Groupers of the World

This is the sixteenth issue in the FAO series of worldwide annotated and illustrated catalogues of major groups of organisms that enter marine fisheries. It contains the 159 species in 15 genera known from the serranid subfamily Epinephelinae, including one species new to science. There is an introductory section with general remarks on habitat and fisheries of the family, a glossary of technical terms, an illustrated key to each genus and all species, and a detailed account for all species. Species accounts include an illustration of each species, scientific and vernacular names, and information on habitat, biology, fisheries, size, relevant literature, and distribution. Following the species accounts are a list of nominal species in the subfamily, a table of species by major marine fishing areas, and colour plates. A list of all nominal species and their present allocations is given. The work is fully indexed and there is a comprehensive list of references to pertinent literature.

"The book is very attractive and the strength of this guide lies in its detailed drawings, high-quality colour photographs, taxonomic keys and other biological data. … The arrangement of the book is well suited to both laboratory and field work, especially as it comprises over 150 species from the 16 genera of groupers with over 350 colour photographs … . In my view, the authors have set a new standard for fish classification, and the arrangement is quite clever from the point of view of presenting outstanding photographs of live specimens and in sorting the species information from an economic point of view. …This guide is a very colourful and attractive publication that offers a consistent treatment of groupers occurring in habitats around the world. It is a very useful book that should be of great help to those interested in marine fish species, from amateurs to professionals enjoying the fascination of groupers' diversity. The layout and quality of the publication live up to the high standard we have come to expect from the publisher and … readers will find the book to be excellent value for money."—Laith A. Jawad, Fish Biodiversity Expert and Consultant, Marine Science and Fisheries Centre, Ministry of Fisheries wealth, Sultanate of Oman, Marine Biology Research, Vol. 8, 2012"... prior to Groupers of the World, there was no comprehensive guide to all groupers that included both underwater and market specimen color photographs. The contribution includes a short introductory chapter, a section on how to use the guide, which includes a glossary of terms, and detailed accounts of all 163 valid species of the family Epinephelidae.Altogether, this book does an excellent job of summarizing information available for groupers, and is an excellent guide for identification both in the field and in fish markets. The wealth of information about conservation is an added bonus, and it is hoped that it will influence fishermen in the tropics. In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in grouper identification, biology and conservation."—Luiz A. Rocha, Assistant Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, Copeia, December 2012"In addition to introducing readers to the field and summarizing the latest scientific discoveries, this book serves as a detailed reference guide to the 163 known species of grouper. The authors demonstrate how to identify each species using more than 300 beautiful color photographs and line drawings, and detailed maps show where each can be found. The population status (including major threats and some proposed solutions), IUCN Red List conservation status, life history information and known feeding behavior is also reviewed for each species."—David Shiffman – WhySharksMatter, in Southern Fried Science, July 23, 2012, "The book is very attractive and the strength of this guide lies in its detailed drawings, high-quality colour photographs, taxonomic keys and other biological data. … The arrangement of the book is well suited to both laboratory and field work, especially as it comprises over 150 species from the 16 genera of groupers with over 350 colour photographs … . In my view, the authors have set a new standard for fish classification, and the arrangement is quite clever from the point of view of presenting outstanding photographs of live specimens and in sorting the species information from an economic point of view. …This guide is a very colourful and attractive publication that offers a consistent treatment of groupers occurring in habitats around the world. It is a very useful book that should be of great help to those interested in marine fish species, from amateurs to professionals enjoying the fascination of groupers' diversity. The layout and quality of the publication live up to the high standard we have come to expect from the publisher and … readers will find the book to be excellent value for money."—Laith A. Jawad, Fish Biodiversity Expert and Consultant, Marine Science and Fisheries Centre, Ministry of Fisheries wealth, Sultanate of Oman, Marine Biology Research, Vol. 8, 2012"... prior to Groupers of the World, there was no comprehensive guide to all groupers that included both underwater and market specimen color photographs. The contribution includes a short introductory chapter, a section on how to use the guide, which includes a glossary of terms, and detailed accounts of all 163 valid species of the family Epinephelidae.Altogether, this book does an excellent job of summarizing information available for groupers, and is an excellent guide for identification both in the field and in fish markets. The wealth of information about conservation is an added bonus, and it is hoped that it will influence fishermen in the tropics. In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in grouper identification, biology and conservation."—Luiz A. Rocha, Assistant Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, Copeia, December 2012"In addition to introducing readers to the field and summarizing the latest scientific discoveries, this book serves as a detailed reference guide to the 163 known species of grouper. The authors demonstrate how to identify each species using more than 300 beautiful color photographs and line drawings, and detailed maps show where each can be found. The population status (including major threats and some proposed solutions), IUCN Red List conservation status, life history information and known feeding behavior is also reviewed for each species."—David Shiffman – WhySharksMatter, in Southern Fried Science, July 23, 2012