[.ca] Sealife (ISBN 1560986336)

Wonderful!:
This is an absolute must have if you are looking for a quick explanation of all aspects of ocean life. The authors have done a thorough job of making short, detailed explanations to almost anything you might be looking for. This book is basically a fun to read encyclopedia of marine life.

The Most Authoritative One Volume Guide to Marine Biology:
Sealife : A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment by Geoffrey Waller is the best single volume guide to the marine eviroment. It was published by the Smithsonian Institution, which should speek for its self. Inside is pages apon pages of text and diagrams on subjects from ocean trenches to marine otters. It includes beautiful color plates of vertabrates and invertabrates in there natural habitat. This book is a must for any one who works with or enjoys ocean life.

Good Introductory Text:
While not intended primarily as a textbook, I have used SeaLife as the text in my introductory oceanography class for the past two years. The authors present their ideas clearly and the illustrations are well done. An adequate index is furnished.

Excellent guide to the marine world:
A "must have" for both armchair and amateur naturalists with a keen interest in the marine world. I'm a scuba diver who lives in the Pacific Northwest but takes vacations around the world. The joy of this book is that it begins with the beginning--the origination of the oceans, including a bit of tectonic theory--and progresses to a detailed description of many of the genera in the oceanic realm. It's not a detailed guide to my particular corner of the world, but as a general guide to the world's oceans it can't be beat for both it's breadth and depth. This is a beginner's book with some real 'meat' to it! I highly recommend it.

Best guide for the marine environment!:
although not a "complete" guide, a wonderful book for every sea-loving creature! wonderful pictures and informative text for every amateure or pregraduate student