A colour guide to the wealth of marine plant and animals. The inside front cover gives a pictorial key to the groups of organisms to help the beginner, with both page numbers and colour coding to enable the right section to be quickly found.

The main text is arranged taxonomically. The text and photographs are on facing pages, generally covering three species to a spread. The text includes the description, habitat & ecology, similar species, abundance & distribution and distinctive features. There is also a distribution map showing the occurence of the species along the coastlines of north-west Europe from Brest to the Baltic and Iceland (for some reason very few species are shown away from the shore).

The photographs are of living organisms in their natural habitat and the quality is excellent. Most have been taken with underwater flash, so don’t suffer from the blue cast of so much scuba photography.

In addition to the photograph, a line drawing often shows a different view or parts that are hidden in the main picture.