Sharks of the Mediterranean ─ An Illustrated Study of All Species

While European governments display little interest in marine biological research, the situation is rapidly changing and detailed studies on sharks inhabiting the Mediterranean has grown, with gaps of knowledge regarding morphology, biology, and ecology being filled in thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated ichthyologists. De Maddalena presents a concise, accurate and up-to-date compendium of knowledge on sharks living in the Mediterranean Sea. Six chapters are: biology and ecology of sharks; status of sharks in the Mediterranean Sea; research on sharks in the Mediterranean area; classification of sharks living in the Mediterranean Sea; species identification; species profiles. There is a bibliography, a glossary, and illustrations: 49 color images and black-and-white drawings. Annotation c2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Alessandro De Maddalena is a researcher, writer, scientific illustrator and wildlife photographer. He is the curator of the Italian Great White Shark Data Bank and a founding member of the Mediterranean Shark Research Group. He is the author of 19 books on sharks and hosts expeditions with courses in shark biology in South Africa, Australia and Mexico. Harald Bansch is the chief biologist of the Vieques Shark Research Field Station. He has been a collaborator for the Shark Research Center of Walker’s Cay, Bahamas, and has joined several research expeditions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Walter Heim, a mechanical engineer, started photographing sharks in 2001 and with his daughter Jessica has developed techniques to photograph mako and blue sharks at close range. His pictures have appeared in many books and wildlife magazines. He is the author of four books on sharks.