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

This eBook is best viewed on a color device. Seashells of the World is an introduction to the world of marine seashells, emphasizing the most attractive and best-known species. This guide will help you to: -Identify -Classify -Understand the beautiful shells you see and collect No other animals are so widely collected, traded, or bought and sold because of their beauty and rarity.

Who among us hasn’t marveled at the diversity and beauty of shells? Or picked one up, held it to our ear, and then gazed in wonder at its shape and hue? Many a lifelong shell collector has cut teeth (and toes) on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, the Outer Banks, or the coasts of Sanibel Island. Some have even dived to the depths of the ocean. But most of us are not familiar with the biological origin of shells, their role in explaining evolutionary history, and the incredible variety of forms in which they come. Shells are the external skeletons of mollusks, an ancient and diverse phylum of invertebrates that are in the earliest fossil record of multicellular life over 500 million years ago. There are over 100,000 kinds of recorded mollusks, and some estimate that there are over amillion more that have yet to be discovered. Some breathe air, others live in fresh water, but most live in the ocean. They range in size from a grain of sand to a beach ball and in weight from a few grams to several hundred pounds. And in this lavishly illustrated volume, they finally get their full due. The Book of Shells offers a visually stunning and scientifically engaging guide to six hundred of the most intriguing mollusk shells, each chosen to convey the range of shapes and sizes that occur across a range of species. Each shell is reproduced here at its actual size, in full color, and is accompanied by an explanation of the shell’s range, distribution, abundance, habitat, and operculum—the piece that protects the mollusk when it’s in the shell. Brief scientific and historical accounts of each shell and related species include fun-filled facts and anecdotes that broaden its portrait. The Matchless Cone, for instance, or Conus cedonulli, was one of the rarest shells collected during the eighteenth century. So much so, in fact, that a specimen in 1796 was sold for more than six times as much as a painting by Vermeer at the same auction. But since the advent of scuba diving, this shell has become far more accessible to collectors—though not without certain risks. Some species of Conus produce venom that has caused more than thirty known human deaths. The Zebra Nerite, the Heart Cockle, the Indian Babylon, the Junonia, the Atlantic Thorny Oyster—shells from habitats spanning the poles and the tropics, from the highest mountains to the ocean’s deepest recesses, are all on display in this definitive work.

Philip's Guide to Seashells of the World is a fascinating and informative identification guide to the seashells of the world, illustrated with highly detailed and attractive artworks. More than 1,000 species are illustrated, making this the most comprehensive guide available at a comparable price.This easy-to-use identification guide covers a wide range of shells, from the common to the rare and coveted. The introductory section gives general information on molluscs and their classification, and about collecting shells.In the identification section, over 1,200 species are described and more than 1,000 are illustrated. The description of each species accompanies its illustration, detailing the size, distribution, colour and characteristic features of the shell.

The clearest and sharpest recognition guide to over 500 species of seashell from around the world Authoritative text, crystal-clear photography, and a systematic approach make this the most comprehensive and concise e-guide to seashells of the world. Includes more than 600 full-colour photographs of over 500 species of seashells, this handy reference ebook is designed to cut through the complex process of identification and make it accessible to the average reader. Expertly written and thoroughly vetted, each species entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight each shell's characteristics and distinguishing features. The entry always includes a distribution map, showing the geographical range of the species, as well as at-a-glance key facts. Includes detailed information on the shape of each genus, differences between the major classes, and more, this is the clearest identification e-guide to seashells for beginners and established enthusiasts alike.

A photographic guide to seashells and facts about each type of shell.