Esquire: Mike Barton is THE fish expert

RELEASED: October 18, 2007

DANVILLE, KY—Michael Barton, Stodghill Professor of Biology, is featured in the November 2007 issue of Esquire magazine, putting to rest the eternal question, "Do fish pee?" Barton's answer is quoted in the magazine's section called "Answer Fella," where an array of questions are sent in by readers and answered by people who know the topics best.
 
Barton says in the response, "When you're talking pee, you're talking urine, and fish do urinate. The big difference is in the nature of the urine and the route it takes to get out of your body."
 
Barton goes on to explain that fish urinate in two ways: "…through their gills, in the form of ammonia, and through a urinary pore, which releases excess water that's been filtered through the kidneys." Barton also points out that there are marked differences between saltwater and freshwater fish, "with a freshwater fish excreting a 'copious' quantity [of urine], while his cousin is relatively dried out by the salty environment."
 
Barton has taught at Centre since 1979. While at the College, Barton has conducted a winter term off-campus programs in marine biology at a field station on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. Currently he is researching the evolution and ecology of pupfishes, which are small inhabitants of lakes and ponds in the Bahamas.

The Esquire article also highlights the recent publication of Barton's book, Bond's Biology of Fishes, and describes it as "923 riveting pages long."
 
At the end of the article, the Answer Fella pays tribute to the knowledge of his expert source: "When you're talking fish, you're talking Michael Barton."

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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