Planning for a new guide on Louisiana’s inland fishes

Henry L. Bart, Jr. Tulane University Museum of Natural History

Belle Chasse, LA 70037

Frank PezoldMuseum of Natural History, University of Louisiana

Monroe, LA 71209

Neil H. Douglas’ (1974) Neil H. Douglas’ (1974) Fishes of LouisianaFishes of Louisiana

First comprehensive bookFirst comprehensive bookon freshwater fishes in theon freshwater fishes in thestate.state.

Covered all of the diversity Covered all of the diversity known at the time.known at the time.

Included dichotomous keysIncluded dichotomous keysand accounts on each ofand accounts on each ofthe species.the species.

Discussed drainage basins Discussed drainage basins and geology of the stateand geology of the state

Not unlike other fish guides ofNot unlike other fish guides ofits time: small, compact, handyits time: small, compact, handyfor use in the field.for use in the field.

New paradigm in state fish guides

Species account in Douglas’ Species account in Douglas’ Fishes of LouisianaFishes of Louisiana

DistributionDistributioninformationinformation

TaxonomicTaxonomicinformationinformation

Very little information about biologyVery little information about biology

Hand-madeHand-madeDistribution Distribution mapmap

Pen and inkPen and inkillustrationillustrationof speciesof species

Species account in Boschung et al.’s Species account in Boschung et al.’s Fishes of AlabamaFishes of Alabama

•Color illustrationColor illustration

•State and overallState and overall distributiondistribution

•General description General description and characteristicsand characteristics

•Similar speciesSimilar species

•HabitatHabitat

•BiologyBiology

•ConservationConservation

•SystematicsSystematics

Boschung et al.’s Boschung et al.’s Fishes of AlabamaFishes of Alabama

Illustrated keysIllustrated keysshowing what showing what characters used characters used in couplets look in couplets look like on the fish.like on the fish.

Want to give the people of Louisiana a book that is as massive as these recent books, has all of the special features, and more…

Recipes?, importance of fish to Louisiana culture?, fishing jokes?

Have to educate people about the rich variety of non-game fishes in the state.

What do we plan to do about it?What do we plan to do about it?

A lot has changed • Douglas (1974) treated 148 species of freshwater and

diadromous fishes

• Douglas and Jordan (2002) reported 170 species (still

limited to freshwater and diadromous fishes)

• Our tally includes 219 species: 165 freshwater or diadromous species and 54 marine fishes that spend significant amounts of time in freshwater…

Marine invaders

Stingray, anchovy, Stingray, anchovy, ladyfish, smelt, ladyfish, smelt, 3 mullets, 3 sleepers, 3 mullets, 3 sleepers, 5 gobies, 3 jacks, 5 gobies, 3 jacks, 8 drum, 3 flounders, 8 drum, 3 flounders, mackerel, pipefish, mackerel, pipefish, needlefish, worm eel, needlefish, worm eel, snapper, mojarrasnapper, mojarra

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0.2

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0.8

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Some things lost…Some things lost…

Pearl darter, Pearl darter, Percina auroraPercina aurora

Some things gainedSome things gained

Grass carpGrass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellaCtenopharyngodon idella

Black carpBlack carp Mylopharyngodon piceusMylopharyngodon piceus

Silver carpSilver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrixHypophthalmichthys molitrix

Bighead carp Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrixHypophthalmichthys molitrix

Fishes of Louisiana’sFishes of Louisiana’sInland WatersInland Waters

Henry L. Bart Jr. and Frank PezoldHenry L. Bart Jr. and Frank Pezold

Steps in the book building process• Assemble comprehensive database of all fish occurrence records in LA, Assemble comprehensive database of all fish occurrence records in LA,

based on museum holdings (vouchered records) and verifiable records based on museum holdings (vouchered records) and verifiable records from other sources.from other sources.

• Georeference all occurrence records.Georeference all occurrence records.

• Use occurrence/effort maps to identify areas of the state in need of Use occurrence/effort maps to identify areas of the state in need of additional survey to document fish changes. Conduct surveys additional survey to document fish changes. Conduct surveys (photography).(photography).

• Analyze abundance/occurrence trends for all included species and to Analyze abundance/occurrence trends for all included species and to produce updated distribution maps.produce updated distribution maps.

• Update conservation status of rare and protected fishesUpdate conservation status of rare and protected fishes

• Organize task of writing the book: use technology to build keys; recruit Organize task of writing the book: use technology to build keys; recruit authors/experts for species accounts; hire artists.authors/experts for species accounts; hire artists.

                                                               

Use technology to simplify map productionUse technology to simplify map production

Used GEOLocate to georeference 7,340 unique locality strings (23,044 lots) from the ULM collection.

6,576 localities were georeferenced with varying levels of accuracy (89.4%).

Total time was 1 hour and 52 minutes.

Coordinates need to visualized/corrected.

Electronically produced distribution maps

Prior to 1990 1990 to present

We were able to generate these maps based on data in the TUMNH and ULM fish collections; show areas of the state that need to be resurveyedto determine current status of fishes.

Timetable

• We anticipate that the overall project will take 5-10 years to complete.

• Intend to publish a number of intermediate reports during this process, including an updated species list, distribution atlas, and various data analysis summaries, to inform the scientific community and general public of our progress.

• Website will be established for all products and special education resources.

Needs

• Have the expertise and most of the necessary data

• $$$

• Time

($$$ = Time)

• Publisher

( )

Thanks for your attention!