Download or read book The Book of Shells written by M.G. Harasewych and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-12-10 with total page 658 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who among us hasn’t marveled at the diversity and beauty of shells? Or picked one up, held it to our ear, and then gazed in wonder at its shape and hue? Many a lifelong shell collector has cut teeth (and toes) on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, the Outer Banks, or the coasts of Sanibel Island. Some have even dived to the depths of the ocean. But most of us are not familiar with the biological origin of shells, their role in explaining evolutionary history, and the incredible variety of forms in which they come. Shells are the external skeletons of mollusks, an ancient and diverse phylum of invertebrates that are in the earliest fossil record of multicellular life over 500 million years ago. There are over 100,000 kinds of recorded mollusks, and some estimate that there are over amillion more that have yet to be discovered. Some breathe air, others live in fresh water, but most live in the ocean. They range in size from a grain of sand to a beach ball and in weight from a few grams to several hundred pounds. And in this lavishly illustrated volume, they finally get their full due. The Book of Shells offers a visually stunning and scientifically engaging guide to six hundred of the most intriguing mollusk shells, each chosen to convey the range of shapes and sizes that occur across a range of species. Each shell is reproduced here at its actual size, in full color, and is accompanied by an explanation of the shell’s range, distribution, abundance, habitat, and operculum—the piece that protects the mollusk when it’s in the shell. Brief scientific and historical accounts of each shell and related species include fun-filled facts and anecdotes that broaden its portrait. The Matchless Cone, for instance, or Conus cedonulli, was one of the rarest shells collected during the eighteenth century. So much so, in fact, that a specimen in 1796 was sold for more than six times as much as a painting by Vermeer at the same auction. But since the advent of scuba diving, this shell has become far more accessible to collectors—though not without certain risks. Some species of Conus produce venom that has caused more than thirty known human deaths. The Zebra Nerite, the Heart Cockle, the Indian Babylon, the Junonia, the Atlantic Thorny Oyster—shells from habitats spanning the poles and the tropics, from the highest mountains to the ocean’s deepest recesses, are all on display in this definitive work.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells Identification Ecology Distribution and History written by John Wesley Tunnell and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to seashells found in Texas that discusses the historical uses of mollusks and seashells, the history of conchology and malacology in the state, habitats, and other related topics, and provides information for identifying nine hundred species.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Marine Gastropods written by Alain Robin and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Spirals in Time written by Helen Scales and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-05-07 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.

Download or read book Nudibranchs Encyclopedia written by Neville Coleman and published by Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic. This book was released on 2008 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Marine Sciences written by Hanneke J.G. Baretta-Bekker and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The multidisciplinary nature of marine sciences (Geology, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Oceanography) is reflected in this references 1,980 up-to-date, alphabetically listed keywords with illustrations. These keywords provide valuable time-saving assistance when studying marine scientific literature. The brief explanation of the concepts, terminology, and methods makes this book more valuable than a pure glossary or dictionary.

Download or read book Common Spiders of North America written by Richard A. Bradley and published by University of California Press. This book was released on 2019-11-12 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spiders are among the most diverse groups of terrestrial invertebrates, yet they are among the least studied and understood. This first comprehensive guide to all 68 spider families in North America beautifully illustrates 469 of the most commonly encountered species. Group keys enable identification by web type and other observable details, and species descriptions include identification tips, typical habitat, geographic distribution, and behavioral notes. A concise illustrated introduction to spider biology and anatomy explains spider relationships. This book is a critical resource for curious naturalists who want to understand this ubiquitous and ecologically critical component of our biosphere.

Download or read book Reef Fishes of South East Asia written by Elizabeth Wood and published by Bloomsbury Wildlife. This book was released on 2021-08-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visitors to South-East Asia are usually astonished at the profusion of marine life that exists in this biodiversity hot-spot. Reef Fishes of South-East Asia is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide to this rich diversity. Covering the waters off the coasts of Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, this compact book, illustrated with vibrant colour photographs, is an essential companion for anyone interested in the undersea world, from the casual snorkeller to the most experienced diver. It includes concise descriptions of 270 species of fish, corals and invertebrates, accompanied by 300 full-colour photographs, and information on habitat, diet and behaviour. Clear line drawings are provided for quick identification of fish families, and a short introduction covers reef conservation and practical tips to help you get the most out of your visit to the region.

