Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras of California

California Natural History Guides #71

by David A. Ebert

This guide is the only complete reference to the sharks, rays, and chimaeras found in California's waters— from the intertidal zone to 500 miles offshore.

Species accounts give information on habitat and range, natural history, interactions with humans, nomenclature, and further references

68 beautiful color illustrations show each shark, ray, and chimaera; accompanying line drawings highlight differences in teeth, underside of the head, and egg cases

Includes information on the California marine environment, ecology and conservation, and shark biology

Genres: Guides

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 2003

Reviews

[Mer Oakley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave Sharks, Rays, and Chimeras of California five stars. Even though it’s from 2003, it’s still an incredibly detailed and accessible guide to the species found in California waters. The color illustrations and line drawings make identifying different sharks, rays, and chimeras easy and engaging, and the species accounts cover everything from habitat to interactions with humans. I especially appreciated the sections on marine ecology and conservation, which give the book real depth. I picked up my copy from a donation bookstore, so it has some notes from its previous owner, which was kind of fun to see. If I ever visit California, I’d probably take this book with me to explore and identify the local marine life.

[Ken-ichi]

Haven't had to use this too much yet, but my one dip in to look up thornbacks was pretty promising. Lots of detailed information, with decent illustrations. I don't actually see sharks and rays in the wild that often, so I'm guessing this will be more of a go-to reference when I read about CA elasmobranchs elsewhere.