- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Collins (7 Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007136102
- ISBN-13: 978-0007136100
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13.2 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Collins Gem - Sharks
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Review
Praise for 'Collins Field Guide Sharks': 'Collins Field Guide to Sharks of the World is a must-have' (New Scientist) 'Landmark book!compulsory reading for any elasmophile' (Shark Trust) 'A user-friendly package!destined to become a much-thumbed book on the shelf of any avid diver or marine enthusiast' (Sport Diver) 'Everything you need to know about sharks' (Scuba World) 'A landmark new book!an accessible and expert piece of work' (BBC Wildlife)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
• Destined to become a much-thumbed book on the shelf of any avid diver or marine enthusiast.” -Sport Diver (February 2005)
• Landmark book – compulsory reading for any elasmophile
-Shark Trust (January 2005)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is not a book full of nicely photographed sharks that many other shark identification books often are. This is a small book packed from cover to cover with just about every scrap of information you could possibly want on every species of shark in the world. Colour plates show identification pictures whilst each shark is followed up with a drawing showing its outline and distinguishing characteristics. Information is given on habitat, feeding, indentification, behaviour, measurements, biology, distribution etc. Exploded drawings show the sharks body structure in detail that I have not seen given in any other book. The family tree of sharks is given and each animal's genus can be identified.
A very useful pocket sized book. Conveniently sized for divers travelling worldwide on dive trips. Highly recommended.
Format:Hardcover
This is exactly the kind of book I've spent years looking for! It's the type of book I would've written/compiled myself. Every species has a description, including type of habitat, diet & location. Above which is a coloured illustration. Obviously, some species are better known to science & this is reflected in the book. It's a nice size too. You could easily take it on a trip to the aquarium! Overall, a compact & very informative book. An absolute must for shark lovers!!
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
"A field guide to the sharks of the world" by Compagno, Dando and Fowler covers all shark species known to science (about 500). The book contains 64 excellent colour plates, showing the amazing diversity of these cartilaginous fishes.
The species presentations are quite short. They include measurements and other traits necessary for identification, distribution (including range maps) and information on habitat, behaviour and biology. Apart from the colour plates, the field guide also includes drawings of teeth and dermal denticles for many species. Short introductions to each family are also part of the main text. The "Status" section of each species presentation contain information about which sharks may be dangerous to humans, and which sharks are endangered by human activity. A few species are only known from one or two museum specimens, and might have become extinct.
There is also an introductory chapter dealing with the basics of shark taxonomy, anatomy and life cycle. Naturally, there are sections on shark attacks and the threat humans represent to sharks, including the bizarre practice of "shark finning". And yes, the authors complain about Steven Spielberg's horror movie "Jaws".
This book may not be the best introduction to sharks for beginners, being essentially a field guide. However, it's probably indispensable for more advanced students of this group. What struck me when reading it, is the highly advanced character of sharks. It's "common knowledge" that cartilaginous fishes are supposed to be more "primitive" than bony fishes. After reading the introductory chapter, I jokingly asked myself why bony fishes evolved at all? The cartilage seem to make sharks more flexible and easy to manoeuvre, they are efficient predators with a sophisticated social behaviour, and some are in effect warm blooded (!), including the notorious White Shark. Also, their brains are relatively large.
"A field guide to the sharks of the world" also includes a piece of unintended humour. It turns out that there are four South African sharks with the priceless names Plain Happy, Pretty Happy, Happy Eddie and Happy Chappie!
:D
Finally, a small word of warning. I suspect that the "Princeton field guide to the sharks of the world" is actually the same book as this one, and the same might be true of "Collins Gem: Sharks". My best tip is to check out these books in a book store or library before buying them through the web, so you don't accidentally end up with two or three copies of the same one. But then, you could always give the extra ones to your friends...
The species presentations are quite short. They include measurements and other traits necessary for identification, distribution (including range maps) and information on habitat, behaviour and biology. Apart from the colour plates, the field guide also includes drawings of teeth and dermal denticles for many species. Short introductions to each family are also part of the main text. The "Status" section of each species presentation contain information about which sharks may be dangerous to humans, and which sharks are endangered by human activity. A few species are only known from one or two museum specimens, and might have become extinct.
There is also an introductory chapter dealing with the basics of shark taxonomy, anatomy and life cycle. Naturally, there are sections on shark attacks and the threat humans represent to sharks, including the bizarre practice of "shark finning". And yes, the authors complain about Steven Spielberg's horror movie "Jaws".
This book may not be the best introduction to sharks for beginners, being essentially a field guide. However, it's probably indispensable for more advanced students of this group. What struck me when reading it, is the highly advanced character of sharks. It's "common knowledge" that cartilaginous fishes are supposed to be more "primitive" than bony fishes. After reading the introductory chapter, I jokingly asked myself why bony fishes evolved at all? The cartilage seem to make sharks more flexible and easy to manoeuvre, they are efficient predators with a sophisticated social behaviour, and some are in effect warm blooded (!), including the notorious White Shark. Also, their brains are relatively large.
"A field guide to the sharks of the world" also includes a piece of unintended humour. It turns out that there are four South African sharks with the priceless names Plain Happy, Pretty Happy, Happy Eddie and Happy Chappie!
:D
Finally, a small word of warning. I suspect that the "Princeton field guide to the sharks of the world" is actually the same book as this one, and the same might be true of "Collins Gem: Sharks". My best tip is to check out these books in a book store or library before buying them through the web, so you don't accidentally end up with two or three copies of the same one. But then, you could always give the extra ones to your friends...
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