Marine Life

Shrimps are a common feature of most Victorian rockpools. Most species, however, aren’t that easy to identify. They move quickly and can have translucent features. This guide aims to help amateur naturalists and beachcombers identify the common species of shrimps, prawns and lobsters.

How Is The Information Structured?

There are 32 pages dedicated to the introductory content, with the remaining 80 dedicated to species profiles. This allows the reader to get a solid understanding of the basics without getting overwhelmed. The introduction covers taxonomy, habitats and ecology. The tone is very beginner-friendly, although it is likely that you will need to return to these chapters to remember specific terms.

The later chapters are organized into either orders, infraorders or subfamilies. While that sounds complex, it is just a method of grouping similar species. The chapters are then broken down into families and, finally, species. Each family is briefly described.

Some chapters are relatively short; featuring just two families and one species per family. However, I found the structure easy to follow.

Species Profiles

Most of the species featured are the different types of shrimp. There are only a couple of species in the chapters for krill, lobsters and prawns. I was initially overwhelmed by the inclusion of additional species, but it is understandable considering the physical similarities.

Each page features 2-3 profiles. These profiles have information on the species physical attributes, habitats/range and size. In some sections, the species description is just three lines. I would have been interested in additional information, even if that information fell outside the range of a standard field guide. The information, however brief, is useful. They focus on the differences between species, especially in cases where some species look superficially alike.

In most cases, you get one image of a species. In some cases, you can get up to three images if the species has variations. I was frustrated with the image quality of some species, but this is understandable considering their small size. I also would have liked maps of a species known range.

Do I recommend it?

I wouldn’t recommend this for the casual naturalist. The size of the shrimp and their quick movements can make identification difficult. I’d recommend a general marine guide or the guide to crabs.

This book is great if you’ve developed a special interest in shrimps. You will likely need to track down additional resources; however, the guide should suffice for identification.

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I rarely noticed crabs when walking along the beach. That all changed when I started to visit Apollo Bay (Victoria), most school holidays. We would find multiple species of crabs each visit and wanted to learn more about them. There was so much diversity in the one harbour! I bought this book to help me figure out the exact species I was seeing.

The Introductory Section Was Too Brief

I understand the need for brevity when compiling a field guide. However, I think readers could have benefited from a lengthier introduction that was more user-friendly. Crabs are different from the land wildlife that most people encounter and require different terminology. An example is the ‘growth and development’ section. The authors discussed the reproductive cycle and how crabs have a planktonic stage at the start of their life. This section was a bit too jargon-heavy, and I often found myself flipping back to earlier parts of the book. This may be a struggle for those who are just starting out with crab identification. It is worth the steep learning curve.

The price is also a deterrent.

You are paying $25 for a book that is just 60 pages. Other books in the series, such as the Guide To Sponges, are the same price despite being twice the length. This isn’t a criticism, as I appreciate Museum Victoria publishing guides on such niche topics.

Species Profiles

Despite the above criticisms, I was pretty impressed with the specifics profiles. This guide has profiles on 63 species  of crabs that are commonly found in the intertidal environment. The species are organized according to family. For many families, an illustration is provided to help you tell the species apart. These often focus on the smaller details of the carapace. I referred to these sections more often then I would have thought.

Each page features 2-3 species. Each profile has one image, a brief paragraph on identification tips and details on the habitat and range. The identification tips are very focused on the beginner. Sometimes the authors will point out the key ID points, such as the colours of their claws, or will explain how to tell the species apart from a similar one.

This is enough to help you with most identifications. I did wish that the profiles were longer and included more images of variations you can get within a species. There have been times that I’ve struggled due to lack of experience such as the European Shore Crab. Having pictures from different angles would have been useful. I would have also liked photos showing the differences between the genders.

These criticisms have come from troubles I’ve had trying to identify species from photos. In some cases, I hadn’t taken a photo of the exact features I needed. This will change with experience. More information would have lessened the learning curve.

Do I recommend it?

Yes, I do. My criticisms stem from a fascinating with local marine life and the subsequent desire to learn more about my local crab species. I wish this book had been more comprehensive, as that would have helped me learn a lot quicker. Yet I’m so grateful that it exists. I’ve learned a lot despite the guides limitations.

Those on a budget may find it more economical to get a more comprehensive guide that includes multiple marine species. However, those guides wouldn’t have the close-up illustrations comparing species within a family.

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