Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, Second Edition

Colophon

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The animal appearing on the cover of Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, Second Edition, is a sand dollar (Echinarachnius parma). The sand dollar is a flattened, rigid, disk-shaped marine invertebrate related to sea urchins and sea stars. It is found in large numbers on the sandy bottoms in the coastal waters of many parts of the world. The sand dollar’s shell, or test, is often perforated with petal-shaped slots arranged around a central point. The mouth is located in this central position on the underside of the shell. The shell is covered with spines of varying lengths. These spines aid the sand dollar in locomotion and enable it to burrow just below the surface of the sandy bottom. In this sand, the sand dollar finds the tiny organic material it feeds on, pushing the food towards its mouth with tiny tube feet. Additional tube feet on the upper side of the sand dollar are used for breathing.

The sand dollar’s flower-like appearance and its abundance in many parts of the world have made it a favorite of shell collectors. Scientists have also taken an interest in this small invertebrate. The sand dollar is frequently used in the study of mitosis, the process of cell division. It is believed that a better understanding of mitosis may ...