LJournal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology246 (2000) 139–141

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Book review

Sharks, Skates, and Rays: the Biology of Elasmobranch Fishes,edited by William C. Hamlett; The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore;1999; 515 pp.; GBP 95.00; ISBN 0-8018-6048-2.

Elasmobranchs are an important group of fishes in many marine ecosystems, where theyoften function as top predators. Given the recent increase in interest in this group offishes by fisheries scientists and conservationists, a book detailing their biology is a mostwelcome addition to the elasmobranch literature. Even though a plethora of fish biologybooks have been published in recent years, many of these texts are heavily biasedtowards teleost fishes. Hence, there has long been a need for an up-to-date bookdedicated to elasmobranch fishes. A further benefit of the book is that, in general, it isnot biased towards shark species, and treats sharks and batoids equally. Many chaptersalso make some reference to the Holocephali, and given that the available literature forchimaeroid fishes is relatively small, it may have been as well to review the biology ofall chondrichthyan fishes and not just the elasmobranchs.

The title of the book is obviously adapted from the titles of two earlier texts onelasmobranch fishes, namely Daniel’s (1934) The Elasmobranch Fishes and Sharks,Skates and Rays by Gilbert et al. (1967). With many of the chapters focusing onphysiology, however, there is much overlap with Shuttleworth’s (1988) Physiology ofElasmobranch Fishes. The book is well laid out and contains 16 chapters, which allfollow the same general format, with an introduction, suitable hierarchy of sub-headings,and a brief summary and references at the end of each chapter. The literature cited willserve as a useful reference source to both students and established scientists and covers awide range of pertinent publications, from historical accounts to recent (up to 1998)publications. The book benefits from the expertise brought by the 18 internationalcontributors, with the authors based at institutions in America, Germany, Great Britain,Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. In general, the illustrations andtables are well presented, and the main bodies of text are well written and easy to read.

Chapter 1 details the systematics and body form of elasmobranch fishes and is anexcellent account of the current taxonomy of living elasmobranchs with detaileddescriptions of the biological characteristics of the elasmobranch families. AlthoughCompagno has treated the extant elasmobranchs in great detail, he only refers the readerto the relevant literature for the higher systematics of elasmobranchs and theirinterrelationships, and only briefly mentions fossil sharks.

Chapter 2 by Norman Kemp details the integumentary system and teeth and providesa detailed account of the dentition, placoid scales, skin histology and fin spines of

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140 Book review / J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 246 (2000) 139 –141

elasmobranchs. Chapter 3, also written by Compagno, focuses on the endoskeleton andprovides an in-depth review of the chondrocranium, girdles and vertebral column. Thischapter could have possibly benefited from a brief section on the use of vertebrae in ageand growth studies.

Chapter 4 by Karel Liem and Adam Summers describes the gross anatomy andfrmnctional morphology of the muscular system. The descriptive section focuses on themusculature of Squalus acanthias and is illustrated with many excellent figures. Inaddition to this descriptive section, there is a timely review of the more recent work onfunctional morphology, particularly regarding feeding and locomotory mechanisms. Thischapter is followed by Quentin Bone’s account of the microscopic anatomy, physiology,and biochemistry of muscle fibres.

Chapters 6 and 7 comprehensively review the digestive and respiratory systems,respectively. What is apparent from these chapters is that, although much is known aboutseveral model genera (e.g. Scyliorhinus, Squalus and Raja), the number of species ofelasmobranchs used in laboratory studies on physiology is small. Hence, there is a needfor additional research on species representing additional taxa and ecological niches.

˜´ ´The circulatory system is divided into three chapters. Ramon Munoz-Chapuli reviewsthe peripheral circulatory system and this chapter is beautifully illustrated withphotographs of the corrosion casts depicting the veins and arteries of several species.This is followed by a chapter on the distinctive attributes of the circulation ofelasmobranch fish and a chapter on the elasmobranch heart.

Chapters 11 and 12 review the nervous system and sensory biology, respectively, andprovide a nice update to Hodgson and Mathewson’s (1978) Sensory Biology of Sharks,Skates and Rays. The role of the rectal gland and urinary system are described inchapters 13 and 14, which provide well-written and illustrated accounts of osmoregula-tion and the histology of a variety of elasmobranchs, including the typical modelelasmobranch species and freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygonidae).

The reproductive biology of elasmobranchs is treated independently for males andfemales in the final two chapters. The chapter on the female reproductive system byWilliam Hamlett and Thomas Koob gives a well-written and balanced account ofreproductive cycles, anatomy, modes of reproduction and reproductive endocrinology. Itcould possibly have benefited from a clear sub-section for reproductive behaviours (e.g.egg-laying) and more detail of embryonic development. The final chapter describes themale reproductive system and mirrors the previous chapter with sub-sections foranatomy and histology, reproductive endocrinology and gonadal cycles.

The book then provides a single appendix, which is an extremely useful checklist ofthe currently recognised living elasmobranch species, compiled by Leonard Compagno.What is somewhat ironic about the book, however, is that despite the excellent summaryof the current nomenclature, several of the chapters discussing elasmobranch physiologyhave not updated the taxonomy in the text, tables and figure legends. Indeed, some tables(e.g. Table 14.1) provide information for the same species under different synonyms.

Overall, Sharks, Skates, and Rays: the Biology of Elasmobranch Fishes is an excellentbook. It reads well, is appropriately illustrated with relevant photographs and diagrams,contains numerous tables, is well indexed and, when topics overlap in part with thecontents of other chapters, the reader is referred to other relevant sections. Obviously,

Book review / J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 246 (2000) 139 –141 141

with a book of this kind, it is easy to point out areas that have not been covered insufficient detail, for example embryology, immunology, endocrinology, lipid dynamicsand molecular biology, but this should not negate the overall excellence of the book.Sharks, Skates, and Rays does, however, focus primarily on the morphology andphysiology of elasmobranchs and a chapter on ecology and life-history patterns wouldalso have been a useful inclusion. This volume will be an indispensable reference textfor elasmobranch biologists, fish biologists in general, and scientists interested incomparative vertebrate morphology. Unfortunately, at a cost of £95, this book is quiteexpensive, and despite the high quality of the editing, formatting and printing, andexcellence of the scientific content, may not be as widely taken up as it deserves.

References

Daniel, J.F., 1934. The elasmobranch fishes. University of California Press, Berkeley.Gilbert, P.W., Mathewson, R.F., Rall, D.P. (eds), 1967. Sharks, skates and rays. Johns Hopkins Press,

Baltimore.Hodgson, E.S., Mathewson, R.F. (eds), 1978. Sensory biology of sharks, skates and rays. Office of Naval

Research, Arlington.Shuttleworth, R. (ed.), 1988. Physiology of elasmobranch fishes. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.

Jim EllisCEFAS

Lowestoft LaboratoryPakefield Road

Lowestoft, SuffolkNR33 0HT, UK