Polychaetes and Allies: the Southern Synthesis

REVIEWS

BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 68(2): 180, 2001

POLYCHAETES AND ALLIES: THE SOUTHERN SYNTHESIS. FAUNA OF AUSTRALIA. VOL. 4A. POLYCHAETA, MYZOSTOMIDA, POGONOPHORA, ECHIURA, SIPUNCULA. Edited by Pamela L. Beesley, Graham J. B. Ross and Christopher J. Glasby. 2000. 465 p. + 12 p. color. ISBN 0 643 06571 7. CSIRO Publishing, P.0. Box 1139 Collingwood, VIC 3066, Australia (e- mail: [email protected]) (http://www.publish.csiro.au/). A$185 or US$120 hardback

The Fauna of Australia series has already established a reputation for publishing excel- lence in such diverse fields as mammalogy (Vol. lB) and molluscan biology (Vol. 5), and the present volume is no exception. Although the title implies some emphasis on the Australian fauna of polychaetes and other related groups, this is far from the intent or execution of the work. The authors have taken a comprehensive view of their subject, mentioning Australian examples only when pertinent, but have taken advantage of the rich Australian marine fauna (for example, 67 of the 81 families of polychaetes are strongly represented in Australian waters) to include a wealth of new illustrations depicting the anatomy of the groups. The quality of the line art is outstanding and is well supported by numerous photographic illustrations, many in color. The text is both scholarly and read- able, maintaining a consistent style of presentation throughout. In all, Polychaetes and Allies is a book that any zoologist with an interest in the biology of these animals can consult with profit and pleasure. Approximately three quarters of the book is devoted to polychaete biology, beginning with a general review of the morphology, physiology, reproduction and ecology of these diverse animals and an analysis of the ongoing problems of their higher classification and phylogeny. An illustrated key to polychaete families is included. The bulk of the text then addresses the polychaetes family by family, reviewing what is known of their structural and flunctional anatomy, physiology, behavior, reproduction and development, with full citations of recent literature. Importantly, while summarizing present knowledge, the family reviews bring into focus the many things that remain unknown in polychaete biology at the research level. The book is therefore a rich vein of untapped research projects, ap- proachable in two useful ways—either as projects furthering the analysis of biological processes within a polychaete family or, through recourse to the comprehensive index, as comparative studies of a particular aspect of polychaete biology such as feeding or reproduction. A bibliography of almost 2000 references eases the route to further studies. The authors, K. Fauchald, C. J. Glasby, P. A. Hutchings, H. Paxton, G. W. Rouse, C. Watson Russell and R. S. Wilson, are to be congratulated on the way in which, through their dedication and erudition, they have made the magnitude and challenge of polychaete biology available to a new generation of students. The same level of expertise is conveyed by the individual authors of the four sections of the book devoted to the smaller but no less interesting groups of marine worms allied to the polychaetes—the Myzostomida (by M. J. Grygier), Pogonophora (by E. C. South- ward) and Echiura and Sipuncula (by the late S. J. Edmonds). Those who have been fol- lowing the recent debate about the relationships of these groups to each other and to the Annelida will be aware that a conservative approach has been taken here in maintaining their separateness from the polychaetes: the Myzostomida and Pogonophora being treated 206

180 | 180 as classes of the phylum Annelida and the Echiura and Sipuncula as separate phyla. Nev- ertheless, the phylogenetic debate concerning these groups is presented in full. Each group is also the subject of a comprehensive biological review to the level of family. These sections, which maintain the same high standard of text and illustrations as the polychaete section, are of particular value. Each makes accessible, through review and bibliography, the present understanding of the biology of a less commonly known group of marine worms, pointing once again to many problems yet to be resolved. A coverage of general biology, the biology of each family, a key to families and a full list of references are provided. The section on Myzostomida is the first major review of these animals pub- lished in English. The section on Pogonophora further points up the intent of the Fauna of Australia series to serve an international audience. Pogonophorans are almost unknown in Australian waters but have, as Dr. Southward makes abundantly clear, a special place in the interpretation of marine annelid diversity and phylogeny. Echiurans and sipunculans, which are well represented in Australian waters, are also reviewed on a world wide basis by Dr. Edmonds. The book ends with an extensive glossary and a detailed index of subjects and taxa. Meticulous attention to detail by the editors is especially evident throughout. It will also be of interest to readers of this review that the large Australian polychaete fauna (over 1000 species known and many more still to be identified) will be made more accessible to investigation through the release by the Australian Biological Resources Survey and CSIRO Publishing in 2001 of some other new resources. These include, on CDROM, a key to the polychaete families of the world (by C. J. Glasby and K. Fauchald) and a key to Australian polychaete genera and species (by P. A. Hutchings and R. S. Wilson); and on the World Wide Web, an ABRS data-rich checklist of Australian polychaete species with relevant literature references (by P. A. Hutchings and R. Johnson). Forty years ago the Australian polychaete fauna was hardly known. It is now much better understood and a beckoning challenge for the future.—Don T. Anderson, Emeritus Pro- fessor of Biology, University of Sydney, Australia.