This volume investigates the evolutionary origins and global biogeographical distribution of the Crustacea subphylum. Editors Gary C. B. Poore and Martin Thiel compile expert contributions to analyze how these organisms successfully colonized diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments. The text provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the adaptive mechanisms that allowed crustaceans to thrive across varying global biomes.

Experts identify this series as a foundational reference for marine biologists and zoologists specializing in arthropod evolution. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for researchers and advanced students in the field of natural history.