This book presents all Malacostracan cructaceans occurring in the Baltic Sea in water salinity from 2 to 15 psu. The Baltic sea is very special due to its low salinity and characteristic fauna. For each of the 58 species the systematic position, the origin and distribution in European waters are given, and the environmental preferences, the role in the food web and human economy described. The book describes the history of the Baltic sea and the occurrence of crustaceans in its history against the terms of hydrological conditions, explaining why in the Baltic sea only part of all marine crustaceans occur. The book is richly illustrated with photographs and beautiful pictures of animals specifically prepared for this book..

Table of contents :
Crustaceans in the History of the Baltic Sea (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 1-4
The Baltic Sea: A Living Environment (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 5-15
The Szczecin Lagoon and Pomeranian Bay (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 17-18
The Gulf of Gdańsk and Vistula Lagoon (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 19-21
The Gulf of Riga (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 23-24
The Gulf of Finland (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 25-26
The Gulf of Bothnia (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 27-28
General Characteristics of Malacostraca (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 29-31
Species Accounts (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 33-177
Non-native Crustaceans (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 179-183
Function and Importance of Crustaceans (Anna Szaniawska)....Pages 185-188
Back Matter ....Pages 189-199