Pacific Coast Pelagic Invertebrates: A Guide to the Common Gelatinous Animals (Paperback)

~ (Author), Claudia Mills (Author) "As more people spend time on the ocean, encounters with gelatinous animals have become increasingly frequent..." (more)
Key Phrases: cnidarian jellies, tentacle bulbs, annular furrow, British Columbia, Monterey Bay, Santa Barbara (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...covers properties of gelatinous animals,[their]role in ecosystems,discussion of major groups, and precautions to take with jellies...etc. -- California Diving News - June 1998

...outstanding feature of the book is the beautiful color underwater photography of these organisms. -- Sea Grant Extension Program Newsletter

...shapes and colors...nothing short of dazzling and you'll find yourself...amazed at how beautiful...these critters are. -- Wave Length Paddling Magazine - Nov. 1998

A helpful guide containing sections on all of the major invertebrate groups, including stunning color photographs. -- Ocean Realm Magazine - Winter issue 1998 - 1999

Well-illustrated guide to these beautiful and fascinating creatures of the Pacific coast of Canada and the United States -- AFS - American Fisheries Society - Fisheries Magazine 6/18/98

About the Author

David Wrobel has been observing and photographing the splendid diversity of gelatinous animals that visit Monterey Bay since moving to the area in 1984. After receiving his Masters from Duke University in 1981, he decided that west coast marine life was more to his liking. A brief stint at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara exposed him to underwater photography, and he has since had photographs used by numerous magazines and textbooks, and at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He formerly managed the display, culture and acquisition of jellies for the Outer Bay Wing at the Monterey Bay Aquarium which provides continuous exposure to the lives of gelatinous zooplankton, and hopes to make the study of these creatures a life-long endeavor.

Claudia Mills has been studying medusae and ctenophores for 25 years. A native of Washington, she has been a researcher at the Friday Harbor Laboratories of the University of Washington since 1977, during which she received her Ph.D. at the University of Victoria in 1982. She is interested in nearly any aspect of the biology of gelatinous zooplankton and has written more than 45 academic papers about planktonic cnidaria and ctenophores. She works mostly on coastal species, but has also studied oceanic and deep-water animals while participating in oceanographic expeditions in a variety of locations worldwide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Sea Challengers (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930118235
• ISBN-13: 978-0930118235
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #843,634 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well-written reference book, November 9, 2000

By	Firat CINGI (Istanbul, Maslak Turkey) - See all my reviews

Pacific Coast Pelagic Invertebrates covers the common gelatinous pelagic invertebrates, more commonly thought of as jellyfish, that are encountered on the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California. There is really no comparable source for this information and certainly none that is so well written and illustrated.

The beginning of the book provides a description of the advantages of a gelatinous lifestyle, the role of gelatinous animals in marine ecosystems, and the range of habitats in which they occur. This provides the reader with an appreciation for the diverse and successful patterns these animals have evolved to live in a variety of habitats and niches. There is also an excellent section on observing, collecting, and photographing specimens.

Wrobel and Mills have provided a glossary of terms and black and white photographs of each major group identifying various body parts. The description of how to distinguish the major groups gives readers an entree into the descriptions of the species.

Species from four phyla are included: Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Mollusca, and Chordata. The descriptions of the organisms are arranged taxonomically. Information on identification, natural history, range and habitat, and other remarks as appropriate are included in each description. The most striking feature of the book has to be the photographs that accompany each species description. The photographs are truly gorgeous.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alluring guide with deepsea photographs., July 7, 2004

By	J. Connor "film and book fanatic'." (Palm Desert, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The ultimate guide containing deep sea jellyfish photography. Providing scientific names only, for the marine biologist and deep ocean explorer. The pelagic jellies covered are mysterious and simply intriguing. There are several enormous surface water jellyfish covered, often in intimidating close up photographs. The mesopelagic species are bioluminescent and by far the most amazing in the entire guide. A few benthic species are covered, but this is a risky exploration, so we mostly view mesopelagic clips. By an author with expertise in the subject, and a deep sea researcher, combines detailed explanations of range, habitat and others. With some more commonly known jellies, such as the sea nettle, botanical names are given along with regular common names. Some photographs are in specialized black and white, since that particular species has not been seen since that photo was taken. The range is variable in many jellies, since some can journey from deep water up to the surface typically. If another company plans to equal this guide in numbers of listings or comprehension, they will have to go through extensive work, even for several years or more. Unequaled in this specific topic.
Since this book has good binding quality and suitable price, it should be quickly referenced by ocean experts or interested marine biologists.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photography, helpful reference, December 26, 2006

By	Robert Schmidt (Honolulu, HI & Logan, UT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Pacific Coast Pelagic Invertebrates: A Guide to the Common Gelatinous Animals, is in large part an ID guide to Pacific coast jellies. The photos are great (there are also some pen and ink illustrations to demonstrate structure). The ID section is prefaced with a discussion of jelly structure and function, ID processes, life history, and collection and photography techniques.

Useful, a bit expensive, but easy to throw into your dry bag or tackle box.