London's Natural History Museum holds the oldest and most important entomology collection in the world - with over 34 million insect and arachnid specimens. Interesting Insects showcases the weird, wonderful, and often surprisingly beautiful world of bugs, from shimmering stag beetles to dazzling dragonflies. For each stunning specimen there is a close-up photograph and accompanying text describing its appearance, lifestyle, distribution and size, together with its key characteristics.

Jellyfish are one of the most conspicuous animals in our oceans and are renowned for their propensity to form spectacular blooms. The unique features of the biology and ecology of jellyfish that enable them to bloom also make them successful invasive species and, in a few places around the world, jellyfish have become problematic. As man increasingly populates the world s coastlines, interactions between humans and jellyfish are rising, often to the detriment of coastal-based industries such as tourism, fishing and power generation. However we must not lose sight of the fact that jellyfish have been forming blooms in the oceans for at least 500 million years, and are an essential component of normal, healthy ocean ecosystems. Here many of the world s leading jellyfish experts explore the science behind jellyfish blooms. We examine the unique features of jellyfish biology and ecology that cause populations to bloom and bust, and, using case studies, we show why jellyfish are important to coastal and ocean ecosystem function. We outline strategies coastal managers can use to mitigate the effects of blooms on coastal industries thereby enabling humans to coexist with these fascinating creatures. Finally we highlight how jellyfish benefit society; providing us with food and one of the most biomedically-important compounds discovered in the 20th century. "

Experts offer the most sweeping reference available on the subject of North American beetles. Their rigorous standards for the presentation of data create a concise, useful format that is consistent throughout the book. This is the resource of choice for quick, accurate, and easily accessible information.

This study is part of a series dedicated to the publication of reviews by experts of important topics in all areas of echinoderm studies, from molecular biology to ecology, palaeontology, biology and taxonomy. It addresses a range of topics in depth. The reviews seek to provide access to the field and to give direction to further study and research.

The phylum Platyhelminthes is constituted of about 50,000 species of flatworms, most of which are parasites of vertebrates, but many living freely in a wide variety of habitats from the deep-sea to the damp soils of tropical forests. They are, at least superficially, morphologically simple and have been considered the most primitive of multi-cellular animals. This book elucidates the position of the flatworms in the animal kingdom and the radiation of free-living and parasitic groups, by the use of established and modern systematic techniques.

Arnett and Thomas offer the most sweeping text available on the subject of North American beetles. Each section is presented in the same concise format, and the organization of the information is bt family. The editors have chosen the most respected of specialists to contribute the entries.

Heteropterans regularly cause a wide variety and large number of problems for humans - at times on a catastrophic scale. The 37,000 described species of this suborder including many pests, disease transmitters, and nuisances exist worldwide, inflicting damage on crops, forests, orchards, and human life. Inspired by the widespread economic impact of this activity, Heteroptera of Economic Importance presents the most thorough, detailed account of true bugs to date, from the bloodsucking bed bug to the dreaded assassin bug. It is the definitive source for biological information not only on true bugs of economic importance, but on the general biology of the major families of Heteroptera as well.

Heteroptera of Economic Importance integrates the best of insect-focused and crop-oriented references, synthesizing the biology, behavior, and ecology of the true bugs. Each entry includes a detailed life history, helping you to evaluate the impact of harmful and useful Heteroptera. The thorough, comprehensive bibliographies support further research. Separate indices to insects and plants let you adapt the book to your use. It covers the physiology of plant damage and predation by this cosmopolitan group. This coverage, along with information on control measures and natural enemies, helps you evaluate and compare the best methods of management.

Heteroptera can be serious crop pests, harmful to humans, or can be valuable as biological control agents. This work discusses them individually, with expert presentation of the biology, distribution, damage, and control of each economically significant insect. As a resource that lets you easily access information and research on related bugs globally, Heteroptera of Economic Importance lends itself to sharing of ideas and information across geographical boundaries which will inevitably yield more research, new ideas, and better control.

