Читать книгу Marine Fishes of South-East Asia - Gerry Allen - Страница 10

AREA OF COVERAGE

This book provides coverage of tropical Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, and the region immediately north of Australia encompassing Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, and Solomon Islands. The main emphasis is placed on reef and shore fishes - relatively good coverage is provided except for gobies (Gobiidae) and threefins (Tripterygiidae). Both of these families contain small, cryptic, seldom seen species, whose classification has not been satisfactorily studied - many of the species are difficult to identify, even by trained specialists.

Relatively good coverage is also extended to families containing species of interest to anglers. Foremost in this respect are the trevallies and their relatives (Carangidae), tunas and mackerels (Scombridae), and billfishes (Xiphiidae and Istiophoridae). Less than full coverage is given to families containing cryptic, hence seldom encountered species (Antennariidae for example), or species living in deeper sections of continental shelves. Excluded from coverage are the true deep sea fishes which for the most part, live well offshore, below 200 m depth (although some make daily migrations to the surface).

A diver inspects a colony of anemonefishes (Amphiprion melanopus) in the Coral Sea off Australia's north-east coast. (R. Steene)