832 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 27, NO.4, 1977

Humm, Department of Marine Science, Uni- lished authorities in muracid systematics. To versity of South Florida, St. Petersburg the detriment of the book, many widely 33701. accepted and familiar taxa have been synonymized together on the basis of shell characteristics alone and not on anatomical, MUREX SHELLS OF THE WORLD: AN ILLUS- evolutionary, or ecological data. On the TRATED GUIDE TO THE MURICIDAE by other hand, the Trophoninae and Typhinae George E. Radwin and Anthony D'Attilio. have been split into a bewildering array of Stanford University Press, Stanford, Cali- poorly described genera. Most of these fornia. 1976. 284 pp., 32 color plates, 192 genera are monotypic and their inclusion ob- text figs. $35.00. scures all efforts to discern evolutionary trends and adaptive radiation patterns. The predaceous gastropod family Mur- Due to recent increased interest in the icidae is of primary importance in the study family and the accompanying descriptions of of marine benth~c invertebrate communities. new taxa, the authors were led to establish A comprehensive study of this interesting a cutoff date of mid-1971 for the inclusion group of mollusks, incorporating modern of newly described species into the text. approaches to ecology, evolution, and sys- After establishing this cutoff point, the tematics, has been badly needed in this authors make the interesting claim that century. The authors of the new book have "... very little work of a substantial nature attempted to undertake this formidable task, has been published in the 5 years since that but have produced a work of often con- determination was made, and very few well- flicting qualities. argued new species have been described" From the beginning, the content of the (page 3.). This is a debatable statement as book is easy to follow, being cross-referenced the numerous post-1971 described species of and well-organized. The text is well-written Vokes (Chicoreus spp.) , Bayer (Typhis with detailed species descriptions. The 18- spp.), Okutani (Trophon spp.), and others, page introductory section, however, gives are widely recognized by competent workers only a brief coverage of muracid biology and in the Muricidae. In direct opposition to evolution. Probably the most striking feature their new species cutoff pronouncement, the encountered throughout the book is that of authors have included an unnecessary ap- the numerous fine quality text figures drawn pendix of descriptions of their own new by Mr. D'Attilio. These include, for many species, here published for the first time species, detailed views of protoconchs, rad- (1976). ulae, shell sculpture, and opercula, and are Even with the new taxa cutoff point, the of considerable scientific importance. comprehensiveness of the new book is ques- In contrast to the excellent half-tone text tionable. For example, three deep water figures, the color plates are somewhat of a Panamic Trophon species of Dall are disappointment. While large species are omitted, as are several large and spectacular beautifully illustrated, tiny species are shown deep water species described by Okutani in natural sized and are worthless for visual the 1960's (University of Tokyo). Unfortu- species determinations. Also taking into ac- count recent high publishing costs, a more nately for the muricid worker, incomplete compact arrangement of figures on many of synonymies are often given; the author's the plates would have helped reduce the reasoning being that many are" ... less well- number of plates needed originally and low- known synonymous names" (page 93.), and ered the price of the book. can be ignored. The taxonomic aspects of the new book In summary, the new book is a valuable are bound to be controversial among estab- addition to any malacological library and REVIEWS AND COMMENTS 833 has much to offer in species identifications -Barrie F. Taylor, Rosenstiel School of for both the amateur and professional mala- Marine and Atmospheric Science, University cologist. However, I can't help feeling that of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, had there been only a little more effort, such Miami, Florida 33149. as a more thorough literature search, en- larged photographs of tiny species, and a better handling of synonymies, a far supe- TROPICAL MARINE POLLUTION, E. J. Fer~ rior work could have been produced.- guson Wood and R. E. Johannes, eds. Edward J. Petuch, Rosenstiel School of Elsevier Oceanography Series v. 12. Elsevier Marine and Atmospheric Science, University Science Publishing Co., Amsterdam and of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, New York, 1975. 192 pp. $26.95. Miami, Florida 33149. This book is just what the title implies, a discussion on marine pollution in the tropics. INTERFACES IN MICROBIAL ECOLOGY by K. The introductory chapter (Johannes and C. Marshall. Harvard University Press. Betzer) sets the stage for this book by first 1976. viii + 156 pp. $12.50. of all defining "tropics" and then, in quite lengthy detail, pointing out the unique differ- This is a well organized and readable ences between the tropical marine ecosystems monograph. It should be useful to all micro- and their temperate counterparts. In reading biologists because the effects of interfaces this chapter one almost has the feeling of impinge on virtually all aspects of micro- having received a sermon. However, the biology. The author emphasizes the physico- chapter does emphasize the grave differences chemical principles which underly the in temperature effects in the two environ- interactions of bacteria at the junctions of ments-even though the wrong chapter num- biphasic systems of solids, liquids and gases. ber was referenced-and brought me back The objective of summarizing this theoretical some 20 years to when I was first confronted background is achieved. Examples of inter- with a research program in the warm waters actions at interfaces chiefly involve bacteria of the Gulf Stream after having been trained and are drawn predominantly from the fields in the cold California Current. The chapter of aquatic and soil microbiology. However, and the first section of the book ends with mention is made of the great variety of re- the reminder that "considerable research is search areas in which these phenomena needed to enable us to predict confidently are especially important (e.g. dental and the impact of specific pollutants on specific gastrointestinal microbiology, industrial mi- marine organisms and communities," and crobiology, marine fouling, oil degradation). sets the tone for chapters to come. The applied aspects are not examined in The next section, which includes chapters detail, but the bibliography provides a con- 2-4, describes three typical tropical marine venient starting point for further reading. ecosystems-coral reef communities, man- Investigators are thereby acquainted of grove, sea grass-and indicates the effects of developments in "seemingly unrelated areas pollutants and activities on these commu- of microbiology." The necessity of this ob- nities. The chapter (chapter 2) on the pol- jective is questionable, for the successful lution and degradation of coral reef com- researcher, but is pertinent to the novice. munities is the longest and most extensive of However, even the established investigator the three. Here the author (Johannes) has will find in this book both a useful reminder selected the coral reef community because it of basic concepts and a convenient source of represents a truly tropical ecosystem and also key references for the related research areas. because of the greater amount of research