| Contents Notes |
"Among the most fascinating animals in the world's oceans are the more than 2,000 species of starfish. Called "Asteroids" by scientists who study them (after their taxonomic name, Asteroidea)--or sea stars in some parts of the world--starfish are easily recognized because of their star-like form. Starfish is a comprehensive volume devoted to the integrative and comparative biology and ecology of starfish. Written by the world's leading experts on starfish, the integrative section covers topics such as reproduction, developmental biology and ecology, larval ecology, and the ecological role of starfish as a group. The comparative section considers the biology and ecology of important species such as Acanthaster planci, Heliaster helianthoides, Asterias amurensis, and Pisaster ochraceus. Replete with detailed, scientifically accurate illustrations and the latest research findings, Starfish examines the important role of these invertebrates in the marine environment, a topic of great interest because of their impact on the food web. As major predators that are able to evert their stomach and wrap it around their prey, starfish can have a significant impact on commercial fisheries. Starfish are of interest not only to echinoderm specialists but also to marine biologists and invertebrate zoologists in general and, increasingly, to the medical community. A starfish's ability to regenerate body parts is almost unequalled in the animal world, making them ideal models for basic science studies on the topic."--Publisher's website. Part 1: Comparative biology and ecology. Phylogeny of the asteroidea / Andrew S. Gale ; The asteroid arm / John M. Lawrence ; Functional biology of asteroid tube feet / Elise Hennebert, Michel Jangoux, and Patrick Flammang ; Reproduction in asteroidea / Annie Mercier and Jean-Franºcois Hamel ; Asteroid evolutionary developmental biology and ecology / Marie Byrne ; Larval ecology, settlement and recruitment of asteroids / Anna Metaxas ; Ecological role of sea stars from populations to meta-ecosystems / Bruce A. Menge and Eric Sanford ; Chemistry and ecological role of starfish secondary metabolites / James B. McClintock, Charles D. Amsler, and Bill J. Baker ; Steroids in asteroidea / Stephan A. Watts and Kristina M. Wasson. -- Part 2: Integrative biology. Astropecten / Carlos Renato R. Ventura ; Luidia / John M. Lawrence ; Odontaster validus / John S. Pearse ; Acanthaster planci / Katharina Fabricius ; Oreaster reticulatus / Robert E. Scheibling ; Heliaster helianthus / Juan Carlos Castilla, Sergio A. Navarrete, Tatiana Manzur and Mario Barahona ; Pisaster ochraceus / Carlos Robles ; Asterias amurensis / Maria Byrne, Timothy D. O'Hara, and John M. Lawrence ; Leptasterias polaris / Carlos F. Gaymer and John H. Himmelman ; Coscinasterias / Michael F. Barker ; Echinaster / Richard L. Turner. |
