sand lances - Family Ammodytidae
Jacks - Family Carangidae
Cobia - Family Rachycentridae
Remoras - Family Echeneidae
Mackerels - Family Scombridae
Barracudas - Family Sphyraenidae
Stargazers - Family Uranoscopidae
Drums and croakers - Family Sciaenidae
Spadefishes - Family Ephippidae
Bluefish - Family Pomatomidae
Clingfishes - Family Gobiesocidae
Gobies - Family Gobiidae
Temperate basses - Family Moronidae
Perches - Family Percidae
Combtooth blennies - Family Blenniidae
Snakeheads - Family Channidae
Butterflyfishes - Family Chaetodontidae
Mojarras - Family Gerreidae
Porgies - Family Sparidae
Snappers - Family Lutjanidae
Grunts - Family Haemulidae
Sunfishes - Family Centrarchidae
Wrasses - Family Labridae
Medusafishes - Family Centrolophidae
Sea basses and groupers - Family Serranidae
Triggerfishes - Family Balistidae
Porcupinefishes - Family Diodontidae
Filefishes - Family Monacanthidae
Boxfishes - Family Ostraciidae
Puffers - Family Tetraodontidae
American soles - Family Achiridae
Tonguefishes - Family Cynoglossidae
Sand flounders - Family Paralichthyidae
Righteye flounders - Family Pleuronectidae
Turbots - Family Scophthalmidae
Appendices
1. Key to the Orders and Families of Chesapeake Bay Fishes
2. Key to the Families of Perciformes Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay
3. Keys to Species within Families
4. Fish Species Rarely Recorded from the Chesapeake Bay
Glossary of Selected Technical Terms
Index to Scientific Names
Index to Common Names

Author Bios
Valerie A. Kells
Featured Contributor

Valerie A. Kells

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.