Strange Sea Creatures

Marine researchers are discovering new ocean creatures every day, especially at its deepest depths. From the author of Creatures of the Deep, Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises and other books about the ocean and the animals that live there, comes a new title about some of the most unusual marine life forms. The book organizes the creatures into three parts based on where they live in the ocean. Each part has representatives from the various marine animal classes (e.g., fish, crustaceans, jellyfish and siphonophores, squids, tunicates and other invertebrates). Informative captions accompany the 90 gorgeous photographs of otherworldly creatures. Part 1: Surface Waters of the Ocean at Night: The Blackwater Vertical Migrators. In images taken by dedicated blackwater photographers Linda Ianniello and Susan Mears, these mostly larval creatures haunt the near-surface waters making vertical migrations every night to feed. Part 2: Middle to Deep Dark Waters: Masters of the Language of Light. In this perpetual night, survival is a matter of being able to understand and process light signals, some in different colours, some flashing, some faint - the most sophisticated use of bioluminescence on Earth. The sea creatures here are small with big eyes and even larger mouths with extraordinarily sharp teeth; Photographer David Shale travelled with BBC Blue Planet and other expeditions to photograph these deep sea creatures, while photographers Solvin Zankl, Alexander Semenov and others brought their own dedication to expeditions in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Part 3. The Continental Shelf to the Abyssal Plain: The Bottom Dwellers. This bottom of the sea has fewer fish, and is populated by such alien-like creatures as no-eyed or tripod fish, sea cucumbers, as well as basket stars, crabs, and worms with species varying by depth and location. The introduction to each part of the book describes what makes the ocean waters at that depth unique, and why it is home to specific types of sea life. The photographs were taken in the ocean by expert divers and submariners, most of whom are both scientists and underwater photographers. The images display the creatures vividly against a background as black as the ocean depths.

About the Author :
Erich Hoyt has spent much of his life on or beside the sea, working with whales and dolphins and marine conservation in the world’s oceans. A noted conservationist and scientist and an award-winning author, he has written 24 books including the acclaimed Orca: The Whale Called Killer, Insect Lives, The Earth Dwellers, Creatures of the Deep, and Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises, and the children’s books Weird Sea Creatures and Whale Rescue. He lives in Bridport, Dorset.

Review :
A young wunderpus octopus, staring you right in the eye, is the perfect choice for the opening spread of Eric Hoyt's latest book celebrating the oceans' wonders. It's the first of a pageant of night-time vertical migrators that, for me, are the most compelling images in this book. Page after page, we see the surprising shapes, colours and intricate details of secretive animals -- many in their juvenile forms -- that dash to the surface on nocturnal forays. Hoyt's curated collection of images from various underwater photographers continues into the deep twilight zone and onto the seabed, showcasing the mesmerizing range of life far beneath the waves.-- "BBC Wildlife Magazine" (12/1/2020 12:00:00 AM) Erich Hoyt has spent much of his life on or beside the sea, working with whales and dolphins and marine conservation in the world's oceans. This very real sense of being 'in tune' with sea and all its aspects, certainly comes across in Strange Sea Creatures. Aside from the use of obviously amazing images -- including a good number using macro-photography -- the book's parade of sea creatures is both fascinating and, in some cases, just bizarre.--Henricus Peters "Environmental Education Journal" (7/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) Explores unusual marine organisms from all over the world, organized for the reader by their depth below the surface. The photos in this book (taken from biologists' and divers' explorations) are stunning, and the contrast between organisms and the dark background allows the reader to focus on the small and intricate anatomical details of these exotic creatures... This book shines as a collection of biology-related artwork evoking curiosity and appreciation for the vast array of marine habitats and fauna.-- "American Biology Teacher" (3/1/2023 12:00:00 AM) Hoyt provides the expert commentary... These alien deep sea creatures are presented mostly on their own, against black backdrops, in three sections: The Blackwater Vertical Migrators, Masters of the Language of Light, and The Bottom Dwellers. Our role is primarily as viewers, marvelling at their strangeness and beauty.--Barry Cottam "Canadian Field-Naturalist Journal" (3/12/2021 12:00:00 AM) Most of us will never travel to the ocean's depths to see its otherworldly creatures, so it's lucky for us that biologist and writer Erich Hoyt has brought them to the surface and onto the page in Strange Sea Creatures.-- "Hakai Magazine Newsletter" (11/20/2020 12:00:00 AM) Sea creatures from the depths of our oceans fill the pages of a stunning new book by Erich Hoyt... The book is filled with images of the otherworldly sea life that fills the oceans alongside amazing facts and information from the wildlife expert.--Rowan Jones "For Reading Addicts Blog" (3/20/2021 12:00:00 AM) Selection, Holiday Gift Guide 2020... The photos in this book are fascinating and a tad bit terrifying, even though most of the creatures could easily fit in your hand and some are so small you wouldn't actually see them without a microscope.--Lisa Day "Followsummer Blog" (12/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) The photos are spectacular... There are some fascinating sea creatures in this book, many of which I have never heard of before. Hoyt writes a really powerful message about the ocean and us humans who are destroying that is worth the read. The author has spent much of his life on are beside the sea and has written 24 books.--Lisa Day "Book Time Blog" (11/22/2020 12:00:00 AM) What are contained in the book are photos like few you may ever view in your lifetime... With a detailed description of each, the book will dazzle young and old alike for hours. You will come back to the book often, marvelling again and again.-- "Shelf Life" (8/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)