An introduction to the work of Alessandro De Maddalena
His research findings have been published in numerous scientific publications including Annales Series historia naturalis, Museologia Scientifica, Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Bollettino del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Venezia, Thalassia Salentina, Biljeske – Notes, Journal of the National Museum of Prague, South African Journal of Science, Marine Life, and the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals. He is also the author of thirteen books on sharks: Squali delle Acque Italiane. Guida Sintetica al Riconoscimento (Ireco, 2001); Lo Squalo Bianco nei Mari d’Italia (Ireco, 2002); Sharks of the Adriatic Sea (Knjiznica Annales Majora, 2004, co-authored with Lovrenc Lipej and Alen Soldo); Mako Sharks (Krieger Publishing, 2005, co-authored with Antonella Preti and Robert Smith); Haie im Mittelmeer (Kosmos Verlag, 2005, co-authored with Harald Baensch) (and its updated italian edition, Squali del Mare Mediterraneo, Class Editori 2008); Guida all’identificazione in mare dei grandi animali del Mediterraneo (Rivista Marittima, 2005, co-authored with Antonio Celona); Great White Sharks Preserved in European Museums (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007); Sharks of the Pacific Northwest (including Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska) (Harbour Publishing, 2007, co-authored with Antonella Preti and Tarik Polansky); 25 Haie (Verlagsedition nullzeit.eu, 2007); Sharks - The Perfect Predators (Jacana Media, 2008); Le grand requin blanc sur les côtes françaises (Média Plongée / Turtle Prod, 2008, co-authored with Anne-Lyse Révelart); Hammerhead Sharks / Pesci Martello (Ireco, 2009, co-authored with Alex Buttigieg); and Great White Sharks in United States Museums (McFarland, 2009, co-authored with Walter Heim). Considered one of the world’s best nature illustrators, Alessandro De Maddalena has produced over eight hundred illustrations of sharks and cetaceans. Among the books that feature his illustrations are Les requins des cotes françaises by Bernard Séret (Editions Ouest-France, 1999), Field Guide to the Great White Shark by R. Aidan Martin (ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research, 2003), Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century from the Pacific Coast of North America by Ralph S. Collier (Scientia Publishing, 2003), Världens Hajar by David C. Bernvi (Caracal Publishing, 2006), Standard Survey Methods for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden - Marine Mammals by Anthony Preen (PERSGA, 2004), Alaska's Great White Sharks by Bruce A. Wright (Wright, 2007). His articles and illustrations have appeared in many wildlife magazines, including The World and I, Dive New Zealand, Dive Pacific, Annales, Biologie in unserer Zeit, Unterwasser, Tauchen, Duiken, Apnéa, Plongeurs International, Océanorama, Enviromagazin, Mondo Sommerso, Il Pesce, EuroFishmarket, Aqva, SubAqva, Quark, Airone and Rivista Marittima. He has had illustrations on exhibit at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, the World Festival of Underwater Pictures in Antibes – Juan-Les-Pins, Nausicaä – the French National Sea Experience Centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Aquarium of Milan, the Whale Shark Museum in Philippines, and the Museum of Marine Biology in Porto Cesareo. Contact details: Dott. Alessandro De Maddalena Italian Ichthyological Society via L Ariosto 4, 20145 Milano, Italy E-mail: a-demaddalena [at] tiscali.it Web site: http://alessandro-de-maddalena.webs.com/
Alessandro De Maddalena (Milan, 1970) is one of the major shark experts in Europe. He is the curator of the Italian Great White Shark Data Bank, the President of the Italian Ichthyological Society, and a founding member of the Mediterranean Shark Research Group.
Photo ©: Alessandro De Maddalena.