The Bichir Handbook

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 Bichir Handbook
AuthorJoshua Pickett
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
GenresBiodiversity & Conservation, Fishes (ichthyology), Fishkeeping
PublishedNovember 2020
Pages138
ISBN9781789727708
Websitewww.thebichirhandbook.com

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".[4]

Cybium, International Journal of Ichthyology is quoted as saying "[The Bichir Handbook] must be read by all aquarists, and ichthyologists working on current and fossil Polypteridae".[7]

A Polypterus bichir statue of an illustration from The Bichir Handbook, being lowered into position at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thailand.

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
2020 FIIN Biodiversity Drawing Competition Nature Drawing Won [10]
2021 Best Indie Book Awards Non-Fiction (Ichthyology) Won [11]
2021 Best Indie Book Awards Illustration Won [12]
2021 National Indie Excellence Awards Animals & Pets Won [13]
2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Best Overall Design (Non-Fiction) Nominated [14]
2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Animals/Pets Nominated [14]

References
  1. "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". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  2. "GEAR BOOK REVIEWS". pocketmags.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  3. "#54 – Bichirs Deep Dive". The Aquarium Guys. 2020-09-04. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  4. Moritz, Timo (May 2021). "The Bichir Handbook , JoshuaPickett, Published by Independent Publishing Network, London, UK, 138 pp., price £24.95, ISBN 978‐1‐78972‐770‐8". Journal of Fish Biology. 98 (5): 1485–1486. doi:10.1111/jfb.14678. ISSN 0022-1112. S2CID 236572905.
  5. "Practical Fishkeeping". www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  6. "Prähistorisches in eleganter Aufmachung". www.datz.de. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  7. Meunier, François J. (2022). "Book review – The Bichir Handbook by Joshua Pickett | Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium". Société Française d'Ichtyologie. doi:10.26028/cybium/2022-461-013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. "Amazing to see more bichir sculptures based on the illustrations from The Bichir Handbook". Facebook. 8 September 2021.
  9. "Remember the giant bichir statue made for สวนนงนุช พัทยา Nongnooch Garden Pattaya in Thailand?". Facebook. 6 June 2021.
  10. "drawing Contest 2020". FIIN. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  11. "The Bichir Handbook - Official Best Indie Book Awards". Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  12. "The Bichir Handbook - Official Best Indie Book Awards". Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  13. "15th Annual Winners | National Indie Excellence Awards | California". indie-excellence. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  14. "Next Generation Indie Book Awards - Winners". www.indiebookawards.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
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