The term "zooplankton" describes the community of floating, often microscopic, animals that inhabit aquatic environments. Being near the base of the food chain, they serve as food for larger animals, such as fish.
The ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) Zooplankton Methodology Manual provides comprehensive coverage of modern techniques in zooplankton ecology written by a group of international experts. Chapters include sampling, acoustic and optical methods, estimation of feeding, growth, reproduction and metabolism, and up-to-date treatment of population genetics and modeling. This book will be a key reference work for marine scientists throughout the world.
Key features
* Sampling and experimental design
* Collecting zooplankton
* Techniques for assessing biomass and abundance
* Protozooplankton enumeration and biomass estimation
* New optical and acoustic techniques for estimating zooplankton biomass and abundance
* Methods for measuring zooplankton feeding, growth, reproduction and metabolism
* Population genetic analysis of zooplankton
* Modelling zooplankton dynamics
This unique and comprehensive reference work will be essential reading for marine and freshwater research scientists and graduates entering the field.

Part of a biennial series in which surveys of selected topics are presented, this volume discusses: velatida and spinulosida; adhesion in echinoderms; biological activities and biological role of triterpene glycosides from holothuroids (echinodermata); mass mortality of echinoderms from abiotic factors; mutable collagenous tissue; and extracellular matrix as mechano-effector.

About 95 per cent of all known animal species are invertebrates. A knowledge of their sexual, reproductive, and development biology is essential for the effective management of species that are economically useful to man or are harmful to him, his crops, and livestock. This treatise is the first to cover all aspects of reproduction and development of the entire spectrum of invertebrates -- terrestrial, marine, freshwater, brackish-water, free-living, and parasitic. The chapters, by leading world experts in their fields, are up-to-date and informative, and suggest a number of problems for future research. "Progress in Male Gamete Ultrastructure and Phylogeny" (issued in parts A--C) is the ninth volume in the series.
Contents Preface to the Progress Series; Preface to Volume IX, Part A; Contributors; Porifera, N. Boury-Esnault and B.G.M. Jamieson; Cnidaria and Ctenophora, Peter L. Harrison and B.G.M. Jamieson; Platyhelminthes, Nikki A. Watson; Nemertea, Ake Franzen and Bjorn A. Afzelius; Rotifera, Giulio Melone and Marco Ferraguti; Gastrotricha, Maria Balsamo, Elena Fregni and Marco Ferraguti, Kinorhyncha, Andrey V. Adrianov and Vladimir V. Malakhov; Nematomorpha, Roberto Valvassori, Magda de Eguileor, Annalisa Grimaldi and Giulio Lanzavecchia; Acanthocephala, Marcella Carcupino and Bahram S. Dezfuli; Subject Index; Species Index.

Echinoderm Studies is a biennial series in which comprehensive surveys of selected topics are presented. A guiding principle of the series is to cover all aspects of echinoderm biology so as to promote a better comprehension of this group of animals.

Ecotoxicology of Metals in Invertebrates reviews the state of the art in research concerning metal exposure of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial invertebrates. The book focuses on the uptake and accumulation of essential and non-essential trace metals by invertebrates, metal detoxification and involved mechanisms, adaptations to metal stress, metal regulation and elimination, distribution and speciation of metals in different organs and tissues, and interaction of metals with biotic and abiotic factors. Toxicological studies involve histopathological, electron microscopic, physiological, and biochemical methods. The book emphasizes the ecological and ecotoxicological implications that can be derived from metal exposure of invertebrates in the field. The significance of background concentrations, the evaluation of critical concentrations, and the establishment of environmental quality criteria are discussed as well. Ecotoxicology of Metals in Invertebrates is an excellent reference for ecologists, ecotoxicologists, environmental scientists, ecophysiologists, and students.

The 300 known viruses that affect invertebrates, mostly insects, are important for research and for pest control. Twelve studies review the advances in the knowledge and use of these viruses made possible by biotechnological processes. Special attention is given to the baculoviridae family, but othe

The Reef Guide documents some 800 reef fishes and invertebrates found along the east and south coasts of southern Africa.

