You know the fishes and can identify the reef critters, but what about the animals that actually form a coral reef? Existing in an abundance of colours and intriguing shapes, these animals are worth a closer look. 530 classic photographs of living specimens and the most current scientific classifications help identify virtually every species of stony coral, gorgonian, fire coral and black coral inhabiting the tropical western Atlantic. This new 2nd edition includes a comprehensive photo-essay of coral diseases and predation and a photo gallery on coral reproduction. If you want to know more about marine plants, this book has got them, too; an appendix with descriptions and photos of 100 species of marine plants is included. Improved flexibinding with plastic covers allows book to lie flat.