This multivolume field guide covers the species of interest to fisheries of the major marine re source groups exploited in the Eastern Central Atlantic. The area of cover age includes FAO fishing area 34 and part of 47. The marine re source groups included are bivalves, gastropods, chitons, cephalopods, stomatopods, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes, chimaeras, bony fishes and sea turtles. The introductory chapter out lines the environmental, ecological, and bio-geographical factors influencing the marine biota, and the basic components of the fisheries in the Eastern Central Atlantic. Within the field guide, the sections on the resource groups are arranged phylogenetically according to higher taxonomic levels such as class, order, and family. Each resource group is introduced by general remarks on the group, an illustrated section on technical terms and measurements, and a key or guide to orders or families. Each family generally has an account summarizing family diagnostic characters, biological and fisheries information, notes on similar families occur ring in the area, a key to species, a check list of species, and a short list of relevant literature. Families that are less important to fisheries include an abbreviated family account and no detailed species information. Species in the important families are treated in detail