This handbook addresses the critical need for a standardized, global methodology for the identification of cephalopod mandibles. Authored by Malcolm R. Clarke with contributions from an international cohort of cephalopod experts, the text synthesizes decades of collection data into a practical identification framework. It provides the necessary anatomical criteria and measurement protocols to classify lower beaks across nearly all known living cephalopod genera.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational reference for marine biologists and researchers specializing in cephalopod ecology. The text is noted for its technical rigor and remains a primary resource for those conducting stomach content analysis or biodiversity surveys.