More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs. East and South Coast of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser

More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs. East and South Coast of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser.

More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs facilitates species identification for the East and South Coast of Southern Africa. The expert authors are Dennis King and Valda Fraser.

Dennis King  Valda Fraser  

How to use the book More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs

FISH SECTION: To identify a fish species, it is first necessary to decide to which family it belongs. To assist with this process, clear line drawings of the fish families are displayed on pages 12-15. These have been grouped together based on shared characteristics, such as 'silvery in colour' or 'odd-shaped swimmers' etc. To identify a fish correctly, first decide to which group it belongs, then-look for the family by studying the line drawings. A page reference refers the reader to photographs of individual species for further identification. Details of each species are given in the text opposite, together with the physical characteristics, distinguishing features, geographical distribution, habitat and habits, depth range, diet, abundance and, where relevant, species it may be confused with. When spotting a fish, try to memorize certain features such as overall shape, colour, patterns and position of spots or lines. Other features, such as the presence of one or two dorsal fins, a round or forked tail etc. may also help. Remember that the colour of a fish can change with depth. Take the time to study the various families and get to know them, as this will greatly assist with your identifications.

NUDIBRANCH SECTION: The focus of this section is to introduce and familiarize the reader with a number of fascinating marine slugs. A general introduction on nudibranchs with illustrations, depicting basic nudibranch anatomy, is given on page 112. Detailed descriptions of each family and individual species are given in the text opposite the photographs. The species descriptions outline physical characteristics and distinguishing features in order to facilitate identification. Geographical distribution, habitat, depth range, diet (where possible) and abundance are also included. The name of the person who described the particular nudibranch and the year of description have been noted. Brackets are used if a species has been moved to another genus due to taxonomic revision.

EXPLANATION OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES: The scientific name of animals comprises two words: the first word refers to the genus - a group of animals or plants sharing similar characteristics (e.g. Chromodoris). The second word indicates the species name (e.g. hamiltoni), often derived from a person's name e.g. the name of the person who first found the species, a friend of the author, or in honour of a particular scientist. In some instances, the name links with the place where the animal was first collected or an outstanding external characteristic feature.

This is an excerpt from the guide: More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs. East and South Coast of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser.

Title: More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs
Subtitle: East and South Coast of Southern Africa
Authors: Dennis King; Valda Fraser
Publisher: Random House Struik
Imprint: Nature
Cape Town, South Africa 2002
ISBN 9781868726868 / ISBN 978-1-86872-686-8
Softcover, 15x21 cm, 136 pages, throughout colour photos