Covering nearly 1,500 species, this definitive guide to marine invertebrates found around the coasts of New Zealand is ideal for divers, naturalists, and professional scientists. Each section outlines a major taxonomic group, such as starfishes, crustaceans, and mollusks; describes each animal's morphology, habitat, abundance, distribution, and depth range in accessbile language; and summarizes vital information from the most obscure scientific literature for further research. Beautifully photographed by New Zealand's best underwater photographers, this encyclopedic reference also features an exhaustive array of line drawings for extra anatomical detail. References, a comprehensive glossary, and a full index are also included.

"This guide for scuba divers features some of the most striking and beautiful marine invertebrates inhabiting shallow subtidal waters around the coast of New Zealand. The 155 species superbly photographed by Stephen Wing are commonly found at easily accessible depths, and range widely around the country. The accompanying text provides a succinct description of each animal to aid in identification. A general introduction explains invertebrate diversity and ecology."--Publisher's website.

The most complete illustrated scientific review of starfish ever published. Among the most fascinating animals in the world’s oceans are the more than 2,000 species of starfish. Called “Asteroids” by scientists who study them (after their taxonomic name, Asteroidea)—or sea stars in some parts of the world—starfish are easily recognized because of their star-like form. Starfish is a comprehensive volume devoted to the integrative and comparative biology and ecology of starfish. Written by the world's leading experts on starfish, the integrative section covers topics such as reproduction, developmental biology and ecology, larval ecology, and the ecological role of starfish as a group. The comparative section considers the biology and ecology of important species such as Acanthaster planci, Heliaster helianthoides, Asterias amurensis, and Pisaster ochraceus. Replete with detailed, scientifically accurate illustrations and the latest research findings, Starfish examines the important role of these invertebrates in the marine environment, a topic of great interest because of their impact on the food web. As major predators that are able to evert their stomach and wrap it around their prey, starfish can have a significant impact on commercial fisheries. Starfish are of interest not only to echinoderm specialists but also to marine biologists and invertebrate zoologists in general and, increasingly, to the medical community. A starfish’s ability to regenerate body parts is almost unequalled in the animal world, making them ideal models for basic science studies on the topic. Contributors: Charles D. Amsler, Bill J. Baker, Mario Barahona, Michael F. Barker, Maria Byrne, Juan Carlos Castilla, Katharina Fabricius, Patrick Flammang, Andrew S. Gale, Carlos F. Gaymer, Jean-François Hamel, Elise Hennebert, John H. Himmelman, Michel Jangoux, John M. Lawrence, Tatiana Manzur, James B. McClintock, Bruce A. Menge, Annie Mercier, Anna Metaxas, Sergio A. Navarette, Timothy D. O’Hara, John S. Pearse, Carlos Robles, Eric Sanford, Robert E. Scheibling, Richard L. Turner, Carlos Renato R. Ventura, Kristina M. Wasson, Stephen A. Watts

In this book, the natural history of New Zealand's North Island, from Lake Taupo up, is described, including geology, soils, climate, flora and fauna. Chapters on different habitats are included, including forests, shrublands, wetlands and the coast.

Coastal Fishes provides a comprehensive and informative guide to the fishes that divers and fishermen are likely to encounter in New Zealand waters. Included are the common reef fishes found between the Three Kings Island and Snares Islands, plus many of the fishes found at the Kermadec Islands and Subantarctic Islands. Identification is made simple by the collection of over 200 superb colour photographs of live fish in their natural habitats.

"The conservation status of a proportion of all known New Zealand marine invertebrate taxa was reassessed in June 2013 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) criteria. A full list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for marine invertebrates"--Page 1.