Biographical Note:
In addition to illustrating books for Dover, Ruth Soffer has also done work for other major publishing houses. An artist specializing in natural science subjects, she lives in Brooklyn, New York.

In the shallow, warm waters of the Caribbean, South Pacific, and other seas, coral reefs build up as aggregates of the skeletons of countless coelenterates, mostly coral polyps. These reefs teem with a multitude of animals. The brilliant coloration of many of the life forms inhabiting the reef offers special excitement and challenge to colorists, who can bring this undersea world to life by coloring 44 realistic drawings.
Depicted here is a host of marine creatures for whom the coral reef is home: seahorse, butterflyfish, hawksbill turtle, parrotfish, octopus, damselfish, moray eel, sea cucumber, dolphin, hydromedusa jellyfish, sea dragon, royal empress angelfish, triggerfish, Moorish idol, and many more. Detailed captions provide a fascinating overview of the great diversity of life on coral reefs.