xi
Knowledge about sharks and their relatives grows daily. Long before this
information appears in the scientific literature, it is generously shared with
other shark lovers and researchers. Many of the facts and ideas presented
here fall into this category of new, verified information that has not yet
quite become publicly accessible. In addition, much “information” about
sharks appears regularly on websites, without reliably identifiable sources.
Our colleagues around the world have aided us in finding the former and
verifying the latter, for which we are exceedingly grateful.
For permission to use illustrations and for providing or verifying in-
formation on various subjects we thank a host of people, including Aaron
Fisk, Adam Summers, Austin Gallagher, Bruce Carlson, Bruce Masse, Cam
Macdonald, Carolyn Moser, Colin Simpfendorfer, Dave Ebert, Dave Hally,
Dave Harasti, Dave Sumang, Dayv Lowry, David Sims, Dovi Kacev, Dun-
can Elkins, Ellis Loew, Greg Cailliet, Harry Fierstine, Jack Randall, Jane
Watson, J. B. Heiser, Jean Spalti, Jeff Rotman, Jenny Kemper, Jim Whit-
tington, Jimmy Bernot, Joe Gaydos, Johann Mourier, John Ford, John
McCosker, Jose Castro, Judy Meyer (!!), Kara Yopak, Kaye DeHays, Ken
Goldman, Kyle Mara, Laura Kozuch, Maria Pickering, Marj Awai, Mark
Hixon, Matthew McDavitt, Michal Heithaus, Misty Paig-Tran, Mo Don-
nelly, Nick Dulvy, Olaf Weyl, Paul Skelton, Paul Vecsei, Phil Motta (!),
Phillip Weemstra, Ralph Collier, Randall Dahn, Randy Honebrink, Ryan
Kempster, Samantha Mulvany, Sonny Gruber, the South African Institute
of Aquatic Biology (SAIAB), the Whale Interpretive Centre, Tim Berra,
Tim Higham, Tom Emerson, Tom Reinert (!), Wes Pratt, and Zeb Hogan.
Our special thanks to Vincent Burke, Jennifer Malat, and Sara Cleary of
Johns Hopkins University Press for their patience with and understanding
of our halting progress in compiling this book. They proved that the pub-
lishing industry is far from the heartless monolith that authors often claim
it to be.
And in particular we thank our wives, Judy Meyer and Linda Schulze
Burgess, for their encouragement, patience, and crucial support, without
which this book could never have been completed.
One historical note. Books about sharks abound. Many aim at an el-
ementary level and a fairly young audience, are filled with photographs or
drawings, sensationalize or overemphasize the spectacular or speculative,
and provide little technical detail for someone interested in more than ba-
sics. At the other extreme are the scholarly textbooks and volumes written
Acknowledgments
