Creating a Guide to Gulf of Mexico Fish

This project will complete a survey and inventory of the fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. The first half of the survey is complete and has been published in book form. About 80 percent of the second and final volume, covering the remainder of the fish fauna of the Gulf, has been completed. A total of 553 of about 700 species, 239 of about 280 genera, 62 of 82 families and two of four orders have been treated thus far. More than 200 species have been illustrated. To complete the inventory and write the remaining species descriptions, it will be necessary to revisit eight of the 11 largest natural history collections that have major holdings of fishes from the Gulf. During these visits the holdings of the fishes from the Gulf will be surveyed and descriptions written. The historical database summarized in this project will facilitate the monitoring of natural and human alterations of the Gulf. Changes in the historical species composition very likely will reflect natural or human alterations, such as weather patterns, habitats, pollution levels or fishing pressures. The historical database will also facilitate monitoring for the presence of non-nativespecies in the Gulf.