Fishes of the Central United States: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded

Mark E. Eberle

University Press of Kansas, Oct 10, 2011 - Nature - 206 pages

This is the greatly-expanded second edition of a book that has been hailed by In-Fisherman as "magnificent . . . the finest, most comprehensive book on the fishes of the central United States." Featuring the artwork of nationally acclaimed fish illustrator Joseph Tomelleri, it bridges the gap between technical studies and popular field guides in a volume that is indispensable for anglers and naturalists alike.

Working with Prismacolor, graphite pencils, and painstaking attention to scientifically precise detail, Tomelleri showcases his ability with stunning illustrations that are both technically and aesthetically satisfying, while also capturing subtle variations among fishes that the camera lens misses. In this new edition he depicts 250 fishes, including 87 appearing for the first time (a more than 50% increase over the original edition), found in 21 states from the Great Lakes in the north through the Mississippi Valley to the southern tip of Texas, and west to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and Rio Grande.

Tomelleri teams up once again with Mark Eberle to provide keen insights into the ecology, natural history, and conservation of these fishes and the types of threats they face. Species accounts are informative but not technical, and are interwoven with folklore and anecdotes. Do you know, for example, what fish looks like "Mother Nature's hand-held vacuum cleaner?" Can you name a minnow that reaches five to six feet in length? Or the fish that sometimes turns up in farmers' fields-alive? What fish has a gizzard? Which one swims a victory lap after it catches its prey? Tomelleri and Eberle reveal the answers and much more in this lavishly illustrated compendium of fish facts and lore.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• LampreysPetromyzontidae: 7
• PaddlefishesPolyodontidae: 14
• BowfinsAmiidae: 20
• HerringsClupeidae: 27
• SuckersCatostomidae: 59
• CharacinsCharacidae: 70
• PikesEsocidae: 80
• SmeltsOsmeridae: 87
• TroutperchesPercopsidae: 99
• CodfishesGadidae: 105
• LivebearersPoeciliidae: 113
• PupfishesCyprinodontidae: 115
• Temperate BassesMoronidae: 121
• Perches Percidae: 145
• Drums and CroakersSciaenidae: 153
• Sources Consulted: 159
• Bibliography: 169
• Index: 185

About the author

Joseph R. Tomelleri, an avid fisherman and naturalist, has traveled more than 175,000 miles over the past twenty-five years to collect live fishes. His 1,000 illustrations have appeared in over 500 places, including thirty books, magazines, advertisements, greeting cards, T-shirts, furniture, posters, trading cards, and identification guides. His fine-art prints and originals can be found at www.americanfishes.com.

Mark E. Eberle, an aquatic biologist, is lab coordinator in the Department of Biological Sciences and collection manager for the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Fishes of the Central United States: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
• Author: Mark E. Eberle
• Illustrated by: Joseph R. Tomelleri
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: University Press of Kansas, 2011
• ISBN: 0700618163, 9780700618163
• Length: 206 pages
• Subjects: Nature / Animals / Fish