Book Description

Reef Fishes of the East Indies is a 3-volume set. Stretching from the Andaman Sea to the Solomon Islands, the East Indies encompasses a vast array of marine habitats and unsurpassed marine biological diversity. It is home to approximately 2,600 species occurring on coral reefs and nearby habitats. Reef Fishes of the East Indies presents the first truly comprehensive treatment of the region's reef fish fauna in nearly a century. This monumental three-volume set is richly illustrated with more than 3,600 color photographs. The informative text provides current information on the classification, habitat, and distributional range of each species as well as an overall synopsis for each of the 120 families covered. Many of the featured species have not been previously recorded from the region, nor have their photographs appeared in print. The book represents the culmination of the prolific careers of two dedicated marine biologists, Dr. Gerald R. Allen and Dr. Mark V. Erdmann, who have spent a combined total in excess of 60 years exploring and describing the piscene treasures in the "heart" of marine fish biodiversity. Reef Fishes of the East Indies is an essential reference for biologists, naturalists, and scuba divers. This is the only reference that covers every known reef fish from the East Indian region. The book has been written to engender an appreciation of the region's amazing biodiversity and the urgent need to conserve it for the benefit of future generations.