The book contains nearly 2.000 hand-painted illustrations featuring 1.635 individual species. The paintings were completed over a 3-year period and are primarily based on photographs or colour transparencies of either live fishes taken underwater or freshly caught specimens. In many cases preserved specimens at the Western Australian Museum have been consulted to ensure accuracy of detail and proportions. The end result is a colourful and highly comprehensive guide to the sea fishes of northern Australia and the adjacent South-east Asian region.