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Dr. Glenn R. Parsons

parsons
Professor
Department of Biology
The University of Mississippi

Contact:

Office: 120 Shoemaker Hall
E-mail: bygrp@olemiss.edu
Telephone: (662) 915-7479
FAX: (662) 915-5144

Research Interests:

  • Aquatic biology
  • fish physiology
  • ecological physiology
  • ichthyology
  • fisheries biology
  • biological oceanography

Current research interests involve the biomechanics and efficiency of fish locomotion, metabolic rate determinations, respiratory physiology, energy budgets, and growth and reproduction in sharks.
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Education:

Ph.D. University of South Florida (1987)
M.S. University of South Alabama (1981)
B.S. University of Alabama (1977)
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Research Support:

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Image Gallery

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Sharks, Skates, and Rays of Gulf of Mexico, a Feild Guide, by Glenn R. Parsons

Book Description
02The cookie cutter shark lives in the deep Gulf, looks like an Italian sausage with bulging eyes, and glows in the dark. It feeds by attaching itself to a sperm whale and gnawing hunks of flesh. Often misidentified as a shark, the smalltooth sawfish is really related to the rays and may be in danger of disappearing in Gulf environs. The twenty to thirty teeth on each side of its snout work well for rooting up food from the sandy bottom or slashing through schools of prey. But the teeth tangle easily in commercial fishing nets.

In Sharks, Skates, and Rays of the Gulf of Mexico, fascinating rarities such as these and all the commonly sighted species await the naturalist, commercial or recreational fisher, outdoor enthusiast, or beach-goer. This guidebook covers almost all the species of sharks and rays that cruise Gulf waters from the abundant, shallow-dwelling finetooth shark and the frightening electric ray to the deep-dwelling goblin fish.

Color photography, line drawings, and easily understood “keys” developed exclusively for this book help the reader quickly identify species. In addition to general information on reproduction, sensory systems, feeding, and other aspects of marine biology, there is practical information on how to reduce the risk of shark attack, how to prevent and treat stingray wounds, and how to safely catch, handle, and release a shark.

Personal and anecdotal information gathered from twenty-five years of shark research as well as significant facts and figures make this book the ideal companion for anyone scouting the Gulf for its most exciting denizens.

All proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

From the Publisher
This guidebook for spotting and identifying 42 sharks and 25 skates and rays includes:

  • 92 color photographs or illustrations of sharks, skates, and rays
  • 92 line illustrations to assist in spotting species
  • Easily understood keys to identification
  • Tips to help reduce the risk of shark attack
  • First aid for treating stingray wounds
  • Fascinating biology on feeding habits, sensory and reproductive systems, and more
  • Safety advice on how to catch, handle, and release sharks
  • Shark, skate, and ray encounters from twenty-five years of marine research

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Selected Publications:

Books

Parsons, Glenn R. 2006.
Sharks, Skates, and Rays of the Gulf of Mexico: A Field Guide.
University of Press of Mississippi, Jackson MS. 165 pgs.

Books In Preparation

Parsons, Glenn R. The Fishes: An Introduction to Fish Biology. Oxford University Press

Refereed Journal Articles

Parsons, Glenn R. And Daniel G. Foster. 2007. Swimming performance and behavior of red snapper: Its application to by-catch reduction. In: Biology of the Red Snapper, American Fisheries Society. Refereed Book Chapter.

Parsons, Glenn R., E. R. Hoffmayer, J. Frank, and W. Bet-Sayad. 2007. A review of shark reproductive ecology: Life history and evolutionary implications. In: Fish Reproduction, Blackwell Publisher. Refereed Book Chapter.

Parsons, Glenn R. and E.R. Hoffmayer. 2007. Identification and characterization of shark nursery grounds along the Mississippi and Alabama gulf coasts. In: Shark Nurseries, of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the U.S. American Fisheries Society publication. Refereed Book Chapter.

Venn-Beecham, Rachel, C.D. Minchew, and Glenn R. Parsons. 2007. Fatigue and recovery of blue and channel catfish fingerlings under flow and no-flow conditions. North American Journal of Aquaculture, 69.

Venn-Beecham, Rachel, C.D. Minchew, and Glenn R. Parsons. 2007. Comparative swimming performance of juvenile pond-cultured and wild-caught channel catfish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 27.

Bet-Sayad, Will V. And Glenn R. Parsons. 2007. Records of the giant North Pacific squid, Onykia robusta. The Veliger, 48:243-246.

