Neville Coleman OAM (1938 - 4 May 2012) was an Australian naturalist, underwater nature photographer, writer, publisher and educator.
Coleman started scuba diving in 1963, exploring Sydney Harbour. Later he joined a scientific study group and, in 1969, commenced a project aiming to document the entire marine life of Australia, using underwater photography.
His first book, Australian marine fishes in colour, was published in 1974 and he subsequently authored more than 50 books. His books included various texts for scuba divers, shell collectors, amateur naturalists and children, and typically took the forms of field guides, encyclopedias and dive guides. Departures included a collaboration with a poet and CD-ROM companions to printed publications, which included video clips of marine species. His photographs often appeared in publications by other authors on marine subjects.
In 2007 Coleman was inducted to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and, in 2011, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "service to conservation and the environment through the photographic documentation of Australian marine species". [1] [2] Coleman died of natural causes at 4:55 am on 4 May 2012, in his sleep. [2]
Coleman discovered many marine creatures new to science. Several species of fish, nudibranchs and other invertebrates have been named after him, including:
Neville Coleman Memorial Dives are held annually, [4] with special events including a sea slug photo competition and public art exhibition held in South Australia.
Title | Co-author | Year | Publisher | Location | ISBN | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian marine fishes in colour | 1974 | Reed | Sydney | ISBN 0589071416 | ||
Shell collecting in Australia | 1976 | Reed | Sydney | ISBN 0589071955 | [5] | |
A field guide to Australian marine life | 1977 | Rigby | Adelaide | ISBN 0727005200 | [6] | |
A look at the wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef | 1978 | Bay Books | Rushcutters Bay, NSW | ISBN 085835201X | [7] | |
Scuba divers introduction to marine biology | 1978 | Australasian Marine Photographic Index | [8] | |||
The Australian beachcomber | 1979 | Collins | ISBN 0002164248 | |||
Australian sea fishes south of 30s | 1980 | Doubleday | Sydney | ISBN 0868240184 | ||
Australian sea fishes north of 30 S | 1981 | Doubleday | Sydney | ISBN 0868240338 | ||
Fishes of Victoria | 1981 | Doubleday | Sydney | ISBN 0868240397 | ||
The young observer's book of Australian seashells | 1982 | Methuen Australia | Sydney | ISBN 0454002998 | [9] | |
Harmful fishes of Australia | 1982 | Doubleday | Sydney | ISBN 0868240400 | ||
Nudibranchs of Australasia | Richard C. Willan | 1984 | Australasian Marine Photographic Index | NSW | ISBN 094937301X | [10] |
Poetry in pictures: The Great Barrier Reef | Mark O'Connor | 1985 | Hale & Iremonger | Sydney | ISBN 0868062073 | [11] |
The underwater Australia dive guide | 1987 | Nelson | Melbourne | ISBN 0170069192 | [12] | |
Australia's Great Barrier Reef | 1990 | Child & Associates | NSW | ISBN 086777343X , 0867773677 | [13] | |
Encyclopedia of marine animals | 1991 | Blandford | London | ISBN 0713722894 | ||
Australia's sharks & rays | 1992 | Weldon Publishing | Sydney | ISBN 1863022627 | ||
Discover underwater Australia | 1994 | National Book Distributors and Publishers | NSW | ISBN 1864360070 | [14] | |
Sea stars of Australasia and their relatives | 1994 | Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic | Springwood, Queensland | ISBN 0947325212 | [15] | |
The dive sites of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Comprehensive coverage of diving and snorkelling | 1996 | New Holland (Publishers) Ltd. | London, Cape Town, Sydney, Singapore | |||
Marine life of the Maldives | 2000 | Atoll | Apollo Bay, Victoria | ISBN 1876410361 | ||
Underwater naturalist | 2004 | Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic | Springwood, Queensland | ISBN 0947325298 | [16] | |
Fiji Islands: wildlife guide | 2005 | Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic | Springwood, Queensland | ISBN 9780947325466 | ||
Nudibranchs encyclopedia | 2008 | Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic | Springwood, Queensland | ISBN 9780947325411 | ||
Nudibranchs encyclopedia - 2nd edition | 2015 | underwater.com.au and Masalai Press | Australia, USA |
Underwater photography is the process of taking photographs while under water. It is usually done while scuba diving, but can be done while diving on surface supply, snorkeling, swimming, from a submersible or remotely operated underwater vehicle, or from automated cameras lowered from the surface.
