What is a crab? What significance do crabs play in the world? In Crab, Cynthia Chris discovers that these charming creatures are social by nature, creative problem-solvers, and invaluable members of the environments in which they live. Their formidable physical forms, their hard-to-harvest and quick-to-spoil flesh, and their sassy demeanour have inspired artists and writers from Vincent van Gogh to Jean-Paul Sartre. Cynthia Chris sketches vivid portraits of these animals, tracing the history of the crab through its ancient fossil record to its essential role in protecting its own habitats from the threat of climate change.

In myths and legends, squids are portrayed as fearsome sea-monsters, lurking in the watery deeps waiting to devour humans. Even as modern science has tried to turn those monsters of the deep into unremarkable calamari, squids continue to dominate the nightmares of the Western imagination. Taking inspiration from early weird fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft, modern writers such as Jeff VanderMeer depict squids as the absolute Other of human civilization, while non-Western poets such as Daren Kamali depict squids as anything but threats. In Squid, Martin Wallen traces the many different ways humans have thought about and pictured this predatory mollusk: as guardians, harbingers of environmental collapse, or an untapped resource to be exploited. No matter how we have perceived them, squids have always gazed back at us, unblinking, from the dark.

“Anyone fascinated by the underwater world will be riveted by the photos in this richly illustrated guide... Readers can lose themselves in the magnificent environment beneath the sea....” —Publishers Weekly on the first edition of Reef Life. From tide pools to coral reefs and the open ocean beyond lies a world abounding with colourful and fascinating creatures. The lure of the life that inhabits the ocean’s reefs and open waters is no secret to scuba enthusiasts and snorkellers who enjoy gazing upon this wonderful world through their dive masks. A practical and comprehensive guidebook for divers, naturalists and ocean lovers, Reef Life identifies the most commonly encountered animals in the tropical marine environment. This marvellous book features more than 1,000 beautiful colour photographs that provide a window into this magnificent world. A gallery of over 425 ray-finned fish species, as well as elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates), invertebrates, marine reptiles and marine mammals, offers readers an extensive identification guide to the most commonly seen marine species, with detailed descriptions of size, habitat, range and behaviour. The book also includes: A guide to tropical marine ecosystems; Surveys of global coral reef communities, from the Caribbean to the Red Sea; And a discussion about the factors that are threatening marine ecosystems today. This updated edition features new photographs, 33 new species profiles and an extended chapter about the state of the ocean and reefs on our rapidly changing planet. Reef Life is a handy, portable and comprehensive reference in a time when understanding and appreciating the diversity of our tropical oceans is at a critical point.

Visitors cannot help but be enchanted by the sea lions of Los Islotes. They emanate finesse and charm without a hint of illusion or wizardry. There is no incantation or voodoo, just an abounding sense of play that inspires every visitor. When it comes to wild animal encounters, Los Islotes is almost nirvana. Few places so close to a city can truly offer such a convenient and accessible opportunity to interact with Mother Nature in her untamed state. California sea lions are the main residents, strangely thriving in a place so accessible to tourists. Initial introductions begin at the surface; encounters are then formalized below the water as Poseidon's ocean ambassadors exuberantly whiz towards and around diver and snorkeler alike. With vivid underwater photography throughout by a uniquely positioned author, The Sea Lions of Los Islotes takes readers straight into the world of these most charismatic marine mammals.

Discover the natural world of Southern California's coastline from Santa Barbara tot he mexican border. 8 color-coded headers common and scientific name identification each species has a finely detailed description color-coded thumb tabs quick notes on range, zone, habitat, size Facts including biology and behavior with an expanded description