Book Reviews 2006
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Micronesica 38(2):273-276, 2006 NEW BOOKS South Pacific Fishes the Pitcairn Islands and Rapa Island, and includes the Loyalty Islands, the Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and Shore southern Gilbert Islands in Kiribati, Fishes of the South Pacific. Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, University of Hawaii Press, 707 and the Tokelau, Phoenix, Austral, pp. ISBN 0-8248-2698-1. List Society, Marquesas Islands, as well as price US$75. the Tuamotu Archipelago. In all, 1,496 species from this vast region are repre- The tropical South Pacific has sented with detailed species accounts, long been recognized as supporting and photographs or drawings. both a diverse and unique fish fauna, The book opens with a brief treat- and the literature abounds with ment of the geographic area and descriptions of the taxonomy, system- taxonomic groups covered. The atics, biogeography and ecology of emphasis is upon visible reef fishes, many species. What has been lacking, as offshore pelagic species and however, is a comprehensive treatment inshore, highly cryptic fishes such that accounts for all known species brotulas (Bythitidae), small false within a geographical area. Jack moray eels (Chlopsidae), spaghetti Randall’s newest book takes a giant eels (Moringuidae), and many of the step in that direction. snake or worm eels (Ophichthidae), as Randall has been the senior well as most estuarine species, are ichthyologist of the B.P. Bishop omitted. The introduction continues Museum in Honolulu since 1970. with a summary of taxonomic prac- During a long and extremely produc- tices used, and then moves on to a tive career that began in the late 1940s generalized description of those diag- (Greenfield, 2001), he has scuba dived nostic characteristics necessary to in tropical and subtropical waters describe both families and species. throughout most of the world, col- This description is supported by pho- lected and photographed fishes, and tographs of both cartilaginous and has described, as of this writing, 555 bony fishes in which the characters species of fishes and published in are clearly indicated. This section excess of 636 papers and books. The concludes with a brief account of the focus of this volume is upon reef and author’s own experiences surveying, shore fishes likely to be encountered in collecting and photographing fishes. the tropical South Pacific region Randall pioneered both under- exclusive of Australia (see Randall et water and laboratory photography of al., 1997 for a treatment of fishes of reef fishes and evidence of his exper- the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea), tise is given liberally in this volume. Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua All but 55 of the 2,000 color pho- New Guinea, and the Indo-Malayan tographs, and additional black and area. Thus, the area of coverage white photographs are his, and most extends from New Caledonia east to depict fishes in their natural habitats. 274 Micronesica 38(2), 2006 General locality data for each photo- Fishes are arranged in current graph is given in the margin and if a phylogenetic order, although the species was photographed outside of author has allowed some wiggle room the geographic range of the book that to account for recent, pending and locality is given as a reference, as well. often controversial changes in reef fish For example, the photograph depicting systematics (e.g., parrotfishes, which the mottled fusilier, Dipterygonotus are either in the family Scaridae or the balteatus (Caesionidae), was taken off subfamily Scarinae within the of Sulawesi, Indonesia. As there is no Labridae, or wrasses, depending upon apparent geographic variation in color whom you talk to). This wiggle room pattern for this species, the locality stops at the family level, however, as doesn’t matter. Where variation does recent changes at the level of genus occur, because of geographic differ- and species (e.g., within the cardinal- ences or some other factor, multiple fishes, Apogonidae) reflect current photographs of the species are given. thinking. Descriptions of each family An example of this is the blackside are given that include details on basic hawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri morphological characteristics, species (Cirrhitidae), in which the “standard” richness, ecology, and relevant taxo- color pattern is contrasted with both a nomic and systematic literature. juvenile color pattern and a melanistic Typical species descriptions include form (one of many for this polychro- morphological characters, body size, matic species). Similarly, the geographic distribution, ecology, halfspotted hawkfish, Paracirrhites behavior or other topics of interest. hemistictus, is shown having two dis- The descriptions