Abstract
This textbook is an impressive, well-produced summary of research on hemosporidians of birds since the protozoan parasites were first discovered by the Russian physiologist V. Ya. Danilewsky in 1884. It is a thorough review of the literature of avian malarial parasites and their close relatives, including previously inaccessible Russian publications and new material from laboratory and field research by the author. Conveniently divided into a General Section and a Systematic Section, the textbook contains a wealth of information of great value to students, teachers, and researchers in the biological sciences, particularly parasitology and protozoology. The General Section provides a helpful introduction to the history, life cycle, morphology, pathogenicity, distribution, and ecology of the blood protozoan parasites. The Systematic Section is an up-to-date account of the biology of the known members of the genera Hemoproteus, Plasmodium, Fallisia, and Leucocytozoon. Available are keys for the identification of families, genera, and species of bird hemosporidians. More than 200 species of avian hematozoa have descriptions and synonyms, vertebrate hosts and vectors, and diagnostic criteria. Both sections of the book were written in a style that is clear and easy to read and can serve as a practical desktop guide to assist researchers as well as the clinical and diagnostic parasitologist and pathologist.
The book is extensively illustrated by 346 figures plus three color plates, which demonstrate life cycle stages of the avian blood parasites. The pathogenicity of the stages is fully described for most of these parasites. However, there were few illustrations of histologic effects, which will be disappointing to diagnostic pathologists, who would need to refer to other textbooks and specific publications. A host of references (38 pages) and 177 tables plus an index of Latin names are adequate and useful. Two appendixes also provide additional information to the Russian edition and status of bird hemosporidians.
The author stated in the Introduction that his main objective, “when writing this book, is to generalize, summarize, and systematize information on the fauna, ecology, and pathogenicity of bird haemosporidians.” He masterfully communicated the essential materials well and largely succeeded in his objectives.