Octopus
The Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate
by J.A. Mather, R.C. Anderson & J.B. Wood
2010, Timber Press, USA/UK, hard cover with printed jacket, about 16.5 by 23.5 cm., about 6½ by 9¼ inches, 208 pages, and 38 pages of full size color photographs
Most of us as shell collectors tend to forget that the Cephalopods are also mollusks. Not only does this group contain the largest members of this class but they are also the most highly evolved and intelligent species in the Molluscan fauna. They are fascinating creatures as anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing them in their natural habitat will affirm. And there is a certain morbid fascination in knowing that a small Australian species packs enough venom to kill a human being. This book is an excellent replacement to the now out of print "Cephalopods of the World" by Norman. It offers information on just about every aspect of the life and habits and habitats of the Octopuses as well as some tips on raising them in a home aquarium. There is a brief chapter on the other types of mollusks that make up the Cephalopods group, but the heart and soul of this book are given over to the Octopus. This book although inexpensive packs a great deal of information between its covers.
