With fossil records dating back 400 million years, sharks have outlived the dinosaurs and many other forms of life currently on earth – they are even older than trees. There are more than 1,000 species of sharks and rays, with new species discovered every year. Through their evolution, sharks have shaped our oceans into the rich habitats we know today.

As apex predators, sharks play an important role in the ecosystem by maintaining the species below them in the food chain – helping remove the weak and sick, and keeping the ocean and fish populations healthy. Learn about the dwarf lantern shark, which is so small it can fit in the palm of your hand; or the whale shark, which grow up to 12 metres (40ft) in length and is the largest known fish species in the oceans today; or the great white shark, the oceans’ top predator and capable of chewing up dolphins and seals with its 300 teeth. In a handy pocket format with full captions explaining the different species, behaviour and feeding habits, Sharks & Underwater Predators is a lively examination of these elemental killers in through vivid colour photographs.