CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Neohelice granulata a model species for studies of ocean changes.Large species monographs seem to be a thing of the past, probablybecause few investigators have the luxury or dedication to be able to focuslong-term research efforts exclusively on one species or a group ofspecies. This enormous monograph on Neohelice granulata proves thegreat value that such monographs still have in current times. While in thepast, species or taxon-focused monographs were typically written bysingle investigators who had spent their entire career investigating theirfavorite organisms, this monograph on N. granulata is a group effortgathering a total of 77 authors, primarily from Argentina. This is a giganticachievement for the editors, being able to shepherd such a diverse group ofauthors who united in preparing this monograph with a total of 33chapters.The result of this effort provides an overview about one of the best-studied crustacean species of the past few decades. From reading some ofthe chapters it becomes evident that this is not only a collection of chaptersabout N. granulata, but this volume is also testimony of a long-termresearch commitment of the Argentinian crustacean community.Collectively, they have worked over decades to investigate all aspects ofthe biology and life history of this intertidal crab. This volume istestimony to a community effort in every single chapter, almost on anysingle page. Most of the chapters are authored by at least two authors, andmany actually by more than two authors, furthermore underscoring thiscollaborative effort. The editors and all their fellow authors arecongratulated especially for pulling off this group achievement!The volume is divided in four sections, each with a brief introductorypreface by one of the eminent scholars in the field. In the first section onlife history and developmental biology, the eight chapters explore the earlylife of N. granulata, from embryonic development to larval life. Authorsespecially focus on the pelagic stages, settlement biology, and life cycles.The eight chapters in the section on neurobiology cover topics rangingfrom sensory systems to neural integration including memory andlearning. In the section on anatomy and physiology the authors presentinformation on the reproductive system, investment in growth and2Forewordreproduction, general metabolic strategies and respiration of thisfascinating crab living at the interface between air and water. In the finalsection on the ecology and ecosystem role the eight chapters examine thepredators, and forms of food acquisition and the complexity of matingsystem of N. granulata as well as their effects on habitat structure and andspecies interactions,.The individual chapters are all relatively concise, and they are richlyillustrated, making the reading a pleasant experience. All chapters arewritten in a clear language making them also accessible to readers fromrelated disciplines or people interested in the general biology and ecologyof crustaceans.This book presents N. granulata as ideal model species for futurestudies on climate change, pollution, habitat degradation, or speciesinvasion. The distributional range of N. granulata is one of the areas in theworld?s oceans that have and will continue to experience substantialchanges in seawater temperatures. Not surprisingly, N. granulata isincreasingly confronted with invasive species, which either have beenexpanding their geographic ranges or which have been introduced byhuman activities, e.g. ship transport. Thus, in large parts of its naturalhabitat N. granulata now cohabits with one of the most aggressiveinvaders around the world, the shore crab Carcinus maenas. Similarly, N.granulata is exposed to industrial and coastal activities, and one of thechapters in the volume (on endocrine disruption) is examining the effectsof pollution on reproductive traits and success in N. granulata. This is theonly chapter on anthropogenic impacts on this marvelous little crab fromthe South-West Atlantic, but future studies on human impacts will be ableto build on the enormous and complete knowledge provided in thisvolume.This volume should be an inspiration for others, who might havesimilarly rich and integral information on their local crab species ? I couldeasily envision several well-studied crabs that would merit a similarvolume.In the meantime, the scene is set for Neohelice granulata to serve asmodel organisms for scientists from different fields and from regions ofthe world. This book provides investigators with all the basic knowledgeneeded to thoroughly examine whether and how this common intertidalcrab is adapting to the changes occurring in their natural habitats.