NRM 5336: Field Ichthyology
Course description
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Distribution, life-history, and habitat associations of Texas freshwater, estuarine,
and marine fishes. Field identification and collection methods emphasized. Field trips required.
Instructor
Dr. Timothy Grabowski
Texas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, 218 Agricultural Sciences
office: (806) 742-2851 ext. 258
cell: (806) 241-6628
e-mail: t.grabowski@ttu.edu
Teaching Assistant
Matt VanLandeghem
office: (806) 742-0841
e-mail: matt.vanlandeghem@ttu.edu
Lecture
TBD (Location TBD)
Laboratory
TBD (Location TBD)
Required texts
In addition to any papers assigned by the instructor, the following texts will be required for this course:
Hoese HD and RH Moore. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, and adjacent waters, 2nd edition.
Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas. 422 pp.
Hubbs C, RJ Edwards, and GP Garrett. 2008. An annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of Texas, with keys to
identification of species, 2nd edition. Texas Academy of Science. Available from
http://www.teaxasacademyofscience.org.
Thomas C, TH Bonner, and BG Whiteside. 2007. Freshwater fishes of Texas. Texas A&M University Press, College
Station, Texas. 202 pp.
Recommended/optional texts
These are texts that the students are not required to have. However, the books listed below will likely prove useful
during this course and would be good additions to the students’ libraries if they plan to continue working with fishes
in Texas, the Gulf Coast, or Great Plains regions.
Douglas NH. 1974. Freshwater fishes of Louisiana. Claitor’s Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 443 pp.
McEachron JD and JD Fechhelm. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 1: Myxiniformes to
Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. 1,112 pp.
McEachron JD and JD Fechhelm. 2006. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 2: Scorpaeniformes to
Tetraodontiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. 1,004 pp.
Miller RJ and HW Robison. 2004. Fishes of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma. 450 pp.
Murdy, E.O. 1983. Saltwater fishes of Texas: a dichotomous key. Texas A&M University Sea Grant Program,
College Station, Texas. 220 pp. – out of print but worth picking up if you can find it
Nelson JS, EJ Crossman, H Espinosa-Pérez, LT Findley, CR Gilbert, RN Lea, and JD Williams. 2004. Common and
scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special
Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
Other resources
Freshwater Fishes of Texas - http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~tbonner/txfishes/index.htm - supplements the book
Fishes of Texas project - http://www.fishesoftexas.org
Texas Parks and Wildlife - http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/aquaticspecies/
FishBase - http://fishbase.org/search.php
LarvalBase - http://larvalbase.org/
Fish names spell checker - http://www.fisheries.org/afs/fishnames.html
Expected Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be expected to:
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identify in the field the most common fishes comprising the freshwater, estuarine, and nearshore marine
fish assemblages of Texas
successfully use a dichotomous key to identify fishes to the level of species
explain the importance of museum collections
prepare and implement proper field sampling and curation protocols for fishes
explain how geological, ecological, and anthropogenic factors have shaped the fish communities of Texas
waters
relate observed patterns of distribution, habitat association, and abundance to the abovementioned factors
Grading
Grades will be assessed based on a combination of group projects/activities and individual performance using the
following breakdown:
Collections – 15%
Final report/field notebook – 20%
Fish ID practical exam – 30%
Final exam – 30%
Class participation – 5%
Collections – The class will be divided into two or more teams of at least three students. Teams will make
collections at each field site as a group. Teams will also share in the responsibility of preserving, identifying, and
curating each of their collections. Points for each collection will be based on the number of species captured with
deductions made for errors in identification, spelling, labeling, etc. The point value for each species in a given
collection will be determined by the team that collects the most species for that particular collection. For example, if
Team A collects 25 species at a particular sampling site, then each species is worth 4 points for that collection. If
Team B only collects 20 species, then the maximum score that they can receive for that collection is 80 points. Each
team’s lowest collection score will be dropped from the calculation of their Collections grade.
