Dear Colleagues, Tom Jefferson, Marc Webber, and Bob Pitman are preparing a comprehensive marine mammal identification guide, which will include detailed species accounts, multiple illustrations by artist Brett Jarrett, illustrated keys, and a large collection of full-color photos. We are aiming to produce the most comprehensive and authoritative identification guide to marine mammals. It will be published by Academic Press/Elsevier in late 2007. We have assembled an impressive collection of photos, covering nearly every species of marine mammal. The following species are ones that we still need help with: Sei whale (Baleanoptera borealis) Pygmy and dwarf sperm whales (Kogia spp.) Arnoux’s beaked whale (Berardius arnuxii) Mesoplodonts (Mesoplodon spp.) Short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus – Japanese forms) Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) Hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris – dwarf subspecies) Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis – Black Sea form) Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii) Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) Japanese sea lion (Zalophus californianus) Southern fur seals (Arctocephalus spp.) However, we would be very interested in seeing any photos of other species that you might want us to consider as well. Unfortunately, we cannot pay photographers for use of photos. However, if we use your photos, we may be able to offer you a free copy of the book (which we expect to cost about US$40-55). This would be for one-time use, and there would be no restrictions on further use by the photographer. We would need good quality slides or digital images (the highest possible resolution, which if too big to be emailed, can be sent on a CD). Please send queries about pinniped photos to Marc Webber < marcwebber@sbcglobal.net>. Queries about photos of any other species of marine mammals should be sent to Thomas Jefferson <sclymene@aol.com >. We appreciate your help with this request, and look forward to hearing from you. ***************************************************************** Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. Marine Mammal Biologist Southwest Fisheries Science Center NOAA Fisheries 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA 92037-1508 USA Tel: 1 (858) 278-4240 FAX: 1 (858) 278-3473 Email: sclymene@aol.com Web: http://swfsc.nmfs.noaa.gov/PRD/prdfiles/tomjeffpubs.html *****************************************************************