Shells have delighted people throughout the ages. Early navigators brought shells back with them from far-off parts of the globe. Yet even today, whether close to home or on distant shores, a stroll on a beach can often result in beautiful shell finds. Shells have become decorative objects and collectors' items. In The Complete Encyclopedia of Shells you will find pictures and descriptions of a vast array of shells from all over the world. The vast majority of the nearly 100,000 species of mollusks that occur worldwide possess a shell. The true-to-nature photography in this encyclopedia gives you an impression of the best-known species of shell that occur worldwide in both tropical and temperate regions. To make searching easier, the species' groups and the species within those groups, have been arranged alphabetically according to their scientific genus. Particular attention has been paid to include species that can be easily obtained by collectors and vacationers, whether by trading, searching the beach, or purchased across the counter for a reasonable price. The Complete Encyclopedia of Shells is a wonderful work of reference that enables you to identify shells, be it a hobby or a course of serious study. Book jacket.