Source: In-Stream 13(6), December 2004, pages 13–14. Authors: Brad Pusey, Mark Kennard and Angela Arthington, 2004 edition, ISBN 0 643 06966 6, CSIRO Publishing, 684pp, RRP $89.00. Reviewer: Bruce Hansen. View original scan (PDF)

From the moment you heft this attractive dark blue tome onto the table you form the impression that we have a serious contribution here. It looks good, is professionally published and should last the distance as far as durability of binding and paper quality is concerned. Usually I scan a new book by flicking through the pages to get an overall impression of balance of text to illustrations and stop at individual shots that catch my eye on the way through. That was my first shock. There are NO colour photos of fish or habitats, not even B&W alternatives. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is not in vogue in this volume but this is not necessarily a criticism – the thousands of words are definitely there with each page packed with informative text, tables and graphs.

The initial pages include a Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, Introduction, and a section on Origins, structure and classification of fishes. Next follows a 12-page key to the native and alien fishes of the study area which is illustrated with helpful small B&W line drawings to define factors in the text. Copies of this in a smaller format would be a useful tool in the field. This key is followed by a section on the study area, data collection, analysis and presentation which could well have been placed before the key to orient the reader to the pertinent area of the study which is the North-east Coastal Division of the Australian Drainage Divisions. This is the generally narrow strip of Queensland between the coast and the Dividing Range which is in turn sub-divided into 4 sections – Eastern Cape York Peninsula, Wet Tropics, Central Queensland and South-eastern Queensland.

Over three quarters of the volume (525 pages) is taken up with the species discussions which cover around 80 of the 130 species so far recorded in the study area. I suspect much of the arguments about this book amongst interested parties will revolve around why the various species not covered could be left out while others were included. All I can say is it certainly leaves plenty of scope for the authors to produce another volume. Each species is covered under standardized sections which include Nomenclature, Description, Systematics, Distribution and abundance, Macro/meso/microhabitat use, Environmental tolerances, Reproductive biology, Movement, Trophic ecology and finally Conservation status, threats and management. In some instances more than one species (such as the three eel species) will be covered as a group.

These accounts of the individual species are where much of the “real meat” is to be found and the sections need to be read over and over to take in the wealth of detail included and of course this can be rather heavy going at times. The final 100 or so pages are taken up with a brief Conclusions section, a very useful Glossary of terms used, an extremely extensive Bibliography which includes many entries mentioning ANGFA publications and authors, various appendices and finally an index.

From an ANGFA perspective most of the species accounts concern species that could hardly be termed aquarium fish but without doubt there is much of interest contained therein. It is when we zero in on the smaller species such as the rainbowfishes, hardyheads, blue-eyes, gobies and gudgeons that we begin to appreciate how much information is provided on not only common and wide-spread species but also those of more limited distribution that we rarely hear about. Although I would have loved to see Melanotaenia trifasciata covered for example, it was great to see some useful information on a rarity such as the Bloomfield River Cod (Guyu wujalwujalensis). Overall the list includes 7 species of rainbowfishes, 3 species of blue-eyes, 2 hardyheads, 5 glassfish, 8 gobies and 17 gudgeons with a few others that are regularly kept as aquarium specimens for good measure.

The authors have taken this opportunity to publish a wealth of material they have collected and analysed over the last 20 years or so and review the existing literature to present us with this very worthwhile offering for anyone interested in our native freshwater fishes. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who wants good information. If you are only after a field guide with pretty pictures of fishes and habitats this book is not for you. At the price ANGFA has been able to negotiate for you it is a bargain – the print run is limited, the quality is undoubted and it will be worth twice as much in a few years as an investment if nothing else.