In an imaginary lagoon near the island of Kapupu in the South Pacific lives a group of nutty but sophisticated underwater creatures-complete with neuroses that rival those of humans (also known as "hairless beach apes"). Their wet world, oddly enough, is not so different from our own.<P>Sherman, a great white shark, is a typical guy, and Megan is his ruthless but nurturing wife. Rounding out the aquatic crew are Fillmore the turtle, geeky fish Ernest, and macho hermit crab Hawthorne. Salty old Captain Quigley, who lost his leg to Sherman years ago, is hell-bent on seeking revenge against the shark.<P>Sherman and friends effectively reflect human behavior and occasionally must confront humans' encroachment on their unspoiled habitat. Activist groups have applauded this comic strip with a social conscience for promoting marine conservation.<P>Sherman's Lagoon has been syndicated since 1991, currently by King Features, and has a circulation of more than 200 daily newspapers on five continents.