Fishes of the Maldives

Description

Fishes of the Maldives – Indian Ocean is a comprehensive identification guide with over 1130 colour photographs of sharks, rays and fishes likely to be seen by divers. This book uses an innovative concept to allow easy retrieval and identification of species. It is useful for researchers, as well as divers and snorkellers.

This new edition includes a systematic classification and detailed description for each species and describes points of interest and differences between similar species. The 1^st  edition of the book was published in 1998 as Photo Guide to Fishes of the Maldives, by Rudie H Kuiter, with Jörg Aebi, Toshikazu Kowawa and Neville Coleman as major contributing photographers. A 2^nd Edition was published in 2014 as Fishes of the Maldives – Indian Ocean, with the sharks and rays section being authored by Timothy Godfrey. The book was updated again in 2018.

This 3^rd Edition (published 2026) includes a major review of information about the sharks and rays of the Maldives. It features an additional three sharks and two rays likely to be seen by divers. It also covers recent changes to the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, and changes in classification of a total of 26 shark, ray and fish species.

• Innovative identification system
• Over 1130 colour photographs
• A comprehensive identification guide

A new, updated, water resistant companion guide to the book, the Maldives Fish Field Guide is also available.

Reviews of Fishes of the Maldives

‘An indispensable resource for dive tourists, naturalists and marine scientists not only in the Maldives but also several other nations with corals reefs nearby… The underwater photographs are excellent, and the descriptions informative. I would recommend this book to anyone with a keen interest in coral reef fishes in the central and western Indian Ocean’— Nicholas A J Graham Phd, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University

‘The role of taxonomy in understanding and managing marine ecosystems is pivotal. Taxonomy provides basic and fundamental understanding of ecosystem components and units (biodiversity) that are important in its functioning, its maintenance and sustainable use. Without this understanding it is very difficult to conserve species through targeted management intervention. The loss of global marine biodiversity at an alarming rate means that difficult but important decisions have to be made now to protect species and their habitats. Consequently, accurate species identification in the field would allow more people to understand and appreciate coral reef fish. This guide is a fundamental step forward in understanding and managing coral reef fish species of the Maldives.’— Ameer Abdulla, Senior Advisor for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Program, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science

‘The most comprehensive and useful Maldives fish guide I have found that is light enough to take on holiday’— Amazon customer

‘Almost 300 pages of good quality images, ideal for identifying fish’— reefs.com

Authors of Fishes of the Maldives

Rudie H. Kuiter, the principal author and photographer, started diving in 1964. He began drawing and photographing the various species, most of which were unknown at the time. He has published scientific papers on biology and descriptions of new taxa, and articles on seahorses, seadragons and other aquatic life have appeared in magazines around the world.

Timothy J. Godfrey has been researching the atolls of the Maldives since 1986 when he started work as a dive instructor and guide on safari boats. He is also the author of the books Dive Maldives, Atlas of the Maldives and the Maldives Divers and Travellers Map. In 2007, he returned to marine studies and completed a Bachelor Science (Marine Biology) degree at James Cook University, Qld in 2013. In 2014 he co-authored Fishes of the Maldives with Rudie Kuiter, focusing on the sharks and rays. In 2022 he published and co-authored with Sally McPhee: Shore Life of the Great Ocean Road.

Additional information