A Field Guide to Atlantic Coast Fishes of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)

dust jacket on hard cover.

The Peterson Field Guide series has set the measure for such guides since Roger Tory Peterson invented the modern version in 1934 with his Field Guide to the Birds. The Peterson series, with nearly 50 titles, now covers everything from beetles and mushrooms to wildflowers and atmosphere, plus all manner of birding books, and fishes, too. This Field Guide to Atlantic Coast Fishes of North America adheres to high Peterson standards, with detailed descriptions of over 1,000 species, nearly 1,100 illustrations (420 of which are in color), and up-to-date information on range, habitat, swimming depths, water temperatures, and salinity.

The pictures help vastly with identification, clearly showing the differences between the spotfin hogfish and the red hogfish, the painted wrasse, Creole wrasse, and clown wrasse, not to mention the slippery Dick and puddingwife. Opposite the picture page, each fish gets a short written description, pointing out, for instance, that the Beaugregory is relatively slender and dark, with pale-centered scales, while the purple reeffish is dark blue with a bright-blue line on the upper rim of the eye. And a page number follows the thumbnail sketch, directing you to a more in-depth description of each fish, telling what it looks like when young, as well as its size and habitat range. Covering fishes from the Labrador Sea down to the Caribbean, this is an excellent reference text for inquisitive seaside vacationers and casual snorkelers as well as ichthyologists and amateur fish enthusiasts. --Stephanie Gold