David Hall's Encounters in the Sea Photography

Fish Portraits

Fishes are the most numerous and most diverse group of vertebrates, with over 25,000 species so far described. The greatest diversity of marine fishes is found among the inhabitants of Western Pacific coral reefs - particularly those around Indonesia and adjacent waters - with the number of species gradually diminishing as one travels east or west. Many of these fish are brightly colored - a device meant to advertise their presence, while others blend with their surroundings so well as to be almost undetectable (see "Camouflage").

Damselfish, Indonesia	Mandarinfish, Indonesia	Wrasse, Indonesia
Parrotfish, Bahamas	Grouper, Red Sea	Parrotfish, Red Sea
Butterflyfish, New Guinea	Butterflyfish, Red Sea	Butterflyfish, New Guinea
Angelfish, Indonesia	Angelfish, Caribbean	Angelfish, Australia
Boxfish, Australia	Gobies, Japan	Stonefish, (© G. Jamison)
Blenny, New Guinea	Stonefish, New Guinea	Angler, Indonesia
Lionfish, New Guinea	Blenny, St. Vincent	Fangblenny, Solomon Islands
Grouper, Bali	Irish Lord, British Columbia	Pikeblenny, Japan
Triggerfish, Bali	Cowfish, New Guinea	Unicornfish, Bali
Wolf eel, British Columbia	Stargazer, New Guinea	Lumpfish, Japan
Surgeonfish, New Guinea	Garibaldi, California	Angelfish, Bali
Cowfish, St. Vincent	Stargazer, Indonesia	Moray, Japan
Lizardfish, New Guinea	Lionfish, Japan	Handfish, Tasmania