https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/6484/
Editors: Maria Byrne and Timothy O’Hara
CSIRO Publishing
ISBN: 9781486307623
AU$180
On receiving this text book my first impression was “Wow! this is an impressive book”. It should be made clear that this is not a field guide or on identification book. It is however, a comprehensive one-stop-book for all things to do with the ecology, biology, biogeography, phylogeny, fisheries and conservation of Echinoderms. Flicking through the 624 pages you quickly realise the impressive amount of work, covering an immense topic, being presented alongside stunning photography and detailed scientific diagrams. With an impressive list of contributors representing an array of renowned researchers from institutions around the world, the fact that this book has 86 pages of reference alone is a good indicator that it covers everything you need to know when it comes to Echinoderms. Clearly aimed at a wide audience, this book will be of interest to everyone from high school students through to ecologists, biologists and museum taxonomists, and as far as I am aware there is no comparable book currently available.
Echinoderms are one of the largest phyla, comprising 110 families and 7000 species (1400 species found in Australia) that include feather stars, brittle stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. In light of this, the geographical range covered by the book is extensive, representing all of Australia and its territories from the Antarctic waters of Macquarie Island through to the Great Barrier Reef. Even though the book focuses on Australian Echinoderms the fundamental information presented in this text is of global interest.
An extended table of contents is well laid out to make navigating the text very simple. A glossary of terms may have been useful for those who are not up to speed with all the anatomical terms such as theca for example. However, the microscopic photography and detailed scientific diagrams complete with comprehensive labelling, help to visualise the external and internal structures of these complex animals.
The book is divided into two parts; Part one provides detailed but broad information on the biology, ecology, behaviour, management, biogeography, and phylogeny of Echinoderms. Part two provides a chapter for each class of Echinoderm that begins with a general introduction describing the classification and phylogeny of each class, before being broken down further into order and family.
“Part 1: Introduction to Echinoderms” starts with the simple but important question of “What is an Echinoderm?”, followed by detailed chapters starting with the ecology and working through to biogeography. The information presented includes Echinoderms from estuaries and the intertidal zone through to the deep sea. The intricate details on the anatomy of delicate animals such as brittle stars, is demonstrated using fine-detailed diagrams and microscopic photography. Fascinating and novel text boxes are placed throughout, which highlight mysterious or interesting aspects of Echinoderms, such as their ability to regenerate arms or of the highly invasive nature of the North Pacific Seastar. Part 1 also provides an interesting insight into the conservation and fisheries of Echinoderms, including the introduction and impact of invasive Echinoderms.
“Part 2: Echinoderm diversity”, systematically presents each class of Echinoderm. The level of detail provides sufficient information on the biology and ecology supported by references if further information is required. The text is supported by fantastic photos of both live specimens next to their test and highly detailed scientific diagrams. This is the section of interest if a researcher requires further information on the biology, ecology or phylogeny of a particular family or species of interest. The text itself is easy to read, without complicated scientific jargon that requires further research to understand.
In conclusion this book is a magnificent collation of information and is a one-stop-shop for all things Echinoderm. The editors Maria Byrne and Tim O’hara have done a marvellous job compiling such a vast amount of knowledge and literature. This is a must-have book for all those interested in Echinoderms and I would give it five out of five sea stars!
Reviewed by Joel Williams