In 1961, neurobiologists found that the conduction velocity of the nerve impulse in the giant nerve fiber of the" Penaeus "shrimp abdominal nerve cord was over 200 m/s, the highest speed of information transmission ever observed in the animal kingdom. The peculiar myelin sheath with its unique nodal structure and the electrical properties of the nerve fibers of the shrimp have continued to be investigated for a quarter of century and are now fully described in this book. The investigation dispels the commonly held belief that the fastest recorded impulse conduction is about 120 m/s in the thickest vertebrate myelinated nerve fibers. In the shrimp, researchers found a completely novel type of functional node in the giant fiber which they designated as the fenestration node. In portions of the myelinated fiber, the fenestration node furnished the sites of excitation. Also discovered was a new strategy for increasing impulse conduction in the shrimp. The book includes a section on the formation of the fenestration node and the discovery of a strategy that allows the shrimp to escape its predators by an action of the fastest velocity. The data presented in this volume on the myelin sheath of invertebrates present a new direction for this field and a rich source of information for neurobiologists worldwide.

Only four short decades ago, the control of insect pests by means of chemicals was in its early infancy. The pioneers in the area consisted largely of a group of dedicated applied entomologists working to the best of their abilities with a very limited arsenal of chemicals that included inorganics (arsenicals, fluorides, etc.), some botanicals (nicotine), and a few synthetic organics (dinitro-o-cresol, organothiocyanates). Much of the early research was devoted to solving practical problems associated with the formulation and application of the few existing materials, and although the discovery of new types of insecticidal chemicals was undoubtedly a pipe dream in the minds of some, little or no basic research effort was expended in this direction. The discovery of the insecticidal properties of DDT by Paul Miiller in 1939 has to be viewed as the event which marked the birth of modern insecticide chemistry and which has served as the cornerstone for its subse quent developement. DDT clearly demonstrated for the first time the dramatic potential of synthetic organic chemicals for insect control and provided the initial stimulus which has caused insecticide chemistry to become a field not only of immense agricultural and public health importance but also one that has had remarkable and unforseeable repercussions in broad areas of the physical, biological, and social sciences. Indeed, there can be few other synthetic chemicals which will be judged in history to have had such a broad and telling impact on mankind as has DDT."

Beekeeping is a sixteen-billion-dollar-a-year business. But the invaluable honey bee now faces severe threats from diseases, mites, pesticides, and overwork, not to mention the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder, which causes seemingly healthy bees to abandon their hives en masse, never to return.
In The Quest for the Perfect Hive, entomologist Gene Kritsky offers a concise, beautifully illustrated history of beekeeping, tracing the evolution of hive design from ancient Egypt to the present. Not simply a descriptive account, the book suggests that beekeeping's long history may in fact contain clues to help beekeepers fight the decline in honey bee numbers. Kritsky guides us through the progression from early mud-based horizontal hives to the ascent of the simple straw skep (the inverted basket which has been in use for over 1,500 years), from hive design's Golden Age in Victorian England up through the present. He discusses what worked, what did not, and what we have forgotten about past hives that might help counter the menace to beekeeping today. Indeed, while we have sequenced the honey bee genome and advanced our knowledge of the insects themselves, we still keep our bees in hives that have changed little during the past century. If beekeeping is to survive, Kritsky argues, we must start inventing again. We must find the perfect hive for our times.
For thousands of years, the honey bee has been a vital part of human culture. The Quest for the Perfect Hive not only offers a colorful account of this long history, but also provides a guide for ensuring its continuation into the future.

This text provides an introductory account of the physiology of insects, intelligible to any reader with an elementary knowledge of biology. It should be of interest to undergraduate students of biology, entomology and agriculture.