Following on the success of Dennis King’s earlier two titles, this impressive new guide features 578 species of fish and includes sections on anemones, starfish, snails, crabs and shrimps.

Full-colour photographs and descriptive text for each species, along with useful and interesting information, make for easy identification. While focusing on southern Africa, the book is also applicable to the entire east coast of Africa, as well as the islands of the western Indian Ocean – Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, the Comoros and the Maldives.

Indispensable for divers, snorkelers and rock-pool enthusiasts, as well as fishermen and marine aquarists.

On rocky coastlines, receding tides leave standing pools that have long held a fascination for the amateur seashore naturalist, revealing glimpses of colourful and curious marine plants and animals. Animal diversity is far greater in the sea than in terrestrial or freshwater habitats, and the hugely varied fauna of rock pools reflects that fact. Rock pools also undergo dramatic shifts in temperature, salinity and pH, making such habitats crucibles of adaptation and change. This Naturalists' Handbook offers a comprehensive introduction to this captivating world, with chapters covering rock-pool ecology, seaweeds, animals, identification and guidelines for possible fieldwork and further study. Also presented are detailed keys to all the main groups likely to be encountered when rockpooling around Britain and Ireland - from sea squirts to chitons, from anemones to sea spiders, from amphipods to fishes. Rock pools is an indispensable tool in discovering these kaleidoscopic habitats and their multitudinous inhabitants.

Jellyfish form spectacular population blooms and there is compelling evidence that jellyfish blooms are becoming more frequent and widespread. Blooms have enormous ecological, economic, and social impacts. For example, they have been implicated in the decline of commercial fisheries, they block the cooling water intakes of coastal industries and ships, and reduce the amenity of coastal waters for tourists. Blooms may be caused by overfishing, climate change, and coastal pollution, which all affect coastal waters around the world.Jellyfish Blooms: Causes, Consequences and Recent Advances presents reviews and original research articles written by the world 's leading experts on jellyfish. Topics covered include the evolution of jellyfish blooms, the impacts of climate change on jellyfish populations, advances in acoustic and molecular methods used to study jellyfish, the role of jellyfish in food webs and nutrient cycles, and the ecology of the benthic stages of the jellyfish life history. This is a valuable resource for students and professional marine biologists, fisheries scientists, oceanographers, and researchers of climate change.

This work consists of seven plenary lectures read at an international conference in Tampa, USA.

The purpose of this book is to present the state of knowledge concerning nutrition and point out directions for future work for the Echinodermata, an ancient group which shows great diversity in form and function, and whose feeding activities can have great environmental impact.

This is the first ever monumental and scientific documentation of the faunal wealth of the Indian Desert state of Rajasthan. This volume, the first of two, provides background on Rajasthan and covers species diversity and distribution of fauna. A scholarly contribution to the field of knowledge, it provides novel and vital information on the vertebrate faunal heritage of India's largest state. Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include deserts and xeric shrublands, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. The corresponding ecoregions to the above biomes are, respectively, the Thar Desert and northwestern thorn scrub forests, the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests, and the Upper Gangtic Plains moist deciduous forests. Contrary to popular belief, the well-known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The latter have a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands, and salt lakes. Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. In this volume, the various flagship and threatened species are described in the 24 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world.

This series originated during a visit of prof. K. G. Mukerji to the CNR Plant Protection Institute at Bari, Italy, in November 2005. Both editors convened to produce a series of five volumes focusing, in a multi-disciplinary approach, on recent advances and achievements in the practice of crop protection and integrated pest and disease management. This fourth Volume deals with management of nematodes parasitic of tree crops, and includes a section on tropical fruit crops and commodities, as well as a second section on tree crops from more temperate areas. The latter also includes a chapter updating the current knowledge about the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Volume 4 flanks Volume 2 of this IMPD series, which focused on management of vegetable and grain crops nematodes. Nematodes are a very successful, diversified and specialised animal group, present in nature in any ecological niche. Among nematode species, only a reduced number feeds on plants, of which a few species cause severe economic impacts on crop productions. Plant parasitic nematodes represent an important concern for a broad range of agricultural productions and systems, worldwide. This statement explains the attention devoted in last decades to nematodes, and the research and technical efforts invested for their control.

