Book excerpt: "Ebert has herein assembled an enormous body of knowledge about California's 43 shark species ranging from shark and human behavior to taxonomic minutiae, along with up-to-date explanations of their ecology, status and fisheries. More importantly, his Herculean effort includes the often-overlooked 25 species of skates, rays and chimaeras. That, along with the fine illustrations of Mat Squillante, should answer any question that a student, diver, natural history buff, or recreational or commercial fisher might ask."—John E. McCosker, coauthor of Great White Shark "The timing of this publication is ideal given the status of some of California's elasmobranch populations and the need for a deeper understanding of their biology, ecology, and fishery management. The book is a comprehensive treatment—if one wants to find out the latest information on any species of shark or ray off California, this is the place to go. An outstanding work!"—Gregor M. Cailliet, Professor, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and Director, Pacific Shark Research Center