Source: ANGFA News, Issue 6, June 2001, page 9. Authors: Gerald R. Allen, Kent G. Hortle, Samuel J. Renyaan, 2001 edition, ISBN 0 646 40480 6, PT Freeport Indonesia (co-published Tropical Reef Research, Western Australia), 175pp. Reviewer: Neil Armstrong. View original scan (PDF)

This book is designed as an identification guide and it relies mainly on visual comparison of photographs, particularly for the serious aquarist who studies the “Fishes of Sahul”.

Printed on high quality gloss paper, backed up by many superb photographs. It contains information on habitat, abundance and distribution of the fishes of the Timika region of Irian Jaya. Layout of this book is excellent and a brief introduction is included for each family containing general information on classification, distinguishing features, geographic distribution and life history. Photographs and text for each fish are on the same page. No reading about a fish then having to turn many pages to find a photo in this book.

Distribution information is shown on an accompanying map. Of particular interest are the new fishes from the families of hardyheads, Rainbowfishes, Blue Eyes, Gobies and Gudgeons. New fishes such as Melanotaenia ogilbyi, Pseudomugil ivantsoffi (a beautiful honey coloured blue eye), P. novaeguineae, P. pellucidus to name just a few fishes new to us all. Many fishes described are also native to Northern Australia (no surprise in that!).

175 pages, full of information, a book that is an absolute must for all who study Fishes of Sahul. This book will be available from ANGFA as soon as it is available. Price will be $30 Australian plus postage. Orders are being taken now and hopefully will be signed personally by Gerald Allen (providing he is in Australia at time of release).