Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea is a long-overdue revision and expansion of what has become a classic book in marine literature. This lavishly illustrated volume provides exhaustive coverage of more than 1200 species, or more than 90 per cent of the region’s reef fishes. Every species is illustrated and an added bonus is provided in the form of photographic coverage of the juvenile, female and male in species that vary in colour according to their developmental stage or sex. This feature is especially vital for identifying the members of the large wrasse and parrotfish families. Besides the wide array of underwater and diagnostic laboratory photographs, the book contains seven plates painted by the talented natural-history artist Roger Swainston. The result is a reference book that will enable even a beginning layman to identify most of the region’s reef fishes. Divers, anglers, underwater naturalists, and professional biologists are equally catered for. Although reef fishes are the primary focus of the book, a special section on billfishes, tunas, and mackerels is included especially for anglers.

The formidable team of authors has drawn upon more than 100 years of their combined scientific research and underwater photography experience to produce this colossal volume. Many of the featured species have not been previously recorded from the Great Barrier Reef-Coral Sea region, nor have their photographs appeared in print. In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in our awareness of the fragile nature of the Great Barrier Reef and the need for conservation measures to adequately protect it. The authors hope that this new edition of Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea will continue foster an appreciation of the region’s tremendous fish diversity and its uniqueness on the world’s stage. It will also provide a much-needed inventory of an invaluable natural resource, thus providing a framework for future fisheries management.