Hoffmayer, E. R., Glenn R. Parsons and J. Horton. 2006. Seasonal and interannual variation in the energetic condition of adult male Altantic sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Fish Biology, 68:645-653.

Parsons, Glenn R. and Eric R. Hoffmayer. 2005. Seasonal changes in the distribution and relative abundance of the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae in the north central Gulf of Mexico. Copeia, 2005:914-920.

Carlson, John K. and Glenn R. Parsons. 2003. Respiratory and hematological responses of the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, to acute changes in dissolved oxygen. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 294:15-26.

Lombardi-Carlson, L. A., E. Cortes, G. Parsons, and C. Manire. 2003. Latitudinal variation in life-history traits of bonnethead sharks, Sphyrna tiburo, (Carcharhiniformes:Sphyrnidae) from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Marine and Freshwater Research. 54:875-883.

Hoffmayer, Eric. R. and Glenn R. Parsons. 2003. Food habits of three shark species from the Mississippi Sound in the northern Gulf of Mexico.Southeastern Naturalist, 2:271-280.

Parsons, Glenn R. and Peter Smiley. 2003. The effect of environmental changes on swimming performance of the white crappie. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 18:89-96.

Parsons, Glenn R., Jan J. Hoover and K. Jack Killgore. 2003. Effect of pectoral fin ray removal on station-holding ability of shovelnose sturgeon. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 23:742-747.

Adams, S. Reid, Ginny L. Adams and Glenn R. Parsons. 2003. Critical swimming speed and behavior of juvenile shovelnose sturgeon and pallid sturgeon. Trans. American Fisheries Society, 132:392-397.

Hoffmayer, Eric and Glenn R. Parsons. 2002. Response to acute capture stress in the Atlantic sharpnose shark. Physiological Zoology.

Parsons, Glenn R., Walter Ingram and Ralph Havard. 2002. First record of the goblin shark in the Gulf of Mexico. Southeastern Naturalist, 1:189-192.

Carlson, J.K. and Glenn R. Parsons. 2001. The effects of hypoxia on three sympatric shark species: Physiological and behavioral responses. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 61:427-433.

Chan, M. and Glenn R. Parsons. 2000. Life history aspects of the brown madtom, Noturus phaeus. Copeia, 3:757-762..

Adams, S. Reid, Ginny L. Adams and Glenn R. Parsons. 2001. Critical swimming speed and behavior of juvenile shovelnose sturgeon and pallid sturgeon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 132:392-397.

Carlson, John K., C.P. Palmer and Glenn R. Parsons 1999. Oxygen consumption rate and swimming efficiency of the blacknose shark, Carcharhinus acronotus. Copeia, 1:34-39.

Carlson, J.K. and Glenn R. Parsons. 1999. Seasonal differences in routine oxygen consumption rates of the bonnethead shark. Journal of Fish Biology, 55:876-879.

Parsons, Glenn R. and J.K. Carlson. 1998. Physiological and behavioral responses to hypoxia in the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 19:189-196.

Adams, Reid S. and Glenn R. Parsons 1998. Seasonal changes in swimming performance, metabolic rate, and hematocrit of smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus).Physiological Zoology, 71:350-358.

Boyd, G. and Glenn R. Parsons 1998. Swimming performance and behavior of golden shiner, Notemigonus chrysoleucas. Copeia, 1998:467-471.

Adams, S. Reid, Glenn R. Parsons, J.J Hoover, and K.J. Kilgore. 1997. Observations of swimming ability in shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 12:631-634.

Parsons, Glenn R. and K.O. Meals. 1997. Comparison of triploid hybrid crappie and diploid white crappie in experimental ponds. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 17:803-806.

Carlson, J. and Glenn R. Parsons. 1997. Age and growth of the bonnethead shark from northwest Florida with comments on clinal variation. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 50:331-341.

Smiley, P. and Glenn R. Parsons. 1997. Effects of photoperiod and temperature on the swimming performance of white crappie. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 126:495-499.

Cortes, E. and Glenn R. Parsons 1996. Comparative demography of two populations of the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 53:709-718.

Parsons, G.R. 1993. Comparisons between diploid and triploid white crappie, Pomoxis annularis. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 122:237-243.

Parsons, G.R. 1993. Geographic variation in reproduction between two populations of the bonnethead shark. Environmental Biology of Fishes 38:25-35.

Parsons, G.R. 1993. Age determination and growth of the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo: a comparison of two populations. Marine Biology 117:23-31.

Parsons, G.R. & J.L. Sylvester 1992. Swimming efficiency of the white crappie, Pomoxis annularis. Copeia. (in press).
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