Once again we have a product by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari which hides a failing in basic marine identification behind a façade of photographs that are, in some cases, quite outstanding. Clearly, the Ferraris know their photography. Sadly, however, they do not know their species identification as well as they should for a book of this type. In short, there are several instances where this book will mislead the diver. Altogether, I got the distinct impression that this is nothing more than a collection of surplus photographs from their fairly abysmal "Malaysia Diving Guide." - a book where the publishers could not even get their names right on the cover!
In the long term, I fear more and more people will purchase this and similar books, become overwhelmed by the impact of the photography and take whatever is "written" as being gospel. Then when the next generation of "wannabe marine biologists with a camera" come along, they will take perhaps even better photographs (if only because photographic and diving technology has evolved) and then use this book as their own identification bible. Thus the errors are compounded and repeated.
Whenever I wish to identify any species I use books written by eminent authors who have, at the very least!, a PhD in Marine Biology. I use those books to identify whatever fish is the subject of the moment and even after more than 30 years of active diving I still occasionally get it wrong.
There is nothing occasional about the errors in this book.
NM
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