A Field Guide to Marine Food Fishes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

DETAILS : 

• Author: P.T. Rajan
  
• Publisher: Zoological Survey Of India
  
• Language: ‎ English
  
• Hardcover: ‎ 260 pages
  
• ISBN-10: ‎ 8185874964
  
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-8185874968
  
• Item Weight: ‎ 1100 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Field Guide to Marine Food Fishes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, authored by the senior scientist and ichthyologist P.T. Rajan and published by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), is a pioneering and authoritative taxonomic handbook. Published as part of the country's official marine bio-resource documentation initiatives, this comprehensive guide serves as a critical reference manual for marine biologists, fisheries scientists, conservationists, and students of aquatic ecology. The primary objective of the book is to systematically document, classify, and visually map the immense diversity of commercially significant food fishes found within the pristine, highly complex marine ecosystems of the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

The book operates as a practical, high-utility field manual, meticulously structuring dense ichthyological data into fluid, reader-friendly descriptions. Out of the vast array of fish species represented in the archipelago, the text zeroes in on the hundreds of species that possess genuine commercial importance as food resources. The narrative flows logically through specialized taxonomic groupings, detailing Chondrichthian variations like sharks and rays before exploring the diverse classes of bony fishes. For each listed species, the guide provides definitive diagnostic criteria, including morphological characteristics, color variations, local and scientific nomenclature, preferred habitats across coral reefs, mangroves, and offshore zones, as well as their specific economic distribution. By pairing scientific depth with a clear structural layout, the volume bridges the gap between abstract academic taxonomy and real-world fisheries management, making it an essential tool for assessing sustainable yields, mapping marine zoogeography, and preventing the overexploitation of fragile island biomes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

P.T. Rajan is a highly accomplished marine biologist, taxonomist, and long-serving scientist associated with the Zoological Survey of India, specifically within its regional research frameworks. With decades of intensive undersea exploration, scuba-driven field surveys, and taxonomic mapping to his credit, he is recognized as a preeminent authority on the ichthyofauna of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman waters. His prolific research career has been dedicated to discovering new regional records, documenting coral reef ecosystems, and advising state bodies on marine biodiversity preservation.

Rajan’s authorial style is defined by its rigorous technical accuracy, strict adherence to international zoological nomenclature, and highly practical, field-oriented design. Rather than producing dense, inaccessible laboratory catalogs, he crafts manuals that remain equally valuable to field researchers working off research vessels and policymakers regulating coastal fisheries. His collective publications under the banner of the ZSI stand as a definitive baseline archive for modern South Asian marine conservation and ecological planning.