Review by Choice Review
In this broadly international work (7 Greek authors and 15 from six other countries), editor Mente (Univ. of Thessaly, Greece) aims to consolidate knowledge of crustacean reproductive biology, emphasizing economically important taxa. The papers provide thorough coverage of the subjects and offer adequate background information for nonspecialists. Most chapters begin with general discussions before addressing narrower topics. The longest chapter, a well-written, user-friendly account of crustacean phylogeny, biology, and ecology, including a glossary, covers the myriad lesser lights of this largest aquatic arthropod subphylum. However, most of the volume focuses on crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. Aquaculture of these large decapods is increasing rapidly in importance, and the book's target audience is practitioners of these efforts as well as academics. After a clear chapter on population and developmental genetics appropriate to aquaculture, the middle section focuses specifically on reproduction, including size at reproductive maturity and frequency of reproduction, sexual selection and sex dimorphism, mating behavior, and hormonal control of reproductive physiology in both sexes. Mente links these topics to management issues in the final chapters, and to case studies that specifically address lobster and shrimp culture and hatchery operations. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. A. J. Kohn emeritus, University of Washington
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