Arthropods are one of the most concerning threats in poultry industries due to both direct and indirect pathogenic effects. One of the most important arthropods affecting poultry production is in the genus Dermanyssus (Acari: Dermanyssidae) with Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer) the most important (Fletcher and Axtell 1991; Maurer and Baumga rtner 1992). Dermanyssus gallinae, also known as 'poultry red mite' or 'red mite' is a direct pest becauseitisanobligatoryblood-suckingparasite;itisonthebirdonlytofeedfor30-60 min and to spend the rest of the time concealed in cracks and crevices or in the litter. Its eggs are laid in the hiding places and hatch into six-legged larvae in 2-3 days. The chicken mite is seldom seen on the birds because of its intermittent feeding at night but skin lesions (especially on the breast and lower legs) are evidence of the feeding (Baker 1999). InEurope,D.gallinaeisoneofthemajorproblemsinlayingcagedhensandlessinbroiler industries (Chauve 1998) due to the longer productive cycle related to the former mana- ment.Theprevalenceofinfestedfarmsrangesfrom60%inUK(Guyetal.2004;Fiddesetal.

Arthropods are invertebrates that constitute over 90% of the animal kingdom, and their bio-ecology is closely linked with global functioning and survival. Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, provide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities, and are important indicators of environmental change. Yet the population trends of several arthropods species show them to be in decline. Arthropods constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species influencing earth's biodiversity. Among arthropods, insects are predominant, with ca. 1 million species and having evolved some 350 million years ago. Arthropods are closely associated with living and non-living entities alike, making the ecosystem services they provide crucially important. In order to be effective, plans for the conservation of arthropods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation. This two-volume book focuses on capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology, and conservation.Further, it seeks to identify the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and by means of which certain problematic species be managed without producing harmful environmental side-effects. This edited compilation includes chapters contributed by over 80 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing the diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of insect taxa. More importantly, it describes in detail the mechanisms of sustaining arthropod ecosystems, services and populations. It addresses the contribution of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods from a holistic perspective before addressing conservation issues at large. This book offers a valuable resource for all zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy makers, teachers and students interested in the conservation of biological resources.

Biomonitoring is a vital and rapidly growing field. Freshwater Biomonitoring and Benthic Macroinvertebrates presents a state-of-the-art look at the use of benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects, molluscs, crustaceans, and worms) in the biological assessment of water quality in lakes and streams. The use of these organisms has increased dramatically in the past two decades in both North America and Europe; no other comprehensive overview of the topic is available. This book contains contributions from nineteen experts from North America, Europe, and Australia. Some chapters contain updates and syntheses of new information on previously reviewed topics, while others present the first detailed coverage of a topic. The book includes much useful reference material on the history of biomonitoring with invertebrates as well as work of a more practical nature. The design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of benthic surveys are discussed in detail, as are toxicity testing and field experiments. This timely and important book will be of interest to professional entomologists, invertebrate zoologists, and aquatic ecologists, especially those in applied areas concerned with environmental quality, preservation, and restoration. Those working in the growing environmental biotechnology field, or in government agencies responsible for monitoring drinking water, environmental quality, or marine habitats, will also find many new ideas here.

Based on research in Bolinao, this book assesses the importance of small-scale disturbance by burrowing shrimps. It covers the distribution of burrowing shrimp disturbance, the behavior of the snapping shrimp Alpheus macellarius in situ and as observed from tank experiments, and the effects of short-term burial and leaf clipping on the growth patterns of the dominant seagrass Thalassia hemprichii. The book examines the role of bioturbation by burrowing shrimps in seagrass meadows, foraging strategies of A. macellarius and its mutualistic symbiosis with Cryptocentrus spp., shrimp disturbance and T. hemprichii, and small-scale disturbance and large-scale dynamics.

Machine learning is a novel discipline concerned with the analysis of large and multiple variables data. It involves computationally intensive methods, like factor analysis, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis. It is currently mainly the domain of computer scientists, and is already commonly used in social sciences, marketing research, operational research and applied sciences. It is virtually unused in clinical research. This is probably due to the traditional belief of clinicians in clinical trials where multiple variables are equally balanced by the randomization process and are not further taken into account. In contrast, modern computer data files often involve hundreds of variables like genes and other laboratory values, and computationally intensive methods are required. This book was written as a hand-hold presentation accessible to clinicians, and as a must-read publication for those new to the methods.

