Monday, July 09, 2007

The Abyss

The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss (2007) by Claire Nouvian

Gorgeous coffee-table book packed with color photographs and computer-generated images of various denizens of the deep.

Features one of my favorites, Vampyroteuthis infernalis ('the vampire squid from hell').

Other squids include Mesonychoteuthis hamiltonii (Colossal squid with hooks) and Architeuthis dux (Giant squid).

Includes creatures from the deep sea-floor, polar depths, deep-sea canyons, seamounts, deepwater coral reefs, and hydrothermal vents.

60% of the world's 400 known shark species live in the depths.

There is a brief section on the communities that scavenge sunken whale carcasses. Whale bones are 60% fat!

Fascinating book. If I were going to buy a coffee-table book, this one would be on my short list.

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