are short but ade- tinctive color morphs as is the quate. Both the glossary and references yellowfin goatfish, Mulloidichthys sections are more so and quite useful. vanicolensis (Mullidae), to name but a Even a book with 707 pages must few examples. Differences in color conform to the dictates of space pattern may also be attributed to sex- limitations, and so not all species ual dimorphism, and various examples likely to be seen within the geographic are given for the wrasses (Labridae) area of coverage (aside from those and parrotfishes (Scaridae) among var- groups mentioned above) are treated. ious taxa. Some fishes show This is understandable. A comprehen- pronounced differences in color pat- sive checklist of all species known tern between day and night and from the major geographic localities photographs of both patterns are given covered, similar to that seen in Myers for a number of species. Some good (1999), would have been welcome. examples are given for members of the This book does not suffer for not hav- family Caesionidae, including the red- ing such a checklist, however, and I belly fusilier (Caesio cuning), the suspect, given the effort still devoted blue-and-yellow fusilier (Caesio to surveying and collecting fishes teres), the banana fusilier (Pterocaesio within the region, that a not- pisang), and the neon fusilier insignificant book could be devoted to (Pterocaesio tile). this subject alone. In the meantime, Book Reviews 275 this latest effort by Jack Randall is Islands (1991) by Raulerson & essential for professional and amateur Rinehart have been out of print for reef fish watchers alike. several years. This book has a map of the References Mariana Is. archipelago, an introduc- tion with definitions, island speciation Greenfield, D. W. 2001. Historical per- and endemism, and then a brief discus- spectives: John E. Randall. sion of the types of ecosystems found Copeia 2001: 872–877. in these islands. The main part of the Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef book presents animal and plant Fishes, 3rd ed. Coral Graphics, species; each species covered is shown Barrigada, Guam. in a color photograph on one side of a Randall, J. E., G. R. Allen & R. C. page; completing the page side is Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great information about the species pictured. Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. The animals are presented in related Revised and expanded edition. groups: first, birds: forest and water, University of Hawaii Press, shore- and sea birds; then reptiles and Honolulu, Hawaii. amphibians, crabs, and mammals; and finally, trees. In their groups, plants —Terry J. Donaldson and animals are usually presented University of Guam Marine Lab alphabetically, by genus. The tree sec- tion is introduced by definitions and drawings referring to the characteris- tics of the plants. The book ends with a list of use- Marianas Flora and Fauna ful references, three indices (one alphabetized by scientific names, one Vogt, S. R. & L. L. Williams. 2004. by Chamorro names, and one by Common Flora and Fauna of the English names), an appendix of newly Mariana Islands. 158 pp. arrived amphibians, and a final page of PubIished by Laura Williams and measurement conversions (English & Scott Vogt. ISBN 1 878453 67 X Metric). Guam, which has lost many of its native birds (to the snake Boiga), The Mariana Islands are, again, has in recent years become a “frog gifted by the appearance of a new field refugium”, so the appendix noted is guide which covers both animals and quite useful. plants present on the islands. This is a The book is written for the lay welcome book, because both the person, for use in the field; it is a size Naturalist’s Guide to Guam (1968) by (21 cm long x 14 cm wide) easily car- the Guam Science Teachers Assoc., ried in a pack, and the color which reviewed both plants and ani- photographs are clear and recogniz- mals (but had line drawings, or black able. There are no “keys”, but visual and white photos) and Trees and identification should be easy. Often, Shrubs of the Northern Mariana species names come with their 276 Micronesica 38(2), 2006 “namers” or “authorities” the a very few inaccuracies (Pandanus person(s) responsible for giving the dubius does not have male & female organisms scientific names and pub- flowers on the same tree). lishing them in a professional journal. This book is recommended to all No animal “namers” are identified persons interested in natural history, here, and the plant “namers” are often and to all parents with children who incorrect, and always assigned incor- are curious about organisms and the rectly. These are not problems for most environment. people using this book, unless they want to publish something about the —Lynn Raulerson organisms in a formal paper. There are University of Guam Herbarium (GUAM).