The short history of this project dates back to 2005, when we published the first edition of the Visual Guide. Fauna and flora of the Mediterranean. Its innovative design and quality of content provided a good reception from readers and divers.

That's when we decided to go further with a more ambitious project. To achieve this, we decided to increase the number of species, including graphic self-descriptive of each group treated in the directory, add new languages, select new photographs and illustrations, improve the design, double the number of pages, print the book on stronger material... As you can see by the time elapsed, this has not been an easy task.

Now, after eight years of work and hundreds of hours underwater, we want to introduce the new Visual Guide to the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean.

(Caution As you can see, sample pages that we include are not complete. Missing pictograms detailing information of each species. This information includes aspects such as size, depth range, type of habitat, changing color, mimicry, hermaphroditism, sex changes, toxicity, bite danger or electric shock, gastronomic interest or pharmacist, nightlife, gregariousness, etc. It's a lot of information!)

The most complete guide!

We thought of this book as the perfect travel companion during our visits to the sea, able to solve these doubts that always arise us when we look at the life beneath the surface. By its format and content, this guide is ideal for divers, free divers, scholars and lovers of the sea in general.

The guide provides information about 400 species living in the bottom of the Mediterranean. This means the most comprehensive guide in number of species in its class (opisthobranchs exceed fifty species).

Six languages

In order to satisfy our curiosity (and make things easier when we move through different areas of the Mediterranean), the guide incorporates the most common names used in six languages: Spanish, Catalan, English, French, German and Italian.

Quality images

A lot of people has generously helped in the development of this guide, including talented illustrators and specialized underwater photographers, some awards internationally, who have provided excellent photographs of each species in their environment.

All underwater photographers know how difficult it is to get good pictures of some species (especially when they are scarce and timid), so many will be surprised by the quality of those shown in this guide.

To assist in the identification and location of each species in the marine environment, photographs have not been cut. Each species is shown in its natural habitat as we will see them through a diving mask.

Pictograms and graphics

All elements of the guide are designed for maximum ease the task of identifying each organism at first sight. As its name suggests, it is a "visual" guide. During the preparation of the book we have carefully selected the most representative species, and data from each are presented with pictograms and diagrams easy to understand.

In addition, at the beginning of each section we have placed anatomical diagrams that help us better understand what we see underwater.

Information reviewed by specialists

It is not always easy to identify at first glance to an organism. Sometimes the changes of form and color are striking, especially in groups such as algae or sponges, so the identification is complicated. So we turned to the voice of the experts, academics and researchers in marine biology, who have overseen the adequacy and accuracy of the information presented in the guide. Their contribution has been essential to ensure proper selection of species and avoid some common mistakes in these publications.

How we will use your contributions?

The completion of guide has been an expensive process. However, at the end of publishing time, we wanted to go a step further and do it on a stand that can withstand frequent handling smoothly and contact with water. We want a durable and easy book to consult. So readers and readers will be able to use the guide as many times as necessary by the sea, in the dive center or aboard dive boat, for example.

This waterproof material constitutes an additional extra cost (4,000 euros!). Anyway, we are determined to do it and why we have set a target of 4,000 euros, which will go entirely to pay the price of this media. So, your additional reward for trusting us (besides purchase the book at a lower price at market PVP) will be to get the best possible material.

Specifications

• Number of pages: 64 + rigid cover (plastic support, PVC)
• Size closed: 165 x 240 mm
• Size open: 330 x 240 mm
• Paper: 140 g, poliart
• Printing: 4 + 4
• Plastic Spiral

About rewards

The delivery of the books will be made according to the conditions of each contribution, from the day of the presentation. If you want your copy dedicated, you only have to indicate before shipment.

Draft timetable

The book is in the final stages of layout and printing is scheduled for late February, so the presentation of the guide will take place in Barcelona during February or March. We will explain there the whole process of creating the book, we will deliver the books of customers attending the event and will try to answer all your questions. Hope to see you there.

Other works

The author's passion for the underwater world goes back several decades, and during this time he has been able to develop a part of his research publishing some books that have earned your interest. Some of his best-known books are:

Enciclopedia del mar (Ed. Planeta, 1995); Guía submarina de la Costa Brava, las 200 mejores inmersiones (Ed. Planeta, 1997); Guía submarina de las islas Baleares (Ed. Geoplaneta, 2000); Guía submarina de Barcelona y Tarragona (Ed. Anthias, 2003); Guía submarina de la Costa Brava. De Sant Feliu de Guíxols a Begur (Ed. Anthias, 2010); Guía submarina de las Islas Medes y la Costa del Montgrí (Ed. Anthias, 2010)

Here you can see the cover of two of them.

+ Info

You can see the evolution of the campaign's Facebook profile guiasubmarina.com.

https://www.facebook.com/guiasubmarina