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MISCELLANEA ZOOLOGICA HUNGARICA Tomus 6. 1991. p. 52 BOOK REVIEW SEY, O.: Handbook of the Zoology of Amphistomes, CRC Press, Inc., 2000 Corporate Bldv., N.W., Boca Raton, Florida, 33431, U.S.A., 1991, 480 pp., 488 figures, 1100 references. The amphistomes are one of the groups of the digenetic trematodes having broad geographical distribution and a wide range of their definitive hosts. After the 1930s when it became evident that the species of these flukes parasitic in ruminants were not harmless dwellers of the alimentary tract, thus an extensive investigation was started aiming at a better understanding of species of the domesticated animals. At the same time, the understanding of amphistomes of the wild vertebrates has remained an attractive research field in the future, too. The results achieved by the author in this field during the past twenty years are included in this book. It is divided into six chapters: 1. Morphology of the Amphistomes, 2. Ecology of the Amphistomes, 3. Systematics of the Amphistomes, 4. Zoogeography of the Amphistomes, 5. Dymanic Zoogeography of the Amphistomes, 6. Evolution of Amphistomes. The chapter on the morphology of these flukes presents the organ systems of the species in question, the preparation technique of histological sections, the structure and types of the pharynx, genital pore and acetabulum which are necessary for the modern diagnosis of species. Keys to these of organs are also added. In the ecological part the patterns of the life-histories, the intermediate hosts, the scope of the definitive hosts as well as the forms of the diseases caused by them and the possible ways of protection against them are described. The more extensive third part of the book is dealing with the systematics of all the presently (1988) known species (254). The short description of the species comprises data on their biology, the scope of the definitive hosts, their geographical distribution and the most important relevant references. The identification of the different taxa is made easy by the keys. The part dealing with the phylogenetic relationships of these flukes a new teory based on the latest results of the cladistic idea has been formulated. The zoogeographical chapter explains the dispersal of the Amphistomes by means of the host-parasite co-evolutionary interaction. It recounts the Amphistomes of various vertebrate groups and their present distributions are shown on maps which are compared with the supposed distributional parthways of the ancient forms. Some examples are also presented on the dynamic nature of distribution of certain Amphistomes. The last chapter gives a short survey on the possible evolutionary line of the Amphistomes based on the analysis of the neontological (plesiomorph, apomorph) character states. The information in this book satisfies the demands of both the practical (identification, life-cycle, Amphistomosis) and the general helminthological interests. Autoref.