Abstract
Parasitism: The Diversity and Ecology of Animal Parasites is a derivation of a previous text, A Functional Biology of Parasitism, by two of the same authors. Although many of the chapters remain similar to those of the previous text, the authors have updated them appropriately and have completely rewritten some. In addition, the authors have responded to requests by readers of the previous text by providing additional information on the diversity of parasites. The present text functions as an excellent introductory treatise in general parasitology for the student. The authors have, by intention, attempted to omit exhaustive detail and have attempted to provide a text to the teacher and student that is as broad in scope as possible. The result is an excellent text for the student of general parasitology, but one that is less useful to the advanced student or to students or scientists in other disciplines who seek detailed information about animal parasites or parasitic diseases. This book places particular emphasis on the ecology of parasites. The authors justify this approach by contending that the interactions of host and parasite, regardless of the host, parasite, site of infection/infestation, and resulting disease, are essentially ecological interactions. This contention is certainly true and would be supported by all parasitologists. The text is divided into 16 chapters. Six of the chapters deal with specific taxonomic groups of parasites, i.e., protozoa, flatworms (platyhelminths), nematodes, acanthocephalans, pentastomids, and arthropods. An additional chapter deals with parasites that are considered by many as minor groups (e.g., sponges, hydras, jellyfish, comb jellies, ribbon worms, horsehair worms, and myxozoans) and includes certain invertebrates and even vertebrates that are not characteristically viewed as parasites. The remaining chapters deal with specific aspects of parasite ecology, such as population biology, epidemiology, reproduction, biogeography, and parasite evolution, and how these factors influence communities of parasites and their hosts. The authors do not include information on treatment of parasitic diseases, which would not be consistent with the scope of this text. One aspect of the text that I enjoyed was the strategically placed information boxes used throughout the book. The boxes provide an interesting, sometimes fascinating, diversion for the reader. The content of the boxes may include biologic or epidemiologic information, historic accounts of the effects of parasitism on humankind, or just a relationship between animals (such as the tarantula and the spider wasps) that few would otherwise appreciate. The photographs and diagrams are of high quality and provide excellent support for information contained in the text. References for each chapter support the information that is communicated, although many are from the older literature. That is not to say that they are unimportant; in fact, many are classic pieces in this discipline. Both the glossary and index are excellent and serve to define the language of parasitology or to guide the reader in the search for specific information. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this textbook. The authors are outstanding scientists and educators and have rendered a book that will be invaluable to the student who is encountering parasitology for the first time. It will be of less interest to clinical parasitologists, diagnosticians, disease specialists, and those seeking information on therapeutics.