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Crabs: A Global Natural History
A richly illustrated natural history of the world's crabs that examines their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behavior, and more
This lavishly illustrated book offers a remarkable look at the world’s crabs. More than 7,000 crab species, in 100 different families, are known today. Their unique physiology and complex behaviors have made them one of the most diverse and adaptable of all animal groups. They can thrive in the darkness of abyssal seas, on the edges of scalding hot volcanic hydrothermal vents, on sunlit coral reefs, on wave-washed rocky shores, and in tropical rain forests at the tops of mountains. They even persist in some of the harshest desert conditions. Playing a vital role in marine and coastal ecology, crabs have been identified as keystone species in habitats such as coral reefs and coastal tropical swamps.
Crabs comprises five evolutionary pathways; anatomy and physiology; ecology; reproduction, cognition, and behavior; and exploitation and conservation. Individual chapters include a variety of subtopics, each illustrated by exceptional images, and followed by numerous double full-page species’ profiles. Each profile has been chosen to emphasize remarkable and intriguing aspects of the life of these fascinating creatures. Some species may be familiar, but many are beyond anything you have probably seen before and will stretch your understanding of what a crab is.
Written by a world authority, Crabs offers an accessible overview of these fascinating crustaceans.
This lavishly illustrated book offers a remarkable look at the world’s crabs. More than 7,000 crab species, in 100 different families, are known today. Their unique physiology and complex behaviors have made them one of the most diverse and adaptable of all animal groups. They can thrive in the darkness of abyssal seas, on the edges of scalding hot volcanic hydrothermal vents, on sunlit coral reefs, on wave-washed rocky shores, and in tropical rain forests at the tops of mountains. They even persist in some of the harshest desert conditions. Playing a vital role in marine and coastal ecology, crabs have been identified as keystone species in habitats such as coral reefs and coastal tropical swamps.
Crabs comprises five evolutionary pathways; anatomy and physiology; ecology; reproduction, cognition, and behavior; and exploitation and conservation. Individual chapters include a variety of subtopics, each illustrated by exceptional images, and followed by numerous double full-page species’ profiles. Each profile has been chosen to emphasize remarkable and intriguing aspects of the life of these fascinating creatures. Some species may be familiar, but many are beyond anything you have probably seen before and will stretch your understanding of what a crab is.
Written by a world authority, Crabs offers an accessible overview of these fascinating crustaceans.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published December 7, 2021
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73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 20, 2024
This book is absolutely amazing. The author also wrote many scientific papers on crabs (I use them daily for my work), so I thought beforehand that this book would be like that, more scientific. But it's really not, it's so easy to read! It discusses all things crabs, but in an entertaining way. There is amazing photography and diagrams as well. I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about crabs without reading (dry) scientific literature! 🦀
June 4, 2023
This is a really beautiful book that's full of things I didn't know and species I've never heard of before. I kept looking up crabs on the internet because I wished the book was more detailed and finding close to nothing except for research papers, so it's also very extensive by a lot of standards.
- the organization is really quite mediocre, although I rather like the approach of splitting up the species descriptions because it's a lot easier to read straight through that way
- some of the descriptions try way too hard with the fun facts
-it amazes me that with so little text this book still managed to repeat itself as much as it did.
+1 star for the photography that is truly impressive not only for diversity and quality but also I don't believe there's a single other book that rivals this collection of different kinds of crabs.
- the organization is really quite mediocre, although I rather like the approach of splitting up the species descriptions because it's a lot easier to read straight through that way
- some of the descriptions try way too hard with the fun facts
-it amazes me that with so little text this book still managed to repeat itself as much as it did.
+1 star for the photography that is truly impressive not only for diversity and quality but also I don't believe there's a single other book that rivals this collection of different kinds of crabs.
June 17, 2023
A joy to read for both the layperson, student, and/or researcher alike, this is a wonderful overview of crab evolution, physiology, ecology, invasions, conservation, and fisheries with pages dedicated to highlighting a variety of crab species around the world. The writing is accessible and full of interesting facts and the photos are breathtakingly gorgeous, particularly the ones of the more colourful species such as the gaudy clown crab (Platypodiella spectabilis) and Garfunkel's crab (Danarma garfunkel) (a yellow-eyed species that I learned was named after Art Garfunkel, who performed the song "Bright Eyes" for the 1978 adaption of Watership Down). I loved this book and readers of other photography-rich marine biology nonfiction such as Light in the sea likely will as well.
