17 September, 2009

The Cephalopod beak guide for the Southern Ocean, written by Jose Xavier and Yves Cherel and published by BAS, was launched early this month at the Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference, in Vigo (Spain).

This book is the result of the research carried out during the International Polar Year (IPY), within two international research projects: Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean (ICED) and Census of the Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) and was endorsed by the International Polar Year.

Antarctic squid and octopods are highly represented in the diet of a wide range of Antarctic predators, including albatrosses, seals, penguins and whales. The book is an up-to-date guide to identify squid and octopods beaks, including 3-D computer images, making this book a extremely useful tool to marine ecologists dealing with trophic interactions in the Southern Ocean.

Xavier, J. C. & Cherel, Y. (2009). Cephalopod beak guide for the Southern Ocean. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK, 129 pp