7The first reference of its kind, this book represents good biology, well-founded systematics, accessible biogeography, geological history of corals, and one of the finest collections of coral photographs to be found anywhere. Hailed as the single most important reference on reef corals, this book is useful in describing corals in all areas of Oceania and Southeast Asia. It provides a means of identifying almost 1,000 species of coral, a reliable nomenclature, up-to-date information on distribution and abundance, and authoritative notes on structure and biology.