Book Review - Crabs - Princeton University Press

 

     I first got interested in crabs, I suppose, when as a very young boy I visited the seashore a couple of times, and was immediately fascinated by probing in tide pools, always being astonished at the myriad life forms I found there. On occasion the most visible, and the most active organisms, were crabs. They walked funny, had pincers and looked prehistoric!

     Later in life as a dedicated birder I was quick to recognize the extent to which crabs were an important component of the diet of many species. I spent countless hours watching gulls, egrets, ibises, loons and others, capture and dismember crabs before consuming them.

     Throughout many years I have been privileged to travel the world and experience the amazing diversity of crabs, from the smallest to the very large. And many is the fine meal of crab I have enjoyed too, never without thinking that it was a brave fellow who first decided to eat one!

     Nothing prepared me, however, for the stunning diversity revealed in this outstanding, richly illustrated book. If ever the value of digital photography was on display, it is in this work. Crabs of every size, shape, colour and habitat are shown in glorious full colour pictures throughout. Even before you read a word of text, the pages are a visual feast.

     But read the text you must. Whether you are a complete novice to the realm of crustaceans, or a seasoned scientist, there is surely much to be learned. The book is delightfully laid out, filled with information, each section following logically from the attention-getting section that preceded it. Beginning with a first rate introduction, the chapters are organized by topic: Evolutionary Pathways, Anatomy and Physiology, Crab Ecology, Reproduction, Cognition and Behaviour, Exploitation and Conservation. Along the way numerous species are examined in detail and range maps accompany a glorious picture.

     I can barely begin to tell you how much new knowledge I have gained already, and how much is to be gleaned from subsequent readings. Each page is a compendium of facts but always presented in a lively fashion, at times with even a touch of the poetic. Let me give you an example. In describing the habitat of the Christmas Island Blind Cave Crab (totally new to me, by the way), the following eloquent words are used, "It lives in pitch-black underwater caves that intrude into the ancient limestone reefs that surround Christmas Island." There's a line worthy of a well-crafted novel. I was immediately transported to a far off place to observe one of nature's fascinating creatures.

     In addition to the colour pictures, superb coloured illustrations are used where appropriate, in the pages covering anatomy, for example.

     Before starting to write this review I took a look at the Princeton University Press web site, just to remind myself of the sheer diversity covered by so many titles over so many years. It is nothing short of meritorious.

     This book is part of a fine tradition of the exploration of natural history in all its exquisite diversity. I will enjoy it for many years to come.

Crabs: A Global Natural History

Author: Peter J.F. Davie

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691201719

224 pages - 190+ colour photos and illustrations

8 1/4 x 9 1/5 inches (20.625 x 23 cm)

Publication date: 7 December 2021