In recent years, and especially since the initiation of the BIOMASS (Biological Investigations of Marine Antarctic Systems and Stocks) Programme ten years ago, a large amount of information on the taxonomy and biology of Antarctic fishes has accumulated in many laboratories and institutions the world over. This, together with the fact that the last revisionary review of Antarctic fishes was produced by J.R. Norman (1938) more than half a century ago, was reason enough to undertake the production of a reference book that reviews current knowledge on the taxonomy, distribution and biology of Southern Ocean fishes.Thus, at a meeting of the BIOMASS Working Group on Fish Ecology held in August 1984, O. Gon of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa, introduced the Southern Ocean fish book project to a group of leading Antarctic ichthyologists. The proposal was immediately and enthusiastically endorsed by the group, and further, they agreed that the proposed book should be complementary to two other international projects already under way-the FAO Species Identification Sheets edited by W. Fischer and J.-C. , and the Guide to the Otoliths of Southern Ocean Fishes by T. Hecht (1987).From the beginning, it was recognised that the proposed treatise should be assembled in the same way as the now widely-acclaimed book Smiths' Sea Fishes, i.e. with contributions of different family accounts by a group of international experts each according to his/her own specialty. P.C. Heemstra, who was co-editor of the Smiths' Sea Fishes book, was invited to co-edit the Southern Ocean fish book. This new book includes contributions by 32 ichthyologists from 11 countries who document 272 species belonging to 49 families. Most of the new and highly accurate species illustrations were specially and meticulously prepared for this volume by the talented scientific artist D.P. Voorvelt of the J.L.B. Smith Institute, and will be treasured by the ichthyological community.Fishes of the Southern Ocean is a valuable synthesis of information on the taxonomy and biology of Antarctic fishes. The information provided will force ichthyologists to review current ideas on the origin, evolution and biogeography of the fishes of the Southern Ocean.

The taxonomy of the Western Indian Ocean species of Acanthopagrus is reviewed. A new species, A. omanensis, is illustrated and described from two specimens. Acanthopagrus vagus (Peters, 1852) is resurrected from the synonymy of Acanthopagrus berda (Forsskå l, 1775), redescribed, and compared with A. berda. Acanthopagrus vagus differs from all congeners in the following combination: scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 3K; front edge of dorsal scaly area on head with a median W-shaped scaleless area anteriorly; second anal-fin spine longer than third anal-fin spine; ventral edge of first two infraorbitals straight (slightly curved in fish more than 25 cm SL); preopercle flange with 0-6 scales, number increasing with growth, scales obvious on fish more than 20 cm SL; anal fin with pale rays, and a black streak near the base on each inter-radial membrane; molariform teeth well developed on both jaws. Acanthopagrus berda is differentiated from all congeners by the following combination: scale rows between fifth dorsalfin spine base and lateral line 3K; anterior head profile slightly convex, front edge of dorsal scaly area of head convex, with small scales anteriorly; ventral edge of first two infraorbitals with a strongly curved concavity that receives the enlarged tip of the maxilla in fish larger than 13 cm SL; no scales on preopercle flange; second anal-fin spine clearly longer than third anal-fin spine; anal fin almost completely black (no pale rays); molariform teeth well developed, lower jaw teeth rows strongly curved laterally at rear of jaw. Acanthopagrus omanensis, new species, is discernible from all congeners by the following combination: scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 5K; front edge of dorsal scaly area on head forming an obtuse angle anteriorly; ventral edge of first two infraorbitals straight; no scales on preopercle flange; second anal-fin spine slender and subequal to third anal-fin spine; dorsal and caudal fins with wide black margins; upper and lower molariform teeth poorly developed. Junior synonyms of A. berda and A. vagus are discussed, with notes on other congeners, including nominal species of Sparidentex, which are sometimes confused with species of Acanthopagrus. A key to species of Acanthopagrus from the Western Indian Ocean is presented.

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