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Aspects of the biology of symbiosis
JOURNAL
OF
INVERTEBRATE
PATHOLOGY
18,
430
(1971)
BOOK REVIEW Aspects
of
the
Biology
of
Editor. University more. 1970. x + 327 pages. CHENG,
T. C. Park Press, Balti-
Symbiosis.
This volume comprises 12 papers presented at a symposium, “The Biology of Symbiosis,” organized by T. C. Cheng and S. J. Townsley. According to the introduction, the symposium was to “bring together a small group of investigators with interests in a number of aspects of the dynamic equilibrium between host and symbiont, so that we could share and profit from their experiences.” There are three groups of articles. The first, on communication of host and symbiont contains related papers by M. A. Htirewalt on penetration stimuli of schistosome cercariae and by E. Rifkin on interaction of schistosomules and host skin. The second is a potpourri of eight papers on various aspects of the physiological interactions between host and symbiont, including cleaning symbiosis (G. S. Losey, Jr.); nudibranch associations as symbiosis (L. G. Harris); respiratory met,abolism of trematode metacercariae and their hosts (W. B. and F. J. Vernberg); enhanced growth in parasitized molluscs (T. C. Cheng); t’he “goodness” of parasitism (D. R. Lincicome); nutritional aspects of the symbiosis of crabs and sea urchins (P. Castro); light and other factors concerned with host-symbiont interactions in green bydra (C. F. Lytle, L. G. Epp, and G. T. Barthalmus); and blue-green algae in echiuroid worms (S. Kawaguti). The final section, which concerns defense reactions used by hosts and symbionts, has a review of immunity in invertebrates (M. R. Tripp), and a discussion of the protection of anemone fishes from sea anemones (R. N. Mariscal). In a way, “Aspects of the Biology of Symbiosis” is reminiscent of an insufficiently cooked soup stock: the flavors included are not as coherent as one might wish. I question whether a hard-bound volume of this sort is the proper place to sequester such a saltatorial group of reports. Except for the
430
abbreviated but competent review by Tripp, each of the papers contains considerable previously unpublished data. The papers were not subject to the normal review process of a periodical that specializes in publishing new data. I am not able to judge the accuracy of data or conclusions reached by authors of papers outside my specialties. All the papers include citations to papers published in 1969, and presumably the reviews are current to that date. The book is nicely set up, illustrations are good, and a general index is included. Lincicome’s exhaustively documented hypothesis of the “goodness” of parasitism indicates that in rats, Trypanoson~~ lewisi approaches a mutualistic association with its host. Regardless of one’s state of agreement with Lincicome’s semantics, the evidence of incipient mutualism of the rat and T. lewisi is a milestone in the study of host relationships of the hemoflagellates and makes one ponder statements in the literature that such-and-such a parasite “has no deleterious effect on the host.” My impression is that the volume could have been improved, and some synthesis would have occurred, had the discussions that took place among the members of the symposium been included. I wish I could have attended the symposium-there must have been stimulating discussions-but I also could wish for different, and more appropriate methods of communicating the results of the research reported upon by the participants. The value of the book perhaps will be realized best as ancillary reading for an advanced course in symbiosis. Because of the large amounts of original data included, one may hope that specialists in the various subjects included will be able to obtain reprints of the paper(s) concerning their specialties or will have their libraries purchase copies of the book. PHYLLIS T. JOHNSON Costa Mesa, California
OF
INVERTEBRATE
PATHOLOGY
18,
430
(1971)
BOOK REVIEW Aspects
of
the
Biology
of
Editor. University more. 1970. x + 327 pages. CHENG,
T. C. Park Press, Balti-
Symbiosis.
This volume comprises 12 papers presented at a symposium, “The Biology of Symbiosis,” organized by T. C. Cheng and S. J. Townsley. According to the introduction, the symposium was to “bring together a small group of investigators with interests in a number of aspects of the dynamic equilibrium between host and symbiont, so that we could share and profit from their experiences.” There are three groups of articles. The first, on communication of host and symbiont contains related papers by M. A. Htirewalt on penetration stimuli of schistosome cercariae and by E. Rifkin on interaction of schistosomules and host skin. The second is a potpourri of eight papers on various aspects of the physiological interactions between host and symbiont, including cleaning symbiosis (G. S. Losey, Jr.); nudibranch associations as symbiosis (L. G. Harris); respiratory met,abolism of trematode metacercariae and their hosts (W. B. and F. J. Vernberg); enhanced growth in parasitized molluscs (T. C. Cheng); t’he “goodness” of parasitism (D. R. Lincicome); nutritional aspects of the symbiosis of crabs and sea urchins (P. Castro); light and other factors concerned with host-symbiont interactions in green bydra (C. F. Lytle, L. G. Epp, and G. T. Barthalmus); and blue-green algae in echiuroid worms (S. Kawaguti). The final section, which concerns defense reactions used by hosts and symbionts, has a review of immunity in invertebrates (M. R. Tripp), and a discussion of the protection of anemone fishes from sea anemones (R. N. Mariscal). In a way, “Aspects of the Biology of Symbiosis” is reminiscent of an insufficiently cooked soup stock: the flavors included are not as coherent as one might wish. I question whether a hard-bound volume of this sort is the proper place to sequester such a saltatorial group of reports. Except for the
430
abbreviated but competent review by Tripp, each of the papers contains considerable previously unpublished data. The papers were not subject to the normal review process of a periodical that specializes in publishing new data. I am not able to judge the accuracy of data or conclusions reached by authors of papers outside my specialties. All the papers include citations to papers published in 1969, and presumably the reviews are current to that date. The book is nicely set up, illustrations are good, and a general index is included. Lincicome’s exhaustively documented hypothesis of the “goodness” of parasitism indicates that in rats, Trypanoson~~ lewisi approaches a mutualistic association with its host. Regardless of one’s state of agreement with Lincicome’s semantics, the evidence of incipient mutualism of the rat and T. lewisi is a milestone in the study of host relationships of the hemoflagellates and makes one ponder statements in the literature that such-and-such a parasite “has no deleterious effect on the host.” My impression is that the volume could have been improved, and some synthesis would have occurred, had the discussions that took place among the members of the symposium been included. I wish I could have attended the symposium-there must have been stimulating discussions-but I also could wish for different, and more appropriate methods of communicating the results of the research reported upon by the participants. The value of the book perhaps will be realized best as ancillary reading for an advanced course in symbiosis. Because of the large amounts of original data included, one may hope that specialists in the various subjects included will be able to obtain reprints of the paper(s) concerning their specialties or will have their libraries purchase copies of the book. PHYLLIS T. JOHNSON Costa Mesa, California