► Description: |
Seas and oceans cover 71 % of the earth’s
surface and they are home to 80% of all
life found on the planet . Among the
different components of marine life, the
phylum Cnidaria (formerly Coelenterata)
has been reported to be responsible for
more envenomations than any other marine
phylum. It is believed that 2% of its
known 11000 species are venomous to
humans. Incidents caused by jellyfish are
common all around the globe, with serious
manifestations and occasional deaths
reported in some countries. The Australian
box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri , has
been reported to be very dangerous to
humans, as contact with its tentacles can
provoke immediate cardiovascular collapse
and death within minutes.Though other
volumes on venomous marine fauna are
available, this is the first comprehensive
book focusing on venomous marine
cnidarians. It is a valuable
text-cum-reference resource for
researchers, teachers and students of
various disciplines, including fisheries
science, marine biotechnology and marine
biology and for university and college
libraries. It is also a useful guide for
beachgoers, divers, physicians and
environmentalists.
Table of contents :
Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii
Introduction (Ramasamy Santhanam)....Pages
1-5
Biology of Marine Cnidarians [Phylum
Cnidaria (= Coelenterata)] (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 7-27
Biology and Ecology of the Venomous Marine
Hydrozoans (Class Hydrozoa) (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 29-73
Biology and Ecology of the Venomous Marine
True Jellyfish (Class Scyphozoa) (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 75-132
Biology and Ecology of the Venomous Marine
Box Jellyfish (Class Cubozoa) (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 133-168
Biology and Ecology of the Venomous Marine
Anthozoans (Class Anthozoa) (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 169-285
Venomology of Marine Cnidarians (Ramasamy
Santhanam)....Pages 287-320
Back Matter ....Pages 321-343
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