The US based agency Conservation International (CI) has
announced the release of the “Reef
Fishes Of The East Indies” mobile app, a digital guide to every known
reef fish species in the most biodiverse region on the planet, based on the
book of the same title.
The objective is sharing knowledge on reef fish of the region which is
of great value to the regions biodiversity. This app will increase motivation
and momentum for conservation to ensure that the region’s species and their
delicate ecosystems are allowed to stay balance.
Maintaining this natural capital is key to the region’s
important tourism industry, and other ecosystem services the ocean provides the
people.
The comprehensive guide includes over 2,500 reef fishes of which 25
species are new to science. It summarizes 60 years of research and exploration
and brings greater understanding and valuation of the immense biodiversity of
reef fish in the East Indies.
The scientist authors, Mark
Erdmann and Gerry Allen, have spent much of their lives at sea
discovering, studying and conserving some of the most rare and beautiful fish
in the world. The proceeds of this CI produced app will support CI Indonesia’s
marine conservation program.
Designed for iPad and Kindle Fire, the app "Reef Fishes
of the East Indies" enables users to use it at sea,
with no internet connection. The app contains many useful and interactive
features including search, note-taking and drawing features, detailed entries
for each species, and photo-sharing by e-mail and social media.
A perfect digital guide for divers and nature lovers to use
in the office, school, home or out on the open sea, it was originally created as
a book but later made into an app to bring this information to the masses in an
easy to access, transportable format.
The coverage area of the app includes the Coral
Triangle (including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste,
Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands) which alone boasts 37% of the
world’s coral reef fish species.
It covers all shallow-water (0-75m) reef-associated fish
species known from the region, including both obligate reef dwellers and those
that are commonly observed passing through reef areas or in the soft bottom
areas just adjacent to reefs.
From the majestic manta ray (Manta birostris) to the gorgeous, jewel-like mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus), with 2,655
species in over 3,000 Retina Display/High Definition photos, the sheer quantity
of content is split between three volumes for iPad that link together
seamlessly, so you can move instantly between one volume and another.
Organized by Classification, Family, and Species, the app
will be regularly updated to keep up with the scientists’ new discoveries. Scientists
have very recently found a new species of “walking” Bamboo Shark (Hemiscyllium
halmahera) in the waters off the Maluku Islands, Indonesia.
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