There is so much information on this e-monograph that it has been produced as a DVD-ROM instead of two CD-ROMs to make it function more effectively. It is a unique taxonomic reference work covering almost 2,600 plankton species occurring in the South Atlantic Ocean. These are classified under 1,300 higher taxa, such as the Medusae, Siphonophorae, Ctenophora, Chaetognatha, planktonic Tunicata and Polychaeta, pelagic Gastropoda and Cephalopoda, and a vast group of planktonic Crustacea. Fifteen of the 28 higher-level groups treated have new interactive, illustrated keys to family, genus or species level. Also, four different IdentifyIt™ keys are provided on this DVD-ROM: one for the Foraminifera, one for the Siphonophorae, and two for the Hydromedusae. IdentifyIt™ is a multiple-entry identification key that allows you to define multiple characters for a specimen and then calculates which species is the closest match.
For most groups, geographical and vertical distribution patterns are given, from equatorial waters to the Antarctic circumpolar belt. General introductory information on morphology, reproduction, development, feeding, production rates, etc. is included, and the 3345 literature references provided will help to guide the user towards the relevant papers on each subject. A section on methodology is part of this information system as well. Common biological, morphological and geographical terms are captured in an illustrated glossary defining 1375 terms. All text is ‘hyperlinked’, enabling quick navigation through the massive amount of information.
This authoritative work, compiled and edited by Prof. Demetrio Boltovskoy, provides contributions from 41 oceanographers and marine biologists. It is a remarkable and fundamental source of information for marine biologists, oceanographers, environmentalists and students and deserves to be widely available in both personal and scientific libraries.
Professor Boltovskoy writes:
Welcome to the world of plankton of the South Atlantic Ocean. The printed version of this e-mongraph, titled South Atlantic Zooplankton, was published in two volumes of about 850 pages each (Boltovskoy, 1999). With the publication of this electronic version, the two thick, heavy books have been updated and are combined into one thin, light DVD-ROM. It provides the user with identification keys for most of the taxa, short descriptions or key characters for the species and higher taxa, thousands of illustrations, and a general introduction to the South Atlantic Ocean that benefits from recently published comprehensive reports for the World Ocean and/or for restricted oceanic areas.
Because all chapters were prepared by authorities of international standing with extensive experience in their respective fields, the information presented is by no means a mere compilation of previous literature, but represents highly critical overviews.
Most biological oceanographers working on zooplanktonic organisms are familiar with the systematics and distribution of one group of animals, have a vague understanding of a couple more, and usually know very little about the rest. Our time is often barely sufficient to keep abreast with the literature on our main subject of interest, let alone exploring publications centered on other groups. One of the main purposes of the present volume is to fill this gap by offering an updated, comprehensive compendium that includes all marine zooplanktonic groups. Consequently, this DVD-ROM summarizes available data on the classification and geographical distribution of 28 higher-level taxa in the South Atlantic Ocean. General introductory information on morphology, reproduction, development, feeding, production rates, etc. is also included, and the references provided should be helpful in guiding users towards the relevant papers on each subject.
In short, this DVD-ROM provides a thoroughly documented review of the zooplankton species that are present in the South Atlantic, from the equator to 60°S, from the coasts of South America to Africa, and over their geographic and vertical ranges. In this respect, this is one of the first such attempts to synthesize the information for a vast oceanic basin, one that is certainly in need of much further research.
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Marine Biology 