Spearfishing is a method of fishing that involves impaling the fish with a straight pointed object such as a spear, gig or harpoon. It has been deployed in artisanal fishing throughout the world for millennia. Early civilisations were familiar with the custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams using sharpened sticks.
Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, such as "clown", "marigold", "splendid", "dancer", "dragon", or "sea rabbit". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.
Cirrhitidae, the hawkfishes, are a family of marine perciform ray-finned fishes found in tropical seas and which are associated with coral reefs.
Ron Josiah Taylor, AM was a prominent Australian shark expert, as is his widow, Valerie Taylor. They were credited with being pioneers in several areas, including being the first people to film great white sharks without the protection of a cage. Their expertise has been called upon for films such as Jaws, Orca and Sky Pirates.
John Veron, complete name John Edward Norwood Veron, credited in research as J. E. N. Veron, and in other writing as Charlie Veron, is a biologist, taxonomist, and specialist in the study of corals and reefs. He is believed to have discovered more than 20% of the world's coral species.
The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) is an annual event that recognizes those who have contributed to the success and growth of recreational scuba diving in dive travel, entertainment, art, equipment design and development, education, exploration and adventure. It was founded in 2000 by the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism. Currently, it exists virtually with plans for a physical facility to be built at a future time.
Cod Hole is one of the best known dive sites in the world and is located on the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia on ribbon reef number 10. It is notable for and is named after the dozen or so potato cod that live there. The sanctioned feeding of these fish and number of visitors to the site has also made it a focal point in the debate over reef management.
Centropyge heraldi, the yellow angelfish or Herald's angelfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It comes from the Pacific Ocean that sometimes makes its way into the aquarium trade.
Phyllidia babai is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae.
Phyllidiopsis fissurata is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae.
Chromodoris colemani is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Bob Halstead, has made significant contributions to the sport of scuba diving in a multitude of capacities: photographer, author of eight diving books, early innovator in the development of dive tourism, pioneer in the dive liveaboard industry, diving instructor and educator, marine-life explorer and influential diving industry commentator. An ardent diver since 1968, Halstead has over 10,000 logged dives.
Diversidoris sulphurea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Trinchesia thelmae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trinchesiidae.
The following index is provided as an overview of and topical guide to underwater divers:
Louis Marie-Auguste Boutan was a French biologist and photographer. He was a pioneer in the field of underwater photography.
The environmental impact of recreational diving is the effects of recreational scuba diving on the underwater environment, which is largely the effects of diving tourism on the marine environment. It is not uncommon for highly trafficked dive destinations to have more adverse effects with visible signs of diving's negative impacts due in large part to divers who have not been trained to sufficient competence in the skills required for the local environment, an inadequate pre-dive orientation, or lack of a basic understanding of biodiversity and the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems. There may also be indirect positive effects as the environment is recognised by the local communities to be worth more in good condition than degraded by inappropriate use, and conservation efforts get support from dive communities who promote environmental awareness, and teach low impact diving and the importance of respecting marine life. There are also global coral reef monitoring networks in place which include local volunteer divers assisting in the collection of data for scientific monitoring of coral reef systems, which may eventually have a net positive impact on the environment.
Valerie May Taylor AM is a conservationist, photographer and filmmaker, and an inaugural member of the diving hall-of-fame. With her husband Ron Taylor, she made documentaries about sharks, and filmed sequences for films including Jaws (1975).
Melibe colemani, also known as the Coleman's melibe, ghost nudi, or ghost melibe, is a species of nudibranch in the family Tethydidae. Discovered by Neville Coleman in 2008 off the coast of the island of Mabul in Malaysia, it was formally described by Marta Pola and Terrence Gosliner in 2012 and named in honour of its discoverer. It is found throughout the Coral Triangle region of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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