Jpn. J. Protozool. Vol. 47, No. 1, 2. (2014) 49

Book Review

Hausmann, K. and Radek, R. (Eds.) Cilia and Flagella – Ciliates and Flagellates Ultrastructure and cell biology, function and systematics, symbionts and biodiversity ISBN: 978-3-510-65287-7, Schweizerbart Science Publishers, 2014, 299 pages.

Sergei I. FOKIN

Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy

One more nicely looking and very interesting ultrastucture, cell biology, motility, taxonomy and protistological book saw the light. In fact this book systematics, symbiosis and biodiversity (partly). is a collection of materials presented and discussed In the introduction made by the editors, at the relatively small (13 participants) meeting general characteristics of the subjects (cilia and held under the title “International Wendlandian flagella; ciliates and flagellates) are given. The Symposium: Five Decades of Basic Research on first chapter is dedicated to ultrastructure and is Cilia/Flagella and Ciliates/Flagellates” in fall split into two parts. In the first part, G. Antipa, 2012, Wendland, Germany. In the case of the book using Didinium and Conchophthirus as model there are 17 contributors. The focus of the Sympo- objects, presents “Cellular architecture, growth, sium at which these presentations were made was morphogenesis and chemoattractions”. In the to reconsider our understanding cilia/flagella and second one, K. Hausmann addresses to “Ejection, ciliates/flagellates which developed during the last Ingestion, Digestion, and Expulsion in Ciliates”, 50 years. The point is that majority of contributors focusing on Paramecium, Homalozoon and have been constantly working in protistology for Pseudomicrothorax. more than 45 years, starting as PhD students to The next chapter “Cell biology” comprises become professors and world-reknown specialists. two articles: “A Song of Praise for Paramecium as It means, they actively participated in the field a Model in Vesicle Trafficking” (performed by development during this past period and somehow H. Plattner) and “Ciliate Mating types and Phero- the book could be treated also as a fine collection mones” (presented by P. Luporini, C. Alimenti, of the personal stories in science (a history of the and A. Vallesi), mostly dealing with Paramecium, modern protistology). The volume does not cover Blepharisma, and Euplotes. all aspects of the discipline, but focuses on The third chapter “Motility” consists of three articles: “Encounters with Cilia” (written by

Tel: +39-050-2211388/Fax: +39-050-2211393 M. Sleigh) with Stentor and Paramecium and E-mail: [email protected] Received: 24 June 2014. several different flagellates, including Opalina, as 50 原生動物学雑誌 第47巻 第1, 2号 2014年 model objects; “How do Protists keep up?” on ciliates is dominating), not surprisingly, though, contributed by H. Machemer, a case study of as the major part of contributors are ciliatologists. Paramecium and Stylonychia; and “Ctenophores In some respect the book reminds the volume and Termites – Systems for Motility” (study by “Ciliates. Cells as Organisms” published in 1996. S. Tamm) through the example of several Of course, the team of authors is quite different ctenophorans and some flagellates from the and, again, in the present book each chapter termites Cryptotermes and Mastotermes. strongly correlates with the author’s sequence of The fourth chapter “Taxonomy and System- scientific activities and experience. In Addendum atics” includes two articles: “Kinetids, Concepts, readers can also find some information concerning and Coincidences” presented by D. Lynn and the authors and a dozen of humoristic pictures. dedicated to ciliate systematics and phylogeny and Moreover, all chapters usually start with a full “On Algal and other Protist Flagella and Cilia” page image (micrograph), connected with the provided by Ø. Moestrup and focused on the chapter content (made by different authors) and are exploration of protist flagella. well illustrated by micrographs taken from original The “Symbiosis” chapter consists of three articles. All together it makes the text vivid and articles: “New insights into the Paramecium- more attractive for readers. Holospora and Paramecium-Chlorella Symbioses” There are very few technical mistakes and by M. Fujishima and Y. Kodama; “Prokaryotic only one, more logical, could be mentioned. In Endosymbionts in Ciliates” by H.-D. Görtz, fact, including metazoans (Ctenophora) into pro- mainly covering Paramecium symbionts; and, tistological book is rather unusual. In any case the finally, “Symbionts of Symbionts – Termite Flag- title “Ctenophores and Termites – Systems for ellates and their Bacterial Associations” contribut- Motility” (Contents, chapter “Motility”, and the ed by R. Radek and J. Strassert, and regarding head of the article on p. 147) apparently should be investigation of parabasalids and oxymonads from addressed to motility of ctenophorans and hindgut of lower termites. protozoans inhabiting termites! The sixth chapter “Biodiversity” by K. Personally, I do like aphorisms, formulated Hausmann concerns “Smallest Protists in the at the end of D. Lynn article (p.187), which could Deepest Depths – Flagellates from Abyssal Sea be directed to budding scientists, at the beginning Floors”. of their careers: “think big conceptually; think The general retro- and prospective of the small organismically; think new technologically studies, presented by J. Boenigk as a particular and think extreme environmentally”. final chapter, could emphasize the main aim of this According to the back page comment, the publication: “Five decades of research in Protistol- volume is addressed to advanced students of ogy – what have we learned?” biology and zoology, and all scientists teaching A kind of deviation to ciliates studies is strik- and working in cell biology and protistology. ing: of seven chapters only one is dedicated Taking into consideration the reasonable price, exclusively to flagellates, but two are entirely I hope, the book can reach all of its potential connected with ciliates (in the rest four – material readers.