Do Fish Sleep?

Price: $21.95  

Subtitle: Fascinating Answers to Questions about Fishes
Author: Judith S. Weis
Subject: Science/Environment>Natural History
Paper ISBN: 978-0-8135-4941-5
Pages: 240 pages, 30 color and 29 bw photographs
Publication Date: March 2011
Series: Animal Q&A

Praise for Do Fish Sleep?

"Judith Weis's clearly written book will interest a wide range of readers, from educators to naturally curious young people."—Howard Reisman, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Long Island University

"Do Fish Sleep? must have every Ichthyology 101 final exam question imaginable, but with much more thorough and engaging answers!"—Francis Juanes, University of Massachusetts

"Fish, fish, and more fish--from minnows to sharks, mountain streams to ocean bottoms, and teeth to tail fins, if it's a fish question, it's answered here."—John Waldman, author of Heartbeats in the Muck: The History, Sea Life, and Environment of New York Harbor

Description:

From the fifty-one-foot whale shark Rhincodon typus to a less-than-one-half-inch fish in the minnow family--the tiny Paedocypris progenetica--fish certainly carry a lot of weight . . . or do they?

A fish's heft in water may vary, but these diverse aquatic animals certainly carry a lot of weight in our ecosystems and environment. From freshwater to ocean habitats, Judith S. Weis offers a fascinating look at these deceptively simple creatures. Fishes may appear to live a dull existence, but appearances change once we understand more about how they survive. These wonders actually possess attributes that would make us superpowers--they can change color, sex, produce light and electricity, regenerate injured fins, prevent themselves from sinking, and some can even walk on land.

Do Fish Sleep? is organized in an easy-to-read and accessible question-and-answer format, filled with more than 55 photographs and over 100 interesting facts from fish biology basics to the importance of preserving and restoring fish diversity and healthy populations. A captivating read for fish enthusiasts of all ages--naturalists, environmentalists, aquarists, scuba divers, and students--this is also the perfect primer for those just about to get their feet wet. Dive in!

JUDITH S. WEIS is a professor of biological sciences at Rutgers University. She is the coauthor of Salt Marshes: A Natural and Unnatural History (Rutgers University Press).