Plain happy sharks

Yeah, I´m happy, so...?

"A field guide to the sharks of the world" by Compagno, Dando and Fowler covers all shark species known to science (about 500). The book contains 64 excellent colour plates, showing the amazing diversity of these cartilaginous fishes.

The species presentations are quite short. They include measurements and other traits necessary for identification, distribution (including range maps) and information on habitat, behaviour and biology. Apart from the colour plates, the field guide also includes drawings of teeth and dermal denticles for many species. Short introductions to each family are also part of the main text. The "Status" section of each species presentation contain information about which sharks may be dangerous to humans, and which sharks are endangered by human activity. A few species are only known from one or two museum specimens, and might have become extinct.

There is also an introductory chapter dealing with the basics of shark taxonomy, anatomy and life cycle. Naturally, there are sections on shark attacks and the threat humans represent to sharks, including the bizarre practice of "shark finning". And yes, the authors complain about Steven Spielberg's horror movie "Jaws".

This book may not be the best introduction to sharks for beginners, being essentially a field guide. However, it's probably indispensable for more advanced students of this group. What struck me when reading it, is the highly advanced character of sharks. It's "common knowledge" that cartilaginous fishes are supposed to be more "primitive" than bony fishes. After reading the introductory chapter, I jokingly asked myself why bony fishes evolved at all? The cartilage seem to make sharks more flexible and easy to manoeuvre, they are efficient predators with a sophisticated social behaviour, and some are in effect warm blooded (!), including the notorious White Shark. Also, their brains are relatively large.

"A field guide to the sharks of the world" also includes a piece of unintended humour. It turns out that there are four South African sharks with the priceless names Plain Happy, Pretty Happy, Happy Eddie and Happy Chappie!

:D

Finally, a small word of warning. I suspect that the "Princeton field guide to the sharks of the world" is actually the same book as this one, and the same might be true of "Collins Gem: Sharks". My best tip is to check out these books in a book store or library before buying them through the web, so you don't accidentally end up with two or three copies of the same one. But then, you could always give the extra ones to your friends...