Agile, sleek, and precise, sharks display many qualities we can admire and appreciate. These marvels of evolution have adapted to thrive in every major aquatic realm on the planet, from frigid Arctic waters through temperate but stormy seas and on into the tropics. However, few places on Earth are home to the amazing diversity of shark species that beautify the shallow waters of Florida and the Bahamas. In this first-ever book dedicated to the sharks of this region, biologist Jeffrey C. Carrier reveals the captivating lives of these large marine predators and describes how they have survived for over 400 million years.
Guiding readers through basic biology, key attributes, and identification tips, the book explores what makes sharks such successful apex predators. Carrier explains fascinating phenomena, including the reason for the bizarre shape of the hammerhead, how a bull shark is able to swim hundreds of miles up freshwater rivers, what lies behind sharks' remarkable capability to learn and remember, and why many scientists believe that they are equipped with the most sophisticated sensory systems in the animal kingdom.
With the stunning full-color underwater photography of Andy Murch, Jillian Morris, and Duncan Brake, Sharks of the Shallowsbrings boaters, fishers, divers, and shark lovers directly alongside these unfairly maligned creatures. And not a moment too soon! Sharks are experiencing stresses unlike any in their long history, and are struggling to survive in a changing ocean. They will continue to grace our coastlines only if we care enough to understand them.
Preface Acknowledgments PART ONE PART TWO Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Basking Shark Blacknose Shark Blacktip Shark Bonnethead Shark Bull Shark Caribbean Reef Shark Dusky Shark Finetooth Shark Great White Shark Hammerhead Sharks Lemon Shark Mako Shark Nurse Shark Oceanic Whitetip Shark Sandbar Shark Sandtiger Shark Silky Shark Smoothhound Sharks Spinner Shark Tiger Shark Whale Shark PART THREE Atlantic Stingray and Southern Stingray Clearnose Skate Cownose Ray Mantas and Mobulid Rays Roughtail Stingray Sawfish Spotted Eagle Ray Yellow Stingray Appendix References Index
""The introductory material is one of the best overviews of shark natural history and the issues facing sharks I have read. Written by shark researcher Jeffrey Carrier, the book is also scientifically rigorous and highly readable without ever being sensational.""
