About
References
Growing up in the Midwest region of America,, nearly a thousand miles from any ocean, I was fascinated by the amazing fish and ocean creatures on Jacques Cousteau's nature specials. Years later, in 2017, I was able to realize a lifelong dream - a trip to a place where I could swim in the ocean among such creatures -- the Maldives.
During our five-day trip, I rented a GoPro from the on-site dive shop and upon returning home, spent hours poring over field guides, fish identification websites and google images trying to identify what it was that I had videoed (and vicariously re-lived the experience while doing so!) I discovered that the same species of fish may have a different common name, and sometimes slightly different coloration and markings depending on what region it is from; that during different stages of life and between sexes, the same fish may look like a completely different species (or animal!); that in different lighting, or when snorkeling in sunny versus cloudy weather, coloration may appear drastically different. I have created this website with the hope that it may help a beginning snorkeler identify some of the common fish they may see when first peeking underwater in the atolls of the Maldives ... or to simply enjoy looking at some of these amazing creatures!
I am not a marine biologist, but have done my best to accurately identify each photograph. I am happy to accept comments and corrections. I also hope that this will be an ongoing work in progress ...as I would very much like to return and continue to add to this website!
References that I found helpful in putting together this website include:
Kuiter, Rudie H. (2014). Fishes of the Maldives. Cairns, Australia: Atoll Editions.
Greenberg, Michael and Jerry. (1991). Fishwater's Field Guide: Indian Ocean, Maldives and Seychelle. Seahawk Press.
https://reefguide.org/home.html
http://www.mondomaldive.it/maldive/fauna/pesci_index_fam.asp
http://www.lankanfushi.com/p/quick-fish-id-key.html
Contact