field manual of tropical reefs // ed. 1962/2026.
plate 01 // angelfish // family pomacanthidae
Pomacanthus paru
habitat — tropical shallow reefs, 5–25 m depth, atlantic.
field obs. — solitary, near coral-heads. observed in pairs during dawn current shifts.
scale — adult 30 cm typical, 38 cm max in this survey.
construction — tall isosceles triangle (body) + 3 vertical composition-black stripes + 1 dorsal yellow rectangle + 1 caudal yellow triangle + eye circle.
primaries — yellow on honey, black stripes, no red, no blue.
plate 02 // clownfish // family pomacentridae
Amphiprion ocellaris
habitat — indo-pacific anemone hosts, 1–15 m.
field obs. — three-band pattern; juveniles host-bound; never far from the actiniarian.
scale — adult 8–11 cm.
construction — red rectangle (body) + 2 parchment band-rectangles + composition-black 6px outline + caudal trapezoid + dorsal triangle.
primaries — red dominant, black-line border, no blue, no yellow.
plate 03 // butterflyfish // family chaetodontidae
Chaetodon auriga
habitat — coral-rich shallow reefs, 2–18 m.
field obs. — diurnal, paired-feeding on coral polyps. eye-mask deceives predators.
scale — 15–22 cm adult.
construction — yellow disc + composition-black triangle (eye-mask) + 2 composition-black rectangles (dorsal/ventral) + caudal rectangle + walnut-ink lateral line.
primaries — yellow dominant, composition-black mask.
plate 04 // parrotfish // family scaridae
Scarus vetula
habitat — coral reefs, 5–25 m, indo-pacific & caribbean.
field obs. — beak-like fused teeth grazing algae on coral. sleeps in mucus-cocoon.
scale — 30–60 cm adult.
construction — hexagon (body) in bauhaus-blue + green rectangle panel + yellow beak-circle + caudal triangle compound + walnut lateral line.
primaries — blue dominant, yellow beak.
plate 05 // tang // family acanthuridae
Paracanthurus hepatus
habitat — indo-pacific reefs in current-swept channels, 2–40 m.
field obs. — schools mid-water, surgeon's-blade caudal spine.
scale — 12–30 cm adult.
construction — oval (body) bauhaus-blue + curved composition-black palette mark + yellow caudal trapezoid + dorsal stripe.
primaries — blue body, yellow tail — primary opposition.
plate 06 // triggerfish // family balistidae
Balistoides conspicillum
habitat — indo-pacific outer-reef slopes, 5–35 m.
field obs. — dorsal-spine locks into crevices, aggressive territory holder near nest.
scale — 25–50 cm.
construction — rhomboid (body) in honey-tan + inset walnut rhomboid + composition-black dorsal spike + caudal trapezoid + yellow eye-disc.
primaries — yellow eye, walnut-on-honey contrast.
plate 07 // damselfish // family pomacentridae
Chrysiptera cyanea
habitat — shallow rubble & coral, 1–10 m, indo-pacific.
field obs. — small, electric-navy disc-bodied; territorial despite size.
scale — 6–8 cm.
construction — bauhaus-blue disc (body) + composition-black lower-curve mark + caudal trapezoid + dorsal rectangle + eye.
primaries — blue saturation reservation — single-primary plate.
plate 08 // wrasse // family labridae
Thalassoma lunare
habitat — coral-edge slopes, 1–20 m, indo-pacific.
field obs. — elongated, restless swimmer; protogynous, female-to-male sex change.
scale — 18–25 cm.
construction — elongated yellow ellipse (body) + bauhaus-red horizontal stripe + caudal triangle + thin dorsal stripe + eye.
primaries — yellow body bisected by red stripe — two-primary plate.
plate 09 // surgeonfish // family acanthuridae
Acanthurus leucosternon
habitat — coral-reef plateaus, 2–25 m, indo-pacific.
field obs. — scalpel-sharp caudal spine, locks out at threat; herbivorous grazer.
scale — 25–35 cm.
construction — honey-tan oval (body) + yellow forehead chevron + bauhaus-red caudal scalpel-compound + walnut dorsal stripe + eye.
primaries — red scalpel mark — predator-warning signal.
section 10 // the reef map // schematic depth chart
reductio ad geometriam — depth zones, 0–40 m
section 11 // construction // the reduction rule
a bauhaus-school decomposition
section 12 // colophon // imprint
— end of manual —