Sharks of the World

by David A. Ebert and Sarah Fowler

Published 31 July 2013
Sharks of the World is the essential book for everyone interested in sharks, from the expert requiring a major reference work, to the layperson fascinated by their beauty, biology and diversity.Packed with unique colour illustrations, line drawings and photographs, well-presented and easy to use, this book is currently the only single guide to cover over 500 of the world's shark species. It incorporates the most recent taxonomic revisions of many shark families, featuring not only many species that were only described in recent years, but several more that are still awaiting their scientific names.Its production is timely. Overfishing and the shark fin trade have pushed sharks into the most threatened categories of marine animals. Their depletion has serious implications for the stability of marine ecosystems. Some species are now listed in international environmental agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and they are becoming a management priority for many Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.
Implementation of conservation and fisheries management measures, and international trade regulation is impossible without a good identification guide.Sharks of the World is the end product of well over a decade of collaboration between David Ebert, Sarah Fowler and Leonard Compagno (globally-recognised experts in shark taxonomy, identification, biology and shark conservation policy and status) and the renowned natural history illustrator, Marc Dando - pooling a total of over 100 years of professional engagement in this field.

The definitive field guide to all the sharks, rays and chimaeras of eastern North America

The waters off the East Coast of North America are home to an amazing variety of sharks, rays and chimaeras. This groundbreaking, comprehensive and easy-to-use field guide covers all 173 species found along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada, including Bermuda and the Bahamas, and extending into the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula. These are all the species that are encountered in the shallow waters of estuaries and coasts and in the open ocean, including rarely seen deepsea species.

Lavishly illustrated throughout, this must-have guide includes detailed species accounts describing key identification features, habitat, biology and status. It also features illustrated key guides that enable users to accurately identify species, comparison plates of similar species, dentition plates and illustrations of egg cases, where known. This an essential guide for fisheries management, trade regulation and shark conservation.

  • The first field guide to cover all 173 species
  • Features hundreds of color illustrations and photos
  • Describes key features, habitat, biology and status
  • Includes depth guides, at-a-glance icons and distribution maps
  • Offers illustrated key guides, species comparisons and dentition plates