Freshwater fishes AIDGAP
PDF eBook
Freshwater fishes AIDGAP is an identification guide to the bony fishes and lampreys found in freshwater in Britain and Ireland.
- Identification taken to species level
- Includes all native species and wild-breeding exotic species
- Illustrated with line drawings throughout
- No specimen preparation needed
From fast-flowing mountain streams to deep lowland rivers, and from lakes and ponds to canals and ditches, there is a wide range of habitats for fishes across Britain and Ireland. 46 species of fish occur in freshwater in Britain and Ireland, of which 12 species are exotics with established breeding populations.
The keys in this guide includes all the fishes living in fresh water, both native and introduced species. A master key to the major groups leads on to 14 individual keys, enabling identification to species. These detailed keys cover salmonids, loaches, sticklebacks, carp, loaches, pike, catfishes, shads, perch, gobies, and many more. In addition the guide contains a key to the all 3 species of lampreys. Lampreys are jawless craniates rather than true fishes, but they have many similarities.
Identification characters are easy to see on live specimens with the naked eye. There is no need for dissection or extensive handling of the fish. Accordingly the guide does not cover the identification of hybrids, since their identification usually involves killing the fish.
This guide is part of Field Studies Council’s AIDGAP series (Aids to Identification in Difficult Groups of Animals and Plants). The aim of AIDGAP series is to produce accessible keys suitable for non-specialists from age 16+. Although written by specialists, all AIDGAP guides go through field tests in draft form. As with all guides in the series, the Freshwater fishes AIDGAP was tested extensively before publication, by beginners and specialists alike. The author has revised the keys in the light of the testers’ experience.