Shark book?

[mudchick]

Can anyone recommend a good shark ID book? I'm also looking for information about the hammerhead migration in the Sea of Cortez that occurs every fall, roughly October.

Thanks in advance!

 

[isurus]

the best id book is probably the new collins guide but its quite technical, not diver specific and not that great for field id's (IMO):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...59541-5224753?_encoding=UTF8&s=books&v=glance

If I know I'm likely to see a couple of similar species on a trip (eg Port Jackson/Crested Horn or Grey/Brown Bamboo) I tend to just print the fishbase details or id key off and stick it in the back of my logbinder.

I really like the shark watcher's handbook (not great on id but v. good on dive sites)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/203-4059541-5224753

 

[Bubble Junky]

SHARKS & RAYS - Elasmobranch Guide of the World.
Ralf M. Hennemann.
No other book worldwide gives so much information on so many species - 240 in fact, with over 600 photographs, and 33 picture stories that have made the IKAN series so popular. Includes also for the first time deep sea species taken from submersibles in their natural habitat. A detailed and comprehensive description for every depicted species is provided. Location of each photo is indicated. Approx. 320 pages, full colour throughout. A remarkable guide; a must for the diver and marine naturalist.
See it here !

 

[isurus]

SHARKS & RAYS - Elasmobranch Guide of the World.
Ralf M. Hennemann.
No other book worldwide gives so much information on so many species - 240 in fact, See it here !

not strictly true anymore - the Collins guide has 440 species of sharks (but no rays). The Elasmobranch is a fairly good (And v. interesting book) but not massively complete if you are travelling a lot and are interested in smaller species/obscure carcharhinids. How much stuff do you want to id mudchick?

 

[mudchick]

"How much stuff do you want to id mudchick?"

At this point in my diving, probably something fairly general, like clear differences between a Caribbean Reef Shark that has black tips and a Black Tip Reef Shark, for example. Hopefully the more I dive the more specific my id's will need to be.

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

As far as the hammerheads in Sea of Cortez, they are VERY depleted in the past 10 or 15 years. You're lucky to see any these days, much less the massive schools that were once common. It's a shame, but it's what happens when you take some divers out in the morning and then go shark fishing in the afternoon...

 

[David A]

As already said, the Sea of Cortez is not the place for sharks anymore. It's still a nice place to dive, and one of the best for sealions, but the sharks are all but gone.
I'd also go for the Shark Watchers Handbook. It's a bit out of date, and you'll probably get second-hand only, but I still use it as a reference. It has basic ID info, but great info on where to find the sharks. Just remember it was written a few years ago, and the shark numbers have dropped rapidly everywhere.
I suspect every self-respecting taiwanese shark finning vessel bought this book as soon as it was published.

David

 

[miscbadvr]

I have to agree, the Shark Watcher's Handbook provides a good start for some quick reference and dive sites.