Rare & Unusual Shells of the Florida Keys and Adjacent Areas
by Edward J. Petuch & Dennis M. Sargent
2011, MdM Publishing, Wellington, Florida, hard cover in laminated boards, about 7˝ by 10˝ (about 18 by 26.5cm) 158 pages including more than 60 pages size plates showing shells and their habitats.
First let us make no bones about it...Juying and I are the publishers of this book and while we are proud to have played a part in the production of this book the comments that we have received about this book from people who have seen are pretty much rave reviews. This book was the best selling title that we offered at the COA Convention that took place in July 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This is a book that we feel serves us as a reminder that although the marine mollusks found in southern Florida and the Florida keys are quite well known there are still a lot of unusual and rare shells to be found there if you know where and how to look for them. The scope of coverage of this book is from Palm Beach County on the east coast and Lee County of the west coast of Florida, southward through the Florida Keys and on to the Dry Tortugas. Many of the shells depicted in this book are the holotype specimens for their species and are pictured for the first time in color and in the pages of a single publication. The book contains excellent descriptions including the geological history of this area by Ed Petuch, perhaps the most widely recognized authority on this subject who also provides information about these shells, where they are found and descriptions of these shells. Several new species are described in this book. The shell photography and the layout work for this book by Dennis Sargent are nothing short of spectacular. Dennis also contributed greatly to the research and development that went into this book and worked side by side with Ed to transform this great book from a dream to a reality.
