The nature of the marine shell fauna of the Caribbean is extremely diverse, seeking shelter beneath the sand of beaches, under the rocks of coastal areas, in the soft deep mud of estuaries, in dark submarine caves, in the thick growths of marine prairies, and under branches of vast coral outcrops. It remains unobtrusive and often difficult to discover. Each species has its geographical distribution and populations vary in size, shape and colour according to environment; some animals migrate seasonally far afield. Tidal movement in the Caribbean is unspectacular other than during the spring and autumn equinoxes when shallow reefs and sand flats emerge briefly. The intertidal zone remains stable and undisturbed, with the exception of the passage of tropical storms and hurricanes, governing the lives of many gastropods and bi-valves.

Guide to over 1,200 species of seashells from all around the world.

The essential guide to the living wonders of the Caribbean islands This is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the natural world of the Caribbean islands. It contains 600 vivid color images featuring 451 species of plants, birds, mammals, fish, seashells, and much more. While the guide primarily looks at the most conspicuous and widespread species among the islands, it also includes rarely seen creatures—such as the Rhinoceros Iguana and Cuban Solenodon—giving readers a special sense of the region's diverse wildlife. Each species is represented by one or more color photos or illustrations; details regarding its identification, status, and distribution; and interesting aspects of its life history or relationship to humans. In addition, an introductory section focuses on the unique characteristics of the Caribbean’s fauna and flora, the threats faced by both, and some of the steps being taken to sustain the area’s extraordinary natural heritage. Wildlife of the Caribbean is the essential field guide for learning about the living wonders in this area of the world. The only guide of its kind for the Caribbean islands 600 detailed color images feature 451 amazing species Straightforward descriptions suitable for general audience Compact size makes the guide easy to carry

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.

For many people, seashells are just part of the beach scenery--thousands of pretty but nameless objects strewn along the shore. Other people know the names of shells but often wonder how they were formed and what type of animal lived inside. Such incidental knowledge may not seem important, but it can encourage people to observe their environment more closely and to gain a better understanding of it. As a result, they may become better fishers, more informed teachers or more conscientious stewards of our coast. To this end, the seashell guide was produced. Many collectors get started when they find an intriguing shell, perhaps after a storm, and search for it in a guide. Others, by chance, meet an experienced sheller on the beach. Talking with a collector passionate about shells is likely to spark an interest in anyone who has spent time at the coast. A walk down the beach is never the same once you begin to recognize a few shells. Gradually, you learn to use certain marks to solve the puzzle of shell identification. The walk becomes more satisfying as you recognize familiar shells like old friends, and it becomes more exciting as you look for new ones.

Joyce Tenneson,s detailed photographic studies of luminous sea shells adrift on a velvet-soft background remind us that startling beauty exists even in the most ordinary places. These surprising images give us a unique window into these secret lives of the sea. Short selected quotes from literature illuminate these ethereal portraits.

"Descriptive accounts, distribution maps, and 265 color photographs describe 252 species of mollusk shells as beachcombers are likely to find them"--P. [4] of cover.