Handy Pocket Guide to Tropical Coral Reef Fishes. Gerald Allen

      

      Published by Periplus Editions with editorial offices at

       61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12, Singapore 534167.

      www.periplus.com

      Copyright © 2004 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

       ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

      ISBN: 978-0-7946-0186-7

      ISBN: 978-1-4629-0728-1 (ebook)

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       Printed in Malaysia 1410TW

       19 18 17 16 15 14 10 9 8 7 6 5

      Contents

       Copyright

       Introduction

       Leopard Shark

       Blacktip Reef Shark

       Silvertip Shark

       Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

       Manta Ray

       Ribbon Eel

       Giant Moray

       Striped Catfish

       Spotfin Squirrelfish

       Trumpetfish

       Smallscale Scorpionfish

       Leaf Scorpionfish

       Red Firefish or Lionfish

       Flame Anthias

       Square-blotched Anthias

       Coral Grouper

       Giant Grouper

       Coronation Grouper

       Banggai Cardinalfish

       Bigeye Trevally

       Blue and Gold Fusilier

       Oriental Sweetlips

       Butterflyfishes

       Teira Batfish

       Longfin Bannerfish

       Anemonefishes

       Angelfishes

       Indo-Pacific Sergeant

       Blue-green Chromis

       Blue Devil

       Neon Damsel

       Lemon Damsel

       Humbug Dascyllus

       Three-spot Dascyllus

       Giant Wrasse

       Yellowtail Coris

       Cleaner Wrasse

       Bumphead Parrotfish

       Blue-barred Parrotfish

       Chevron Barracuda

       Jawfishes

       Fire Dartfish

       Blueband Goby

       Moorish Idol

       Palette Surgeonfish

       Striped Surgeonfish

       Yellowkeel Unicornfish

       Spotted Unicornfish

       Foxface

       Clown Triggerfish

       Orange-lined Triggerfish

       Coral Filefish

       Yellow Boxfish

       Sharpnose Puffer

       Black-spotted Puffer

       Freckled Porcupinefish

       Index

      Introduction

      Fishes are by far the most abundant group of vertebrates—approximately 24,000 species inhabit fresh and marine waters. They are also the oldest backboned animals, having evolved in ancient seas nearly 500 million years ago. An incredible variety of habitats are populated by fishes—virtually every conceivable aquatic environment, from deep ocean trenches to high alpine streams. The group is so diverse it is difficult to define them, but most breathe by means of gills, have a protective layer of scales, and propel themselves through water (a medium that is 800 times denser than air) by means of fins. However, there are numerous exceptions—eels, for example, usually lack scales and have either much reduced fins or none at all.

      Warm, clear seas of the Indo-Pacific, the vast region stretching between East Africa and the islands of Polynesia, have nurtured the development of nature's richest realm—the living coral reef. This region, centred on the Indonesian-Philippine Archipelago, is the world's most extraordinary biological province. Nowhere else can one find such a wealth of colourful and diverse marine life. More than half of the world's total fishes are found in this region. They range in size from the gargantuan, 12-metre-long Whale shark to diminutive gobies that are smaller than one's fingernail.

      Except for a relatively small number of locally or regionally restricted species, known as endemics, most fishes in the Indo-Pacific have