Reef Sharks And Rays Of The World

Sharks and rays have long held the fascination of a great many people, and as well as exploring their history, biology, environment and the myths that surround them, this book also gives practical advice on the best ways and places to see them.

Rays are among the largest fishes and evolved from shark-like ancestors nearly 200 million years ago. They share with sharks many life history traits: all species are carnivores or scavengers; all reproduce by internal fertilisation; and all have similar morphological and anatomical characteristics, such as skeletons built of cartilage. Rays of the World is the first complete pictorial atlas of the world’s ray fauna and includes information on many species only recently discovered by scientists while undertaking research for the book. It includes all 26 families and 633 valid named species of rays, but additional undescribed species exist for many groups. Rays of the World features a unique collection of paintings of all living species by Australian natural history artist Lindsay Marshall, compiled as part of a multinational research initiative, the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project. Images sourced from around the planet were used by the artist to illustrate the fauna. This comprehensive overview of the world’s ray fauna summarises information such as general identifying features and distributional information about these iconic, but surprisingly poorly known, fishes. It will enable readers to gain a better understanding of the rich diversity of rays and promote wider public interest in the group. Rays of the World is an ideal reference for a wide range of readers, including conservationists, fishery managers, scientists, fishers, divers, students and book collectors.

Encourages a better understanding of these creatures, a chance to get closer to their real-life world, be it on a dive in their natural habitat or a visit to an aquarium.

Lavishly illustrated with colour photography throughout, Sharks & Rays is designed to appeal to the general public from young adults to senior citizens alike, and all readers with an interest in nature and the sea.

Swimming with sharks sounds a terrifying prospect, but not when it is from the comfort of your living room. This comprehensive visual encyclopedia takes you deep into the world's waters to meet the deadliest ocean predators - without you even getting wet! Do you know which creature has tentacles longer than a bus? Or what was the largest shark that ever lived? Where does the tiger shark get its name? Which fish has the deadliest venom? And which fish has the strongest bite of anything on Earth? Sharks and Other Deadly Ocean Creatures answers all these questions and many, many more. More than 200 fierce fish from the past and present are featured in fact-packed profiles. You'll come face to face with great white sharks, manta rays, saltwater crocodiles, giant squid, biting barracudas, and predatory piranhas all shown with exciting CGI technology and stunning photography. You'll learn about shark anatomy, behaviour, and habitats alongside fun, factual text presented in an easily accessible format.?? Whether you're a water baby or simply studying for a school project, this is your one-stop shop for sharks and other deadly ocean creatures.

The popular Reader's Digest Explores series reveals a fascinating and often beautiful undersea world that few have seen. Readers can learn where sharks live, what they eat, and how they have adapted to their environment, as well as how to identify the truly dangerous kinds out of nearly 500 species known around the world. 180 color photos and illustrations.