Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest: A Photographic Encyclopedia of Invertebrates, Seaweeds, and Selected Fishes

Ann Turner, formerly the financial and budget manager of the University
of British Columbia Library, is a freelance writer.

With 1,700 colour photographs of more than 1,400 saltwater plants and
animals, this encyclopedia is near comprehensive for the seaweeds and
marine invertebrates found between southern Alaska and central
California, and unequalled as a visual aid to their identification. It
is easy to use at a range of skill levels. A photographic Quick
Reference Guide colour-coded to the table of contents and main sections
of the text assists the user in finding the section most likely to
contain a particular specimen. It is then just a matter of scanning the
individual photographs for a match. Species entries include one or more
colour photographs, common names, scientific names, physical size,
geographic range, vertical range, notes about the appearance, habitat,
and behaviour, and the location where the photographs were taken. If the
common or scientific name is known, the photographs and other
information can be found easily through the index. The photography is
exceptionally well done, both in its composition and in the attention to
colour and specimen details. This is an outstanding resource for
professional and amateur biologists, scuba divers, beachcombers, and
anyone else interested in the marine life of the Pacific Northwest. A
must-have for the natural history collection.