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Zoo Biology 19:287–289 (2000)

BOOK REVIEW

Say Hello to Our Little Friends

A review of Invertebrate Zoology, edited by Donald T. Anderson. New York, Ox-
ford University Press, 1999, 467 pp, $55.00 paperback.

Say hello to the invertebrates—sponges, corals, sea stars, worms, octopi, in-
sects, and a vast array of other animals sharing one common feature: no backbone.
Together these organisms are the epitome of animal diversity, representing more than
95% of all species known to science. They comprise the bulk of animal biomass and
live on Earth in numbers far too plentiful to count. Terrestrial forms scour the lands
as decomposers, nutrient-recyclers, and soil-builders. Insects fly the skies as plant
pollinators and pest-controllers. Corals command the seas as coastal buffers and nec-
essary nurseries. And everywhere invertebrates provide food for larger animals. These
spineless wonders and incredible crawlies are vital components of all complex eco-
systems. And though some species are harmful, in a very real way most invertebrates
are our little friends, making higher plant, vertebrate and human life possible. Not
surprisingly, the systematic study of invertebrate biology has been an important sci-
entific endeavor for the past two centuries.
Invertebrate Zoology is a multi-authored, 18-chapter textbook geared to intro-
ductory college-level audiences and provides a concise yet detailed review of inver-
tebrate biology as it is presently understood. Its approach recognizes that invertebrate
science is multi-disciplinary, requiring specialist expertise to identify and cover top-
ics that are important and currently relevant to each animal group. The authors are
mainly associated with Australian institutions, primarily the University of Sydney.
This undoubtedly contributes to the text’s cohesiveness, though some of the so-called
familiar animal examples used from “down under” will probably not be known to
readers from “up above” and elsewhere.
The book is designed to meet the changing demands in college education; that
is, increased course availability and class loads are compacting introductory inverte-
brate biology programs into a one-semester course, instead of two. Invertebrate Zo-
ology is succinct, nicely organized, well written, and richly illustrated with drawings
and photographs, thus a pleasure to read and use. But regardless of how one treats
this topic, invertebrate biology is a vast subject. To provide reasonable coverage, as
this book successfully accomplishes, a great amount of highly detailed and technical
information must be included.
The introductory chapter calls our attention to Earth’s astounding animal diver-
sity. This now includes more than a million described species (with many more wait-

© 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

288 Book Review

ing discovery) categorized into 32 phyla, or fundamental animal groups, each with a
distinct body plan. All animal phyla exclusively contain invertebrates, with one par-
tial but noteworthy exception, the phylum Chordata. This unique phylum represents
a few evolutionarily important invertebrates (e.g., tunicates) and all seven vertebrate
classes. To identify phyla based on defining characteristics, we learn about body
symmetry, body cavity types, and embryological development. We are also promised
new taxonomic revelations in the final chapter, made possible by recent advances in
biotechnology.
Subsequent chapters explore individual major phyla or closely related groups
of minor or lesser known phyla. Like most invertebrate biology texts, Invertebrate
Zoology employs the phylogenetic hierarchy as a logical organizing framework. Thus,
we first meet the structurally most primitive phylum, Porifera (sponges), next con-
sider Cnidaria (e.g., corals, anemones, jellies), then press on to more specialized or
highly evolved phyla such as Mollusca (e.g., clams, snails, octopi), Arthropoda (e.g.,
insects, spiders, crustaceans), and the invertebrate Chordata. Typically, each chapter
vigorously investigates diversity within the group, basic body plans and anatomical
structures, feeding behavior and digestion, nervous systems and sense organs, repro-
ductive strategies and development, evolutionary relationships, and classification.
When appropriate, important ecological and human relationships are discussed.
As an entomologist, I appreciated the extensive coverage of the arthropods.
Individual chapters explored each of the four major subphyla: Hexapoda (insects
and allies), Myriapoda (centipedes, millipedes), Crustacea (e.g., barnacles, crabs, lob-
sters), and Chelicerata (e.g., horseshoe crabs, arachnids, sea spiders). I was pleased
to note that recent insights and new discoveries were included. For example, way
back when I was in graduate school, not only did I have to walk 20 miles through
snow everyday to get to class, but the evolutionary origin of insect wings remained a
mystery. But now, based on key anatomical findings and behavioral observations, a
plausible theory for this important aspect of insect biology has taken flight.
The text’s concluding chapter provides an important and interesting summary
of metazoan (multicellular animal) phylogeny and evolution. I found this section
fascinating, largely because recent advances in biotechnology, particularly ribosomal
DNA analysis, have been successfully used to re-evaluate the traditional phyloge-
netic hierarchy. Overall, molecular studies have verified many of the long-accepted
phylogenetic relationships based on morphology and embryology. For example, though
arthropods were historically treated as monophyletic (belonging to a single phylum),
some recent specialists have divided them into several phyla, partly as a means of
dealing with and explaining this group’s tremendous diversity and variability. How-
ever, ribosomal DNA analysis confirmed the appropriateness of treating arthropods
as monophyletic, and major arthropod groups as sub-phyla. Go arthropods!
Other long-held beliefs about taxonomic relationships were challenged or put
to rest once and for all. Consider an oft-used example. The phylum Onychophora
(e.g., Peripatus or velvet worms) exhibits several traits common to both Annelida
(segmented worms) and Arthropoda, thus was once thought to represent a missing
evolutionary link between these groups; it is still popularly seen as such today. How-
ever, the current molecular view of arthropod relationships supports the formation of
a new taxonomic clade of animals, called the Ecdysozoa (which shed their cuticle
during growth) and sees onychophorans, arthropods, and several other phyla as sis-
ter groups not closely allied to the annelids. Much has been learned about these
 Book Review 289

relationships and other aspects of metazoan evolution, though many important ques-
tions remain unanswered, and are posed as challenges for future research.
Zoo and aquarium invertebrate specialists should take note that Invertebrate
Zoology is a college-level biology textbook, thus the amount of detail is far beyond
that required for a general understanding of basic biology or for writing interpreta-
tive exhibit label text. The book also does not provide the husbandry information or
display technology required by our profession. Nonetheless, this work will be a valu-
able addition for those who want to say hello to our little friends, the invertebrates,
and get to know these marvelous and important animals a whole lot better.

Randy C. Morgan
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Cincinnati, OH