Omissions take it to 281 species

A few amendments and a handful of omissions from the first tranche of uploads brings me to 281 fish species in TARP (described in 301 different panels including 318 illustrations). There'll be more to come as I process photos from a couple of recent dives but this now represents my basic baseline; from here on it should just be new variants, sexes and phases, new species, or better photos.

It's complete!

Done! 273 species represented in 293 panels. This represents the minimum number of fish species in TARP and will, I hope, be a helpful start for anyone wanting to identify fish here. It is a much smaller list than could be encountered in a standard photo guide on reef fish, covering as they may, an area like the whole of the tropical Pacific.

It is also notable that a fair number of species here are only represented in one of at least two forms (e.g. Juvenile but not Adult). It is unlikely that TARP is devoid of Adults in those cases (indeed in some, the Juvenile or Initial phase has not yet been encountered by me with a camera), but the many pressures on TARP (see TARP Watch) could plausibly be reducing the number of Adults significantly which is sad and a worry.

I look forward to adding to the 'wall' in due course, and making amendments where necessary.

Percoids finished

It's taken all day but all the suborder Percoidei is up now: 54 more species in 56 panels taking the collection to 224 species described in 244 panels. (In the illustrated example, I'm sorry - I can't resist delicious descriptions and anyway, if an 'Emperor' can be invoked in naming a fish, why not icecream?!)

Percoids begun

Overnight I've been able to make a start uploading my largest Suborder - Percoidei. Of three families so far, the largest has been the Cardinalfishes. So in total now, I've reached 170 species (188 panels). If you're using PicLens to view the collection then I'm sure you're beginning to appreciate it for ease of browsing through such a large number of items. If you're not then I strongly recommend you download and install it (it is only an 'add-on' to your browser, not an isolated programme).

Labroids finished

With the 9 species of Parrotfishes (in 11 panels), I've now completed uploading the Labroid fishes. Interestingly (and I hope not ominously for TARP), I seem to have found it easier to photograph Juveniles and Initial phase fish than the Terminal phase ones. Anyway, I'm now up to 143 species (in 161 panels); over halfway.

Incidentally, I found a new government site today called SyMBiosIS with a growing database of fish found in Malaysian marine waters. (Unfortunately it presently has only 106 species listed and includes both non-reef fishes and those from Peninsular Malaysia which is over 1,000 miles away from here and includes an Indian Ocean coast, so it is ultimately likely to be too general for TARP. However it should allow cross-checking of unexpected species when it is eventually declared to be virtually complete).

Damselfishes ready

Here's another tranche of panels - 47 of them representing 43 species, bringing me to a total of 134 species uploaded in 150 panels. Not quite half way there yet (276 species at last count but my recent night dive will add several more when I can catch up with myself).

Wrasses uploaded

It's taken a while but I've completed and uploaded the Wrasses now (29 species in TARP - with 11 extra panels for different sexes, phases and variants). This brings my total so far to

91 species (in 103 panels). Nearly 1/3 done.

Blennies & Gobies on line

Another bunch of panels just uploaded covering most of the smaller fish visible on the reef - mainly Gobies (like this one) and Blennies. I'm now up to 62 species (63 panels) of the 276 I hope to get on line soon.

Surgeons, Bats & Rabbits

A busy day: four more families uploaded just now (Surgeonfishes, Spadefish, Spinefeet and the Moorish Idol) giving a total of 25 species (26 descriptions) so far. Where there are significant differences between Juveniles and Adults (as with Platax pinnatus shown here) or between Females and Males or between Initial phase adults and Terminal phase adults, I will give separate illustrations.

Seven Bony Fish Families Listed

Overnight I've started to upload Bony Fishes (Osteichthyes) with details on species in seven families - Moray eels (an example is shown here), Conger eels, Snake eels, Lizard fish, Squirrelfishes, Anglerfish and Mullet. This brings me to a total of 14 species uploaded so far out of a total of 276 to do.

Incidentally, close examination will reveal that I have used a watercolour effect to show the pictures since this both looks nice and makes up for the poor quality of some of my photos (some fish are just too hard to photograph well since they only show themselves briefly before racing away!)

Online Fish Identification Resource Launched

At last it's here: an online resource to help you identify fishes you might see in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. It launches today with the basic layout (an example is given here) along with the few entries I have relating to Cartilagenous fishes (sharks and rays). It's the most comprehensive and accurate that I can make it, as an amateur Fishwatcher, but I've had some input from several Ichthyologists along the way which is mentioned where relevant and for which I'm very grateful.

Being an amateur with limited Systematics resources to hand, I expect to make mistakes and I hope you will bear with me. If you have a good reason (with a reliable source) to question one of my diagnoses, I would be very pleased to correspond with you.

This is a good moment to point out that at present, my guide shows only fish species which I have photographed here. I know that others have seen Whale sharks etc which I haven't, but I suspect that the number of such species is fairly small. Indeed, I'd be pleased to correspond with anyone who thinks they have a photograph of a species which I do not yet have. (However, please wait for me to upload the 275+ species I have before launching!)

The best way to view the catalogue is at my web album using a viewing add-on called PicLens which can be used with major browsers like Explorer and FireFox. This will allow you to easily and quickly scan a long wall of images to find where you want to focus your attention before zooming in for more details.

NB: ANY DANGER WARNINGS ARE ADVISORY ONLY - I make no guarantee to be right either in making or missing a warning. Check any species carefully via FishBase for better advice than mine.

I will update the blog whenever I add a tranche of pictures and hopefully the whole list will on line soon. After that, I'll make regular amendments and additions in due course.

If you are interested in other aspects of life in, and the context surrounding, TARP then take a regular look (or set up a feed) at my TARP Watch blog.