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 4:55am on 4 May 2012, in his sleep.[2]
Taxon named in his honor
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.
^"Coleman, Neville Albert". Awards and Culture Branch Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, The Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.