This book consists of a series of papers that help to unravel the taxonomy of the phylum Brachiopoda and describe associated marine communities in the Levant. These faunas inhabited shallow shelf environments near the boundary of the Indo-African and Tethyan faunal realms near the Jurassic equator along the southern Tethyan margin. This research is part of a long term project that aims to delineate the distribution of brachiopods across faunal realm boundaries and reconstruct the biogeographic history of the region. The work provides a more detailed analysis of the endemism that is characteristic of the faunas of northern Sinai, the Negev and Jordan, and will also aid in the construction of a biogeographic framework for Jurassic strata in the Middle East. It represents an important contribution to our knowledge of the evolution of modern marine communities because their roots lie in the ecological diversifications of the Jurassic.

Offering an example for transnational cooperation and successful reduction of a neglected tropical disease, this volume shows how Chinese scientists and local physicians controlled schistosomiasis in Zanzibar. Over a four-year study, local medical specialists and the population of Zanzibar were taught how to diagnose the parasitosis caused by flukes (trematode worms) of the genus Schistosoma. Furthermore, methods to eliminate the disease and prevent new infections were established. The developed control system will avoid repeated increase of human schistosomiasis, which is still prevalent in the tropics and subtropics. Rural populations and poor communities lacking access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation are most affected. This book is a blueprint of activities urgently needed to combat schistosomiasis in countries with low medical impact. The strategies outlined are particularly relevant to parasitologists and professionals in public health, physicians, medical personnel and also governmental, healthcare and pharmaceutical institutions.

Scyphozoa have attracted the attention of many types of people. Naturalists watch their graceful locomotion. Fishermen may dread the swarms which can prevent fishing or eat larval fish. Bathers retreat from the water if they are stung. People from some Asiatic countries eat the medusae. Comparative physiologists examine them as possibly simple models for the functioning of various systems. This book integrates data from those and other investigations into a functional biology of scyphozoa. It will emphasize the wide range of adaptive responses possible in these morphologically relatively simple animals. The book will concentrate on the research of the last 35 years, partly because there has been a rapid expansion of knowledge during that period, and partly because much of the previous work was summarized by books published between 1961 and 1970. Bibliographies of papers on scyphozoa were included in Mayer (1910) and Kramp (1961). Taxonomic diagnoses are also included in those monographs, as well as in a monograph on the scyphomedusae of the USSR published by Naumov (Naumov, 1961). Most impor tantly, a genenttion of scyphozoan workers has used as its 'bible' the monograph by F.S.Russell (1970) The Medusae of the British Isles. In spite of its restrictive title, his book reviews most of the information on the biology of scyphozoa up to that date."

Annelida is a diverse group of animals, commonly referred to as segmented worms and currently comprising around 14000 described species. Found in most marine and freshwater areas, annelids have also successfully occupied many subterranean habitats. This volume documents annelid reproduction in the context of their phylogenetic relationships. It presents an introduction and overview to the current systematics of annelids and provides reviews to broad aspects of reproduction across Annelida. The chapters cover oogenesis, sperm, mating, early development, larval development and larval ecology. The book also covers some of the major clades (or purported clades) of annelids and addresses similar issues. The final chapter covers some of the more problematic annelid groups in terms of their phylogenetic placement.

The growth history of a brachiopod is entombed in its shell and internally there is a huge range of differing structures and morphological detail used by several authors as examples of ontogenetic and evolutionary change, as indicators of taxonomic relationships or discussion concerning micro-structural shell morphology. Population studies of living and fossil species and strands of recent progress in molecular phylogeny are all presented.
This single compilation, an up-to-the minute resume of knowledge and research into brachiopods, is a must for postgraduate students and researchers in evolution, zoology, geology, palaeontology and related fields.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203210433