Frances Dipper

The Marine World: A Natural History of Ocean Life

By Frances Dipper

Illustrated by Marc Dando 
First published 2016; revised reprint 2019

If you love books about the ocean and its inhabitants then try this, the product of a lifetime spent by Frances Dipper happily observing and studying marine organisms the world over. It has been brought to colourful life by a myriad of enthusiastic underwater photographers and by Marc Dando, the renowned natural history illustrator. This book is for the inquisitive: for the naturalist on, in and around the ocean, for the student who needs more detail, for the scientist wanting background knowledge, for the diver exploring what he is seeing, for the fisherman’s finds, for parents to answer “what’s this, mum (or dad)?”, for anyone who loves the ocean.

The Marine World is an immense, three-dimensional living space inhabited by marine life that varies from the mundane to the bizarre. Its salty influence extends up river estuaries, over seashores and inland with brine-laden spray. This book covers all those organisms that live in, on and around the ocean bringing together in a single text everything from the miniscule to the immense. With sections on all the major groups of marine invertebrates, plus plants, fungi and bacteria as well as fish, reptiles, mammals and birds, it provides an insight into the existence and way of life or almost everything living in the ocean. Each animal or plant is found in its own particular place and the book encompasses principal ocean habitats and ecosystems including open water, seashores, deepsea, coral reefs and many more. Written with clear, accessible text and illustrated throughout with photographs and detailed drawings, this book provides in depth information to provide answers for each group on ‘what?’ ‘where?’ and ‘how?’, via sections on identification, distribution, structure, biology, classification and conservation.

Available to purchase from https://press.princeton.edu

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Marine Fishes of Wales and Adjacent Waters

By Paul Kay and Frances Dipper

Published by Marine Wildlife in 2009

“This is the most comprehensive guide to marine fish in Britain and is an invaluable tool for ten-year-old rock poolers, fishermen, naturalists and divers alike.” Iolo Williams, naturalist and television presenter.

This book aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive identification guide to all the marine fish you might see as a diver, snorkeler, angler, fisherman, rock-pooler or even beachcomber. Although focused on Wales, the fish do not recognise such boundaries and the guide includes the waters all round Great Britain and Ireland as all the species featured also occur in these areas, with the exception of some southern and rare visiting fish. The book covers over 250 species with key identification features and supporting underwater photographs and illustrations. Accounts also cover behaviour, habitat, distribution, natural history and sightings. The book introduction describes how to identify, record and photograph fish and a complete list of UK and Irish marine fishes is included in the appendices.

The photographer, Paul Kay, has been diving and taking underwater photographs around Britain and Ireland for 25 years.

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Signed copies available direct from Frances Dipper; please get in touch to request this

BRITISH SEA FISHES

By Frances Dipper

Published by Underwater World Publications in 2001 (2nd edition)

This is Frances Dipper’s iconic field guide to the common sea fishes of Britain and Ireland, first published in 1987. Whilst the photographs are pre-digital, each is large and clear and accompanied by a detailed drawing of the species pointing out key identification features. The species are arranged, not in taxonomic order, but in four sections according to where they are usually found in the wild (soft seabed, hard seabed, open water, rarely seen fish). A particularly useful feature is the black thumbnail outlines of key groups of fishes (e.g. flatfish, gobies) along with a general description. This allows the reader to find out fast just what sort of fish they are trying to identify. Over 100 species are described in detail.

Illustrated by Robert Irving

Available at £9.95 from Divernet website.

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Frances has written or co-authored many other books listed below and has acted as marine consultant on many more. Many of these are still available online new and secondhand through sources such as Amazon and ABEbooks.

DK Guide Oceans

By Dr Frances Dipper
Published by Dorling Kindersley in 2002
Winner of the Royal Society Aventis Junior Science Award 2003

This popular book, suitable for 7-12 year old children, is still widely available online.

OCEAN. The Definitive Visual Guide.

Published by Dorling Kindersley in 2014 (revised edition)

Frances Dipper was a major contributor to the Ocean Life section of this stunning book. The other three sections are Introduction (overview of physical and chemical features), Ocean Environments and Atlas of the Oceans.

Also available from Waterstones and other good bookshops.

Elements of Marine Ecology 5th edition

Frances Dipper

Published in 2022 by Butterworth-Heinemann; An imprint of Elsevier.

This book has been a popular introduction to marine biology for undergraduates since it was first published in 1968. Initially written by R. V. Tait, Frances Dipper revised, re-wrote and expanded the text and published the fourth edition with him in 1998. The current 5th edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the current state of our knowledge and to meet the needs of today’s students. The text provides the materials essential to any student undertaking courses or modules in marine ecology, marine biology and related topics. It is also relevant to anyone interested in learning more about ocean ecosystems and  inhabitants.

List of Other Titles

Dipper, F.A. and Parker, J. (2010). Oceans and Rainforests. Quarto Children’s Books.

Dipper, F. (2008). Freshwater and Oceans. In: Earth Matters. Consultant Ed.  David de Rothschild. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.

Dipper, F. (2003). Secrets of the Deep Revealed. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.

Dipper, F. (2001). Extraordinary Fish. BBC Worldwide Ltd.

Dipper, F. (1997). The New Book of Treasures Under the Ocean. Aladdin Books Ltd., London.

Dipper, F. (1996). Mysteries of the Ocean Deep. Aladdin/Watts. London/Sydney.

Dipper, F. (1996). Oceans and Rivers. Dragon’s World Children’s Books.

Dipper, F. and Woodward, T. (1989). The Living Seas: Marine Life of the Southern Gulf. Motivate Publishing, UAE.

Dipper, F. et al. (1988). Sea Life of Britain and Ireland. Marine Conservation Society. Ed. E. Wood. Immel Publishing, London.

Dipper, F. and Powell, A. (1984, reprinted 2007). Field Guide to the Water Life of Britain. Reader’s Digest Nature Lovers Library.