Contributors. -- Preface. -- Introduction, Anatomy, and Life History, J.R. Factor. -- Taxonomy and Evolution, A.B. Williams. -- Larval and Postlarval Ecology, G.P. Ennis. -- Postlarval, Juvenile, Adolescent, and Adult Ecology, P. Lawton and K.L. Lavalli. -- Fishery Regulations and Methods, R.J. Miller. -- Populations, Fisheries, and Management, M.J. Fogarty. -- Interface of Ecology, Behavior, and Fisheries, J.S. Cobb. -- Aquaculture, D.E. Aiken and S.L. Waddy. -- Reproduction and Embryonic Development, P. Talbot and Simone Helluy. -- Control of Growth and Reproduction, S.L. Waddy, D.E. Aiken, and D.P.V. de Kleijn. -- Neurobiology and Neuroendocrinology, B. Beltz. -- Muscles and Their Innervation, C.K. Govind. -- Behavior and Sensory Biology, J. Atema and R. Voigt. -- The Feeding Appendages, K.L. Lavalli and J.R. Factor. -- The Digestive system, J.R. Factor. -- Digestive Physiology and Nutrition, D.E. Conklin. -- Circulation, the Blood, and Disease, G.G. Martin and J.E. Hose. -- The Phy ...

Other than that it tastes delicious with butter, what do you know about the knobbily-armoured, scarlet creature staring back at you from your fancy dinner plate? Food writer Elisabeth Townsend here charts the global rise of the lobster as delicacy. Part of the Edible Series, Lobster: A Global History explores the use and consumption of the lobster from poor man’s staple to cultural icon. From coastal fishing in the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution and modern times, Townsend describes the social history of the consumption of lobsters around the world. As well, the book includes beautiful images of rarely seen lobsters and both old and contemporary lobster recipes. Whether you want to liberate lobsters from their supermarket tanks or crack open their claws, this is an essential read, describing the human connection to the lobster from his ocean home to the dinner table.

This book is an important addition to the knowledge of lobster research. The book complements other books published on lobster research and management as it focuses on Indian lobster fisheries and aquaculture developments where there have been nearly 350 research papers and reports and 19 PhD awards. The book has 15 chapters written by international experts covering many aspects of the biology of a number of spiny and slipper lobster species occurring in India and world oceans with maps illustrating global distribution of spiny lobster families, genera and species. An updated taxonomy and checklist of marine lobsters, the status and management of lobster fisheries in India and Indian Ocean Rim countries and a review of aquaculture research in India and other major countries have also been presented. The book is timely as the 2nd International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) is currently underway (2015-2020), 50 years after the original IIOE (1959-1965), with some of the original lobster research on the biology and distribution of phyllosoma larvae being undertaken on the plankton samples collected during the first IIOE. Many of the chapters are contributed by the authors from Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), which has been collecting fishery and biological data on lobsters since 1950 when lobster fishing began on a subsistence scale, followed by some industrial fishing for lobsters in different parts of India. Unfortunately, the development of some of these lobster fisheries was followed by overfishing due to lack of enforcement of regulations. The book provides a valuable addition to our knowledge of the biology, fisheries and aquaculture of spiny and slipper lobsters.