Southern Africa has a particularly rich marine fauna and flora – almost 6% of all coastal marine species known worldwide occur here, along only 0.5% of the world’s coastline. The most frequently encountered species of this rich assemblage – fish to whales, algae to sponges, and seaweeds to dune forests – are covered in detail in this newly revised and comprehensively updated edition of the best-selling Two Oceans – A Guide to the Marine Life of Southern Africa.

It encompasses descriptions of more than 2,200 species, covering diagnostic features, biology, related species, and distribution. Stunning full-color photographs illustrate the species. The only guide to southern Africa's marine heritage, this fifth edition brings the science up to date and features an additional 120 species, 260 updated species names, revised distribution maps, and more than 190 new photographs.

Highly recommended for scientists, students, divers, fishers, and beachcombers.

Originally published in 1981, Living Shores was for many years the standard reference for marine science students but was also embraced by a popular market for its fascinating insights into marine and coastal habitats and the life they support. After a long absence, this classic has been revived and thoroughly reworked to incorporate the many dramatic changes that our oceans and coasts have undergone over the past few decades.

This book is the first of a two volume set, and examines the different marine ecosystems and how humankind interacts with them. It discusses the evolution of the sea and continents and looks at the ecology of coastal systems, including intertidal zones, beaches, dunes, estuaries, islands, kelp forests and reefs. The book unpacks the relationship between humans and the marine environment, and the consequences of harvesting and mining to meet our needs. It also addresses the impact of climate change, and highlights what can be done to protect our environment.

Richly supported by full-colour photography and numerous explanatory illustrations, diagrams and graphs, this book will prove invaluable to students and teachers but will also appeal to anyone with a fascination for nature and our marine world in particular.

This unrivalled field guide covers over 1,400 species of the most common forms of marine life that inhabit our coasts - including the invertebrates, fish, reptiles, mammals birds and plants. The book documents a selection of these, concentrating on the most frequently encountered species that live in the intertidal zone and in shallow subtidal waters that can readily be explored by scuba-divers. There is a particular focus on open-coast beaches and rocky shores, and aquatic estuarine animals and plants are also covered. Fish that are commonly seen in tidal pools or by divers, or those frequently caught by angers are included, as are smaller rock-pool fish. It will meet the needs of scientists, students, fishermen, scuba-divers and beachcombers alike, encapsulating current knowledge and enabling the identification of diverse species, from sponges to whales and from seaweeds to mangroves.

Situated at the tip of the continent, southern Africa has a coastline that has excited marine biologists and oceanographers for generations. Much research has been undertaken and many South African marine scientists have won international acclaim. The aim of this book is to communicate to a wide audience the excitement of marine biology and the stimulation of recent discoveries. Key features of this book include a glossary of terms, a bibliography of key references, appendices on the classification of animals and plants together with current regulations governing their collection, and a comprehensive index.