Download or read book Conus of the Southeastern United States and Caribbean written by Alan J. Kohn and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2014-08-31 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conus is the largest genus of animals in the sea, occurring throughout the world's tropical and subtropical oceans and contributing significantly to marine biodiversity. The shells of these marine mollusks are prized for their amazing variety and extraordinary beauty. The neurotoxic venoms they produce—injected by a hollow, harpoon-like tooth into prey animals that are then paralyzed and swallowed whole—have a range of pharmaceutical applications, from painkillers to antidepressants. This beautifully illustrated book identifies 53 valid species of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean, a region that supports a diverse but taxonomically challenging group of Conus. Introductory chapters cover the evolution and phylogeny of the genus, and notes on methodology are provided. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, distribution, ecology, toxicology, life history, and evolutionary relationships. The book includes more than 2,100 photos of shells on 109 splendid color plates; more than 100 additional photos, many depicting live animals in color; and 35 color distribution maps. Identifies 53 valid species—the first reassessment of western Atlantic Conus in more than seventy years Features more than 2,100 photos of shells on 109 color plates Blends the traditional shell-character approach to identification with cutting-edge shell and radular tooth morphometrics and molecular genetic analyses Includes color images of live animals as well as color distribution maps

Download or read book Philippine Marine Mollusks pt 1 Gastropoda written by Guido T. Poppe and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 772 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book European Seashells Polyplacophora Caudofoveata Solenogastra Gastropoda written by Guido T. Poppe and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Seashells of Southern Florida written by Paula M. Mikkelsen and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-11-09 with total page 947 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Located where the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea converge, the Florida Keys are distinctive for their rich and varied marine fauna. The Keys are home to nearly sixty taxonomic families of bivalves such as clams and mussels--roughly half the world's bivalve family diversity. The first in a series of three volumes on the molluscan fauna of the Keys and adjacent regions, Seashells of Southern Florida: Bivalves provides a comprehensive treatment of these bivalves, and also serves as a comparative anatomical guide to bivalve diversity worldwide. Paula Mikkelsen and Rüdiger Bieler cover more than three hundred species of bivalves, including clams, scallops, oysters, mussels, shipworms, jewel boxes, tellins, and many lesser-known groups. For each family they select an exemplar species and illustrate its shell and anatomical features in detail. They describe habitat and other relevant information, and accompany each species account with high-resolution shell photographs of other family members. Text and images combine to present species--to family-level characteristics in a complete way never before seen. The book includes fifteen hundred mostly color photographs and images of shells, underwater habitats, bivalves in situ, original anatomical and hinge drawings, scanning electron micrographs, and unique transparent--shell illustrations with major organ systems color-coded and clearly shown. Seashells of Southern Florida: Bivalves is the most complete guide to subtropical bivalves available. It is an essential tool for students and teachers of molluscan diversity and systematics, and an indispensable identification guide for collectors, scuba divers, naturalists, environmental consultants, and natural-resource managers.

Download or read book Cowries written by Felix Lorenz and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Marine Sciences written by Hanneke(J.)G. Baretta-Bekker and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Marine science today is an area of rapid expansion. Scientific activity is in creasing, and a growing number of scientists are involved in one or more of its disciplines. For a thorough understanding of the marine environment. for its exploration, exploitation and management. background knowledge of more than one discipline is required. A clear need therefore exists for a concise multidisciplinary oceanographic encyclopedia. The initiative for this book was taken by the Netherland Institute of Sea Research. NIOZ, TexeL a multidisciplinary institute, founded in 1876. The encyclopedia contains some 1850 entries, 210 of which in marine chem istry. 330 in physical oceanography. 350 in marine geology and 940 in marine biology, while the remaining 20 are general terms. Concepts. terminology and methods of the various disciplines are briefly explained and especially in the description of marine processes the book tries to be more than a glossary or dictionary. It tries to provide a succinct overview of the major topics in marine science. Students, teachers, and scientists as well as interested laymen may use it to find an explanation of oceanographic terms outside their own fields. The manuscript was read by a variety of potential users, whose comments were used to improve and clarify the descriptions.

Download or read book Biology of Oysters written by Brian Leicester Bayne and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-05-12 with total page 862 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology of Oysters offers scientific insights into the structure and function of oysters. Written by an expert in the field of shellfish research, this book presents more than 50 years of empirical research literature. It provides an understanding of the edible oysters, in order to equip students and researchers with the background needed to undertake further investigations on this model marine invertebrate. - Presents empirical research findings in context with the relevant theory and its expression in computer models - Includes information on studies of other bivalve species such as mussels and clams - Offers a description of the whole organism to provide a frame of reference for further research - Includes research developments in the phylogeny, physiology and ecology of oysters

Download or read book The Encyclopedia of Paleontology written by Rhodes W. Fairbridge and published by Springer. This book was released on 1979 with total page 920 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scholarly work with lengthy entries followed by references for further reading. Many illustrations. Indexed.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-04-12 with total page 4318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, and are critical components of Earth’s climate system. This new edition of Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences, Six Volume Set summarizes the breadth of knowledge about them, providing revised, up to date entries as well coverage of new topics in the field. New and expanded sections include microbial ecology, high latitude systems and the cryosphere, climate and climate change, hydrothermal and cold seep systems. The structure of the work provides a modern presentation of the field, reflecting the input and different perspective of chemical, physical and biological oceanography, the specialized area of expertise of each of the three Editors-in-Chief. In this framework maximum attention has been devoted to making this an organic and unified reference. Represents a one-stop. organic information resource on the breadth of ocean science research Reflects the input and different perspective of chemical, physical and biological oceanography, the specialized area of expertise of each of the three Editors-in-Chief New and expanded sections include microbial ecology, high latitude systems and climate change Provides scientifically reliable information at a foundational level, making this work a resource for students as well as active researches