Great British Marine Animals

by Paul Naylor (Photographer)

• Used

  Paperback
  2003

  $4.21

  This book is a colourful photographic guide to the fabulous wealth of marine fish and invertebrate life found in the seas around Britain. These fascinating creatures range from the simple but spectacular sea anemones to the sophisticated chameleon-like cuttlefish, and from the feisty velvet swimming crab to the appealing tompot blenny. The book's aim is to aid identification of the different animal species but also to go much further than a simple spotter's guide . It describes the colourful and often bizarre lifestyles of these animals, using pairs or sequences of photographs. There are, for example, pictures that show crabs in pre-mating embrace and digging for food, reef-building worms, sea slugs in mating chains and laying eggs, cuttlefish courting, starfish spawning and pulling open their prey and fish engaged in cleaning activities and nest-building. Details of life cycles and interactions between animals are also incorporated. Great British Marine Animals is intended for snorkellers, divers and anyone who loves the sea. Written with non-specialists firmly in mind, a large amount of information on the different animals is included but with the minimum use of technical terms. With the visual impact of many full-page and half-page photographs, the book will appeal to young children as well as adults. The book has 230 pages and contains 350 colour photographs. There are sections on the following types of marine life: Sponges Sea anemones Corals Hydroids Jellyfish Worms Crabs Lobsters Prawns and Shrimps Barnacles Sea snails Sea slugs Bivalve molluscs Octopus and cuttlefish Bryozoans Starfish Brittle stars Sea urchins Sea cucumbers Feather stars Sea squirts Dogfish and rays Eels Cod and their relatives Pipefish Sea scorpions Clingfish Mullet, bass and weevers Wrasse Blennies and gobies Flatfish. The author, Paul Naylor, has a doctorate in marine biology and has been photographing the marine life in British seas for 20 years. His previous book, Marine Animals of the South West, attracted a wide readership including schoolchildren, university students, naturalists and divers. Since the publication of the second edition of Marine Animals of the South West, the author has concentrated on taking photographs of marine animals in other areas of Britain. This material is now included in Great British Marine Animals, along with even more illustrations of the animal's habits. Approximately half of the 350 photographs are new.

• Used

  Paperback
  2005

  $4.60

  Great British Marine Animals is an eye-opening celebration of Britain's sea creatures, from the magnificent basking shark to the tiny but dazzlingly colourful jewel anemone. The book is both an identification guide and an introduction to the animals' fabulous forms and intriguing habits. It will appeal to everyone who loves wildlife and beautiful photography, or wants to discover more about our seas. In addition to clear portraits that aid identification, full-page photos and photographic sequences show animals in action in their natural habitat. There are many unusual photographs, including those of crabs in territorial dispute, sea hare mating chains, starfish chasing brittle stars and even a blenny having a 'bad hair day'. The expanded 2nd edition has details of 30 extra species, 90 new photographs and a foreword by WWF and the Marine Conservation Society. With 272 pages and 420 colour photographs in total, there are details of the following types of marine animal: Sponges, cnidarians, sea anemones, corals, hydroids, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimps, barnacles, molluscs, chitons, sea snails, sea slugs, bivalves, cuttlefish, octopus, squid, echinoderms, starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, feather stars, sea squirts, fish including sharks, rays, eels, cod, pipefish, sea scorpions, gurnards, clingfish, mullet, bass, weevers, wrasse, blennies, gobies and flatfish.