MadSci Network: General Biology |
Any invertebrate zoology text should have pictures and diagrams of the freshwater plankton forms. I do know of several keys and identification books for marine invertebrates, since they are my passion and my specialty. Try these: Light's Manual: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Central California Coast. Ralph I. Smith and James T. Carlton, eds. University of California Press. **this key is one of the classic books that all marine biologists around here have and use. The newest edition also contains information on the marine algae. Robert H. Morris, Donald P. Abbott, and Eugene C. Haderlie. 1980. Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press. **this book has beautiful photographs and informative text. It's expensive, but worth it. Eugene N. Kozloff. 1996. Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. **this key is a bit more up-to-date than Light's Manual, and covers the northern range of the Pacific Coast of the US. With it and Light's, you'd be able to identify, at least to genus, most critters you'd come across on this coast. And the information can be extrapolated to other coasts, too. Also, Sea Challengers has put out a bunch of books recently, with beautiful color photographs. Text is limited, as these are more field guides than keys, but still useful. I have "Pacific Coast Nudibranchs," "Pacific Coast Pelagic Invertebrates - a Guide to the Common Gelatinous Animals," and "Guide to Marine Invertebrates - Alaska to Baja California." Hope this gives you some ideas. Unfortunately, I don't know of any online keys, but there might be some. Allison
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