June 4, 2023
Interesting collection of profiles and general information about many species of crab and false crab. Decent photography and mostly very readable, but a few flaws really knocked it down for me:
1) despite what looks to be a blue crab on the cover, the book has ZERO mention of Maryland/Maryland blue crabs. An entire state whose identity revolves around the iconography, consumption, and conservation of the blue crab and the Chesapeake Bay that is its home--yet, *nothing*. Not even a passing mention in the chapter about "crabs as food." False crabs get entire profiles...and there's a insensitive, random paragraph about people testing whether Amelia Earhart's remains could have been consumed by coconut crabs (that inexplicably includes the word "aviatrix" like that's a word any female aviator would use to describe themselves, gag)...and yet not enough space for a single mention of one of the most popular crabs--if not THE most popular true crab--in the US. Weird.
2) in the chapter about "Garfunkel's crab" there's a caption that reads "This species was named after Art Garfunkel, who performed the beautiful song "Bright Eyes" from the 1978 animated film Watership Down. Like the rabbit to which the song alludes, this crab is also nocturnal, lives in holes, and and is remarkable for its bright, shining eyes."
This is one of those things any editor should catch in a second. Rabbits, of course, are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk.) Many people may not know that, but I have never heard any serious person believe they're *nocturnal*. Watership Down is fictional (though I don't remember even that book getting this aspect of rabbit behavior wrong) but this book is supposed to be scientific. It takes literally seconds to query via search engine, so there's no excuse. (Nevermind also that very few rabbits "live in holes" aka warrens, the vast majority do of wild rabbits do not doe more than dig a shallow depression for a nest or dig a small burrow to retreat to.)
So overall a nice reference but not as strong as it could have been.
1) despite what looks to be a blue crab on the cover, the book has ZERO mention of Maryland/Maryland blue crabs. An entire state whose identity revolves around the iconography, consumption, and conservation of the blue crab and the Chesapeake Bay that is its home--yet, *nothing*. Not even a passing mention in the chapter about "crabs as food." False crabs get entire profiles...and there's a insensitive, random paragraph about people testing whether Amelia Earhart's remains could have been consumed by coconut crabs (that inexplicably includes the word "aviatrix" like that's a word any female aviator would use to describe themselves, gag)...and yet not enough space for a single mention of one of the most popular crabs--if not THE most popular true crab--in the US. Weird.
2) in the chapter about "Garfunkel's crab" there's a caption that reads "This species was named after Art Garfunkel, who performed the beautiful song "Bright Eyes" from the 1978 animated film Watership Down. Like the rabbit to which the song alludes, this crab is also nocturnal, lives in holes, and and is remarkable for its bright, shining eyes."
This is one of those things any editor should catch in a second. Rabbits, of course, are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk.) Many people may not know that, but I have never heard any serious person believe they're *nocturnal*. Watership Down is fictional (though I don't remember even that book getting this aspect of rabbit behavior wrong) but this book is supposed to be scientific. It takes literally seconds to query via search engine, so there's no excuse. (Nevermind also that very few rabbits "live in holes" aka warrens, the vast majority do of wild rabbits do not doe more than dig a shallow depression for a nest or dig a small burrow to retreat to.)
So overall a nice reference but not as strong as it could have been.
October 9, 2023
Very factual and interesting
February 9, 2022
Wonderful amazing book about crabs. I really hope he writes more books.
One flaw I read the ebook and instead of putting the photos on one whole page it was formatted, if it were a paper book. With ebooks there is more space for photos (it is not printed) and so this should be used. Despite this still a 5 star I have read it twice since November.
One flaw I read the ebook and instead of putting the photos on one whole page it was formatted, if it were a paper book. With ebooks there is more space for photos (it is not printed) and so this should be used. Despite this still a 5 star I have read it twice since November.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews