Diversity of Marine Habitats of the Caribbean and Pacific of Costa Rica -- A History of Marine Biodiversity Scientific Research in Costa Rica -- Marine Fossils -- Taxonomic Groups -- Phytoplankton -- Marine Benthic Algae -- Seagrasses -- Mangroves -- Foraminifera -- Sponges -- Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, and Cubozoa (Medusozoa) -- Siphonophores -- Zoanthids, Sea Anemones and Corallimorpharians -- Octocorals -- Stony Corals -- Sipunculans -- Polychaetes and Echiurans -- Stomatopods -- Euphausiids -- Decapod Crustaceans -- Shallow Water Mysids -- Cumaceans -- Tanaidaceans -- Isopods -- Gammaridean Amphipods -- Hyperiid Amphipods -- Barnacles -- Copepods -- Sea-Spiders -- Marine Insects -- Chitons -- Benthic, Shelled Gastropods -- Pelagic Gastropods -- Benthic Opisthobranchs -- Bivalves -- Squids and Octopuses -- Phoronids -- Bryozoans -- Brachiopods -- Echinoderms -- Chaetognaths or Arrow Worms -- Appendicularians (Urochordata) -- Marine Fish -- Marine Reptiles and Amphibians -- Birds in Coastal and Marine Environments -- Marine Mammals -- Other Taxonomic Groups (Fungi, Kinorhynchs, Invertebrate Chordates) -- Marine Fish Parasites -- Sea Turtle Parasites -- Marine Biodiversity of Costa Rica: Perspectives and Conclusions. This volume, compiling and updating the marine biodiversity information of Costa Rica, consists of species lists, and comments on the state-of-knowledge of most taxonomical groups. It contains information about collections and experts for each taxonomic group as well as information gaps, thus serving as a starting point and basic reference for future research. Although focusing on Costa Rica, the book provides an overview of marine species diversity of Central America. This full color book with over 100 color illustrations should stimulate marine research in the region, and will be an asset for students and researchers as well as decision makers and conservation managers dealing with the sustainable use of marine and coastal areas. From the foreword by the President of Costa Rica: Oscar Arias Sanchez: 'The work of Ingo Wehrtmann, Jorge Cortes and their colleagues, who have created the first-ever compilation of knowledge of our marine organisms, allows the rest of us to imagine underwater life a bit more clearly. Such imagining is crucial if our marine habitats are to be saved. This work also underscores the urgency of our task as conservationists.' The Species' List can be obtained from http://extras.springer.com