Review by Choice Review
Terebras, snaillike marine mollusks that live mainly on warm, subtropical shores and tropical bays and coral reefs, make up the gastropod family Terebridae. They typically live burrowed in sand; they have elongate and pointed, often marlinespike-shaped, shells. Surprisingly, because they are obscured from view, the shells of many species are brightly colored and patterned-they are thus attractive to the shell collectors and malacologists to whom this book is directed. The work is most successful as an up-to-date monograph-the first in a century to treat the whole family-describing the 265 extant species and clarifying their often subtle distinguishing features. The shells of all species are illustrated in black-and-white photographs (ranging in quality from adequate to sharp) that show form, color pattern, and sculpture. These are conveniently placed with the species descriptions, but six fine color plates of about 100 species are grouped at the front. An unusual and particularly helpful feature is the inclusion of photographs of ``type'' specimens, the bases for original species descriptions. Although the authors are among the most knowledgeable workers on the group, the section on natural history briefly rehashes older work and is not very synthetic. Within genera, species are grouped geographically, a convenience for identification; the generic-level classification of the family is conservative but uncritical.-A.J. Kohn, University of Washington
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
