This is the second monograph by the author on biological materials of
marine origin. The initial book is dedicated to the biological materials
of marine invertebrates. This work is a source of modern knowledge on
biomineralization, biomimetics and materials science with respect to
marine vertebrates. For the first time in scientific literature the
author gives the most coherent analysis of the nature, origin and
evolution of biocomposites and biopolymers isolated from and observed in
the broad variety of marine vertebrate organisms (fish, reptilian, birds
and mammals) and within their unique hierarchically organized structural
formations. There is a wealth of new and newly synthesized information,
including dozens of previously unpublished images of unique marine
creatures including extinct, extant and living taxa and their
biocomposite-based structures from nano- to micro - and macroscale. This
monograph reviews the most relevant advances in the marine biological
materials research field, pointing out several approaches being
introduced and explored by distinct modern laboratories.