Book Description

Of the many legends to emerge from the vast Amazon basin of South America, none is stranger than the story of the candiru.

This sinuous little catfish is said to force its way into the urogenital openings of unsuspecting bathers, causing excrutiating pain and even death.Stephen Spotte spent four years investigating the biology of these near-mythical creatures and the reports of their attacks on humans, starting with accounts of early European explorers.His tale is an intricate, compelling mosaic of science and lore.Are the legends true?Read "Candiru" and find out. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

More than just a bloodsucking fish...
Spotte's idiosyncratic book is a compendium of everything written or believed about a thin catfish purported to enter the human urethra, vagina or anus when one urinates in certain South American streams. He found, translated or had translated, and excerpted all scientific, journalistic or hearsay accounts of such attacks. As a scientist and writer Spotte writes a book which is a mix of scientific journalism, experimental science (Are the fish attracted to urine? Let's see what experiment will answer that question), fiction and philosphy. He visits the urologist who claims to have surgically remove a candiru from an unfortunate man's penis. He survived (the victim and the urologist too). Copious endnotes verify that he's not making this up. Are others? He had collected notes for 40 years and made several trips to South America to track down and do the research. As a fiction author he finishes with a hilarious final chapter (which could serve as a stand-alone short story) about a theme park. Some of the science is not easy going for non-biologists, but the lighthearted prose keeps us going to the amusing narrative parts. Read this book, not out of prurient interest, but for serious introspection about the nature of reporting, scientific experiment, zoos and aquaria, and rain forest urban legends. ... Read more

Book Description

A richly illustrated reference.

Sharks are awe-inspiring, beautiful, mysterious and frightening. However perceived, they never fail to excite and impress. They predate the dinosaurs and have ruled the seas for 400 million years.

Shark presents the facts and explores the fallacies about these nearly perfectly adapted fish, from their prehistoric beginning to their struggle for survival today.

The book covers: - Their origins and ancestors - Diversity of the species - Shark behavior and physiology - Research projects - Face-to-face encounters - Conservation efforts.

A detailed chapter on shark attacks explains where, when and why attacks occur. The book also describes the different types of attacks -- hit-and-run, bump-and-bite and sneak attacks -- and provides useful tips for not becoming a statistic.

Engagingly written and illustrated with stunning photographs, Shark combines the latest scientific findings and celebrates the mystery and diversity of a remarkable species. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Awsome
This book is great. There are not as many pictures as most people would like, but this book does have practicaly all the fish native to Florida. If you fish, Scuba Dive or even Snorkle this book is for you, every Floridian and Fisherman should have this book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book doesn't muster up
Nothing said that this book was about Northern European "small woodland creatures". It has little value here in North America, let alone NY State. There are lots of pictures (over 900), but most don't apply. There is no table of contents. The book is truly not a field guide, its hard covered, no easy "thumbing" thru to find certain critters. It is organized haphazardly and its index is primarily in the latin by species and genus. So if you're into European critters and know them by their latin name...this book might be good for you. For the lay person looking for a reference book to take on hikes, etc. FUGGEDABOUDIT! Did you realize this was the same review as Small Woodland Creatures? Well the same folks wrote both books and did them both in the same style...so they deserve the same review. Two thumbs down!

This book doesn't muster up
There was nothing telling me that this book was about Small Freshwater Creatures in Northern Europe. While it has lots of illustrations (over 800) some are useful, many not...here in NY State. There is no Table of Contents. The "creatures" are listed haphazardly, and there is no easy way to "thumb" thru looking for any one creature. The index is almost entirely in latin, so its totally useless for the lay person. Don't waste your money like I did unless you are interested in European critters and know the species and genus in latin... ... Read more

Book Description

Large volumes of produced water are generated and discharged to the coastal and ocean waters worldwide from offshore oil and gas production facilities.There is concern that the chemicals in the produced water may harm marine ecosystems.This book summarizes the bioavailability and marine ecotoxicology of metal and organic contaminants that may occur in oil well produced water at concentrations significantly higher than those in ambient seawater.The contaminants of concern include arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, radium isotopes, zinc, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.

The first part of the book is a detailed discussion of the chemical composition of produced water from offshore oil wells worldwide and its fates following discharge to the ocean.The remaining chapters of the book summarize the current scientific literature on the sources ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Most comprehensive catalog of galapagos fish
Drawing on more than 20 years of first hand research and collecting, as well as historical and contemporary data, this is a most comprehensive catalog of the fishes found in the waters surrounding the GalapagosIslands. Filling a void in the study of the Galapagos, this volumedemonstrates that the marine life is as varied, unusual, & unique asthe land animals which have been so well documented. 437 fish are includedwith 41 being unique to the region. For each species there is a generaldescription, natural history, habitat, range and size. There is a b/wdrawing or photo of most species plus 150 excellent color photos, mostshowing a live fish in its habitat. To assist future visitors in using thebook as an identification guide, a description of prime diving sites isincluded. This book will prove to be invaluable to the student of theGalapagos environment or of fishes in general.

The only comprehensive review of Galapagos fishes.
This book is the result of over 20 years of research by the authors in the Galapagos Islands, including ten by Dr. Grove while he worked in the marine reserve as a naturalist and researcher. Over 400 species are reviewed which include the vast majority of those known to be found at the time of the manuscript's going to press. Unlike simple field guides, this volume provides interesting aspects of the natural history of most species in addition to accurate illustrations. Not only is this book an absolute must for anyone interested in the marine life of the Galapagos, but also an invaluable reference tool for those interested in the fish life of the tropical east Pacific. ... Read more

Book Description

This is an erotic, fantastic tale of a young woman’s first encounter with Atlantic salmon and the old camps and waters that are much of their lore. A completely obsessed fishing writer thinks he’s found his reward. A story with a sharp edge. Paintings and drawings by John Swan ... Read more

Book Description

Capturing the attention and imagination of the public and the scientific community alike, the mysterious decline in amphibian populations drew scientists and resource managers from ecotoxicology and chemistry, ecology and field biology, conservation biology, and natural resource policy to a SETAC–Johnson Foundation workshop. Facilitating environmental stewardship, increasing capacity of the sciences to explain complex stressors, and educating the public on relationships among communities of all types motivated these experts to address amphibian decline and the role of various stressors in these losses. ... Read more

Book Description

This handy illustrated guide covers all of the ninety-one species of sharks, skates, and rays found in waters along the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. It will be an essential reference for shark enthusiasts, coastal residents, tourists, aquarium visitors, scientists, and anyone interested in these fascinating fish.

In his introduction, Frank J. Schwartz provides a general explanation of the anatomy and physical features of sharks, skates, and rays. He also discusses matters such as the possible causes of shark attacks, conservation concerns surrounding sport and commercial shark fishing, breeding habits, and shark fossils. Each species of shark, skate, and ray is shown in a clear illustration, accompanied by a concise description and notes on its color, size, distribution, and occurrence. A series of keys based on physical characteristics will aid readers in accurately identifying each species. ... Read more

Book Description

A well-organized handbook with helpful tips of identifyingfishes in the field.It includes: A simple visual key to fishfamilies. Illustrations of every Montana fish with distinguishingfeatures labeled. Color illustrations of 30 Montana fish withdistinguishing features labeled. Montana's record-setting fish through1995. A list of Montana fishes indicating game fishes, fishes ofspecial concern, and endangered species. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide provides a simple but effective method ofidentifyingfish, using drawings coupled with descriptions. In addition, ecologicalaccountsfor each species illustrate the complex relationships of fish species infreshwater habitats. ... Read more