Fishes: East Pacific

Functionality & Mechanism

This digital field guide from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is a comprehensive tool for identifying shore fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. The application utilizes a self-contained, offline database of 1,358 species and over 5,000 images, available in English and Spanish. Its search engine facilitates species identification through a combination of name, location, habitat, shape, and color pattern filters. A notebook module allows users to compile, annotate, and export custom observation lists, supporting fieldwork.

Development & Context

• The app was developed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute as a portable version of a guide first published in 1994 by D. Ross Robertson and Gerald R. Allen.
• It was created to provide a comprehensive identification tool for the Tropical Eastern Pacific, a global center of marine biodiversity that previously lacked an accessible guide.
• The news article notes its evolution from a book to an interactive CD was supported by funding from the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
• The tool includes IUCN Red List extinction risk status for each species, serving as a resource for conservationists, scientists, and resource managers.

Intended Use & Scope

This application is designed as a field-based reference tool for scientists, divers, tour guides, students, and marine life enthusiasts. Its scope is limited to the identification of shore-fish species within the Tropical Eastern Pacific marine region. Information presented is for educational and identification purposes and is derived from established field guide content.