The Reef Guide. Fishes, corals, nudibranchs and other invertebrates East and South Coasts of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser.

The Reef Guide. Fishes, corals, nudibranchs and other invertebrates East and South Coasts of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser. Randomhouse Struik Nature. Cape Town, South Africa 2014. ISBN 9781775840183 / ISBN 978-1-77584-018-3

The Reef Guide documents some 800 reef fish and invertebrates found along the east and south coasts of southern Africa. Following on the success of Dennis King's earlier two titles, this impressive new guide with co-author and diver Valda Fraser, features 578 species of fish and includes sections on anemones, starfish, snails, crabs, lobsters and shrimps. This book is not intended in any way to be a scientific work. As such, details regarding the anatomy of fish, the number of fin rays, etc. are not included. Only limited information on invertebrate biology and taxonomy is provided. The use of scientific terminology has been restricted.

Dennis King  Valda Fraser  

The vast and contrasting southern African coast boasts a staggering variety of fauna and flora. This diversity may be attributed to the 2 major currents sweeping past the western and eastern coasts of the continent. To the east, the warm Southern Equatorial Current, a huge wind-driven water mass moving in an anti-clockwise direction in the Indian Ocean, splits upon reaching die northern tip oi Madagascar. To the south, near the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, the 2 currents straddling the island of Madagascar rejoin to form the mighty Agulhas Current. This warm water brings a plethora of tropica Indo-Pacific species to the eastern shores of southern Africa. To the west, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows from west to east in the Southern Ocean, giving rise to the Benguela Current. This cold, nutrient-rich water flows northwards along the west coast of southern Africa and is extremely rich in plankton, which reeds other animals highei up in the food chain, notably sardine and anchovy. The range of habitats, such as lagoons and estuaries, sandy beaches and rocky shores, coral reefs and open oceans, are further influenced by various physical factors such as temperature, prevailing winds, light intensity and salinity. As a result, marine creatures have adapted in many different and, often, wondrous ways to their particular environments. By studying this book for just a few hours, readers will be amazed at how quickly they will learn to recognise the creatures depicted. The ability to identify species will increase rapidly after only a few dives. The real fun begins when an unfamiliar species is sighted. You become an underwater detective, looking for clues that might reveal the identity of the 'mystery' fish or invertebrate. Alertness, stalking skills, attention to detail and a good memory make for excellent and rewarding sightings. These skills develop in time and with practice; soon you will be able to remember sufficient detail in order to identify the animals in this book. Of course, if you have an underwater camera, the identification process becomes much easier. (...)

This is an excerpt from the book: The Reef Guide. Fishes, corals, nudibranchs and other invertebrates East and South Coasts of Southern Africa, by Dennis King and Valda Fraser.

Title: The Reef Guide
Untertitel: Fishes, corals, nudibranchs and other invertebrates East and South Coasts of Southern Africa
Author: Dennis King; Valda Fraser
Publisher: Randomhouse Struik
Imprint: Nature
Cape Town, South Africa 2014
ISBN 9781775840183 / ISBN 978-1-77584-018-3
Softcover, 15 x 21 cm, 360 pages, numerous photos, images and maps