Final report/field notebook – Each team will be responsible for producing a final report/field notebook summarizing
the species collected (both for their team and the class as a whole), their distribution and abundance across the
sample sites, and the relationship of species and their habitats. Final reports/field notebooks will be graded based on
accuracy, completeness, and overall synthesis of field activities.
Fish ID practical exam – The fish ID practical exam will the partitioned into two sections. Students will be expected
to visually identify 50 species of fish encountered during their field sampling. Full credit will be given for the proper
use of scientific names only; however, partial credit can be earned by using the common name of the species.
Students will also be expected to identify 10 unknown or rarely encountered fish using their dichotomous keys.
Final exam – The final exam primarily will be based on the material covered in the lecture portion of the course.
However, students may be expected to apply material covered in class to observations and data collected in the field.
Class participation – Students are expected to be in class and to participate fully in all lecture, field, and laboratory
activities. Penalties for not participating will be assessed from this component of the grade.
Attendance policy
Attendance is required at all lectures, laboratory sessions, and field trips. Please inform the instructor of Universityapproved absences (illness, death in the immediate family, required field trip in another class, or religious holiday)
within 48 hours of that absence. Make-up exams will be given at the discretion of the instructor.
University policy regarding religious holidays is outlined in OP 34.19 available online at
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.19.pdf.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA (PL 101-336) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection
for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be
guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. However
without official documentation, no accommodations can be made. If you believe you have a disability requiring an
accommodation, please contact the Texas Tech Student Disability Services Office and each of your course
instructors.
Student rights, responsibilities, and regulations
Students should familiarize themselves with their rights, responsibilities and regulations as outlined in the Strive for
Honor policy and the TTU student handbook, copies of which can be obtained from the Dean of Students offices or
university website.
Academic integrity
The Texas Tech University student handbook states that, “it is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to
foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity.” Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in
any form. The Red Raider Strive for Honor policy and Academic Integrity sections of the TTU student handbook are
the standards upon which scholastic integrity will be maintained in this course. Violations of this policy will result in
a score of zero for that activity/assignment and referral to the Academic Dean.
Lecture Schedule
Date
16 May (W)
17 May (Th)
18 May (F)
19 May (Sa)
20 May (Su)
21 May (M)
22 May (T)
23 May (W)
24 May (Th)
25 May (F)
26 May (Sa)
27 May (Su)
28 May (M)
29 May (T)
30 May (W)
31 May (Th)
4 June (M)
AM Lecture: Introduction; Ichthyology in 120 Minutes or Less: A Brief Review
PM Lecture: Collection Methods and Considerations
PM Lab: Fish Identification
AM Lecture: Fish Identification (contd); Ichthyoplankton and ELH Stages; Biodiversity and the
Importance of Museums
PM Field: Familiarize Students with Sampling Gear and Methods; South Llano River collection
AM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Freshwater Fishes – Overview
PM Field: North Llano River collection
AM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Freshwater Fishes – Springs, Caves, and Aquifers; Streams
PM Field: Process South Llano River collections; Fish Identification
AM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Freshwater Fishes – Rivers; Lakes and Reservoirs
PM Field: Process North Llano River collections; Fish Identification
AM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Marine/Estuarine Fishes – Overview of GOM and Texas
coast
PM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Marine/Estuarine Fishes - Estuaries
AM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Marine/Estuarine Fishes – Beaches and Passes; Nearshore
Habitats
PM Lecture: Biogeography of Texas Marine/Estuarine Fishes – Nearshore Habitats (continued);
Offshore Habitats
Field Trip
Field Trip
Field Trip
Field Trip
AM: Open
PM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
AM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
PM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
AM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
PM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
AM Lab: Process collections/ work on final report
PM Lab: Process collections/work on final report
AM: Final Exam
PM: Fish Identification Practicum
All collections due – 17:00
Final report due – 12:00