MP3: The Definitive Guide

Colophon

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The animal on the cover of MP3: The Definitive Guide is a hermit crab (Coenobita perlatus). The hermit crab is commonly found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and inhabits the areas surrounding the Islands of Aldabra, Mauritius, and Samoa. Despite the name of the hermit crab, which alludes to a solitary lifestyle, Coenobita perlatus are very social creatures. They characteristically travel in groups of 25 or more, and have been found living in colonies of over 100 in the wild.

Hermit crabs make their homes by occupying the discarded shells of gastropds in order to protect their soft, coiled abdomens and inner organs. They prefer shells that fit snuggly in order to prevent evaporation of moisture. Most hermit crabs carry water in their shells, which they use for breathing and a water source when they are far away from the sea.

Maureen Dempsey was the production editor and copyeditor for MP3: The Definitve Guide. Colleen Gorman and Clairemarie Fisher O’Leary were the proofreaders. Melanie Wang, Nicole Arigo, and Madeleine Newell provided quality control. Brenda Miller wrote the index.

Hanna Dyer designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is a 19th-century engraving from the Dover Pictorial ...