The Bichir Handbook Explained

Author:Joshua Pickett
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Isbn:9781789727708
Published:November 2020
Pages:138
Homepage:www.thebichirhandbook.com
Genres:Biodiversity & Conservation, Fishes (ichthyology), Fishkeeping

The Bichir Handbook is a book written by science communicator and graphic designer Joshua Pickett from Salisbury, England,[1] about living fossil fishes known as Polypteriformes (bichirs), found throughout west and central Africa, and formerly South America. In the book, Pickett describes all extant Polypteridae, and details extinct species with illustrated reconstructions.[2] The book was designed by the author and illustrated by paleoartist Dorian Noël.[3]

The author includes commentaries from Polypterus researcher, Emily M. Standen, and former editor of the Journal of Fish Biology, Olaf L. F. Weyl.[4]

Reception

The Bichir Handbook was commended in the 'Top 20 Best Ever Fish Books' by Practical Fishkeeping magazine, March 2021,[5] and was well-received by readers, winning various awards. The book has been as described as being "more than an 'ordinary' book" by DATZ Magazine,[6] and Head of the Science Department at Deutsches Meeresmuseum, Timo Moritz claimed "there is no other publication summarizing so much helpful data on keeping polypterids".

Cybium is quoted as saying "[The Bichir Handbook] must be read by all aquarists, and ichthyologists working on current and fossil Polypteridae".[7] As part of their Dinosaur Valley attraction, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden installed statues of the illustrations inside the book, each exceeding 1.5 metres in length. They include the extant Polypterus senegalus, P. palmas and P. bichir, with the project aiming to complete statues of each species of polypterid.[8] The founder of Dinosaur Valley, Thapanut Uvijitr, explained he chose these illustrations to construct into statues thanks to their "accurate meristics and identifiable features".[9]

Awards and honors

The Bichir Handbook has been nominated for the following awards.

!Year!Organisation!Award Title, Category!Result!References
2020FIIN Biodiversity Drawing CompetitionNature Drawing[10]
2021Best Indie Book AwardsNon-Fiction (Ichthyology)[11]
2021Best Indie Book AwardsIllustration[12]
2021National Indie Excellence AwardsAnimals & Pets[13]
2021Next Generation Indie Book AwardsBest Overall Design (Non-Fiction)[14]
2021Next Generation Indie Book AwardsAnimals/Pets

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aquariumania - Tropical Fish as Pets - Pet Life Radio Original (PetLifeRadio.com): Aquariumania - Episode 86 Rediscovering the Dragons of Gondwana with Joshua Pickett, Author of The Bichir Handbook on Apple Podcasts . 2022-05-25 . Apple Podcasts . en-US.
  2. Web site: GEAR BOOK REVIEWS . 2022-05-25 . pocketmags.com.
  3. Web site: 2020-09-04 . #54 – Bichirs Deep Dive . 2022-05-25 . The Aquarium Guys . en-US.
  4. Moritz . Timo . May 2021 . The Bichir Handbook, JoshuaPickett, Published by Independent Publishing Network, London, UK, 138 pp., price £24.95, 978‐1‐78972‐770‐8 . Journal of Fish Biology . en . 98 . 5 . 1485–1486 . 10.1111/jfb.14678 . 236572905 . 0022-1112.
  5. Web site: Practical Fishkeeping . 2022-05-25 . www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk.
  6. Web site: Prähistorisches in eleganter Aufmachung . 2022-05-25 . www.datz.de.
  7. Book review – The Bichir Handbook by Joshua Pickett Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium . 2022 . 10.26028/cybium/2022-461-013. Meunier . François J. . Société Française d'Ichtyologie .
  8. Web site: 8 September 2021 . Amazing to see more bichir sculptures based on the illustrations from The Bichir Handbook . Facebook.
  9. Web site: 6 June 2021 . Remember the giant bichir statue made for สวนนงนุช พัทยา Nongnooch Garden Pattaya in Thailand? . Facebook.
  10. Web site: drawing Contest 2020 . 2022-05-25 . FIIN . en-US.
  11. Web site: The Bichir Handbook - Official Best Indie Book Awards . 2022-05-25 . en-US.
  12. Web site: The Bichir Handbook - Official Best Indie Book Awards . 2022-05-25 . en-US.
  13. Web site: 15th Annual Winners National Indie Excellence Awards California . 2022-05-25 . indie-excellence . en.
  14. Web site: Next Generation Indie Book Awards - Winners . 2022-05-25 . www.indiebookawards.com.

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