"In warm, shallow waters around the world, coral reefs teem with tens of thousands of marine species, including brightly colored and fancifully named fishes--damselffishes, angelfishes, dolphinfishes. Reefs rival rainforests in biodiversity and about a third of the world's marine fish species live part of their lives on coral reefs. In the 1960s, marine biologist Henry "Hank" Compton (1928-2005) of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Rockport Marine Lab participated in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean research cruises on which some of these fishes were collected. A talented artist, Compton painted watercolors based on photographs of collected specimens. He allowed free rein to both his scientific judgment and artistic vision and dubbed this series "Fishes of the Rainbow" because of the tropical fishes' myriad colors and patterns. Along with taxonomic descriptions, Compton wrote imaginative narratives to accompany the paintings, humorous and quirky stories of the fishes in their light-filled, busy, colorful coral worlds. In this follow up to "Fire in the Sea," this book introduces art lovers and tropical fish enthusiasts to Compton's second series of paintings. Here, marine biologist David A. McKee provides context for Compton's work as well as an informative overview of the science of coral reef ecosystems."--