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Predators of the Sea (Undersea Encounters)
Predators of the Sea - Undersea Encounters Author:Mary Jo Rhodes, David Hall This fascinating book is crammed with excellent photographs of a wide variety of undersea predators. The book begins with the definition of a predator - an animal that hunts and eats other animals. It then goes on to describe how predators, both large and small hunt or catch their prey. Many animals move through the water quite swiftly wh... more »en on the attack. Some slower moving animals graze on corals or on many bottom-dwelling animals. Some of the larger animals swallow great quantities of water and strain out the smaller fish and tiny crustaceans. Although many invertebrates have shells for protection, other animals come equipped to overcome the barrier. Strong claws, tube feet, and sharp tongues (radulas) can break down those defenses. Some small animals use poison to overcome larger animals. Other animals are quite adept at camouflaging themselves to resemble their environment. This includes those that mimic other animals in order to get close to prey. Still others lie in wait and use a lure to entice fish to come closer. This outstanding book concludes with an epilogue warning of the most dangerous predator - man. People need to take care to provide a balance between predator and prey to insure the quality the earth's animals need to survive. An excellent glossary provides the definition, pronunciation, and page on which the term is used. The index lists each animal discussed and the page number on which to find it. For further information, there is a bibliography of four books and three web sites. Mary Jo Rhodes and David Hall are well-known in their fields and they also enlisted the aid of two expert consultants, knowledgeable of fish and marine invertebrates. SSBRC, May 2007, R* (recommended highly)« less