This book is a basic account of the life cycles and life history strategies of the major groups of desert arthropods. It covers a wide variety of topics including an overview of major adaptations in desert arthropods, characteristic features of deserts, a comprehensive review of life history theory, and a detailed description of embryonic and postembryonic development. The book also provides an in-depth discussion of the life history traits in these animals including development time, growth rates and patterns, age and size at maturity, size and number of offspring, sex ratios, costs associated with reproduction and longevity, and explains how these traits are inextricably connected by various trade-offs including those between current reproduction and survival, current and future reproduction, and between number, size and sex of offspring. Finally, the relationship between behavioral ecology and life history traits is discussed.

This book addresses the needs of professional and amateur taxonomists on the subject of ascidians in Asia. This is the first book of its kind and features color illustrations done by the authors in Asia. This book provides a brief overview of ascidians in addition to both the taxonomy and distribution of ascidians along India's southern coast. It also opens a new arena for marine researchers in the field of ascidians in Asia. This book is the outcome of the authors' 15 years of research experience in the field of ascidians, making it very helpful for researchers, coastal planners, port authorities and the proper management of coastal thermal plants and atomic power plants.

A survey of the development and practice of butterfly conservation in south east Australia, tracing evolution of the science through a series of cases from focus on single subspecies through increasing levels of ecological complexity to critical biotopes and communities. The book summarises much previously scattered information, and provides access to much regional information of considerable interest to practitioners elsewhere.

Documents the early history of paleontology and the role played by ammonoids Describes the basic anatomy of a diverse and long persisting lineage Summarizes the classification and diversity of ammonoids Lavishly illustrated with beautiful reconstructions Highlights recent findings and outstanding controversies

This book reviews the latest research on bioproducts from various economically important insects, such as silkworms, honey bees, lac and drosophila, and termites, and discusses their general, biomedical and industrial applications in detail. It includes chapters focusing on insects as a food source, probiotics, silk-based biomaterials, insect pheromones, insects as biomedicine source, pupa oil chemistry, non-protein compounds from Lepidopteran insects, insect chitin and chitosan, polyphenols and flavonoids. Model insects like Bombyx mori or bees were domesticated in Asian countries thousands of years ago. Over time, natural products from these animals became industrialized and today they attracting increasing attention thanks to their sustainability and their manifold applications in agriculture and biomedicine. The book is intended for entomologists, material scientists, natural product researchers and biotechnologists.

This edited collection is an introduction to the invertebrate work being performed by Russian scientists. The major emphasis is on studies of learning. In this book, the editors and contributors have brought together contemporary Russian experimental data on the behavior of various invertebrates including crustaceans, insects, and mollusks. The book should be useful for those interested in acquiring a working knowledge of the behavioral techniques, data, issues and history of Russian studies of invertebrate behavior. It will also be of interest to those studying the history of behavioral science in Russia.

This timely volume presents a comprehensive overview of the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying insect feeding. The single source for up-to-date information on the subject, it features contributions from the most authoritative scientists in the field worldwide. Taking an accessible approach focusing on the sequential stages of the feeding process, Regulatory Mechanisms in Insect Feeding explores the principles regulating feeding, and it offers information necessary for the development of more effective and environmentally safe methods to control the feeding of pest insects. The authors incorporate a spectrum of information in areas ranging from neurophysiology to insect control. An inclusive reference that reflects recent expansion and advances in the field, this book considers the problems encountered by insects when feeding on different types of food, as well as their adaptations for dealing with the problems introduces the cyclic nature of feeding activity and its components and provides the framework for the discussion of various control mechanisms discusses the underlying regulatory mechanisms of feeding in both the short and long terms in insects with a diversity of feeding habits synthesizes concepts and details of the basic mechanisms underlying insect feeding behavior that are essential for the development of pest management methods. Regulatory Mechanisms in Insect Feeding is the ideal text for graduate courses in entomology and zoology with a special focus on insect behavior, physiology, neurobiology, and control. It is also a valuable resource for ecologists interested in insect-plant and insect-animal interactions, for scientists concerned with the mechanismsbehind the physiology and behavior of feeding, and for those working in crop protection and pest management.

While we may have always assumed that insects employ auditory communication, our understanding of it has been impeded by various technical challenges. In comparison to the study of an insect's visual and olfactory expression, research in the area of acoustic communication has lagged behind. Filling this void, Insect Sounds and Communication is the first multi-author volume to present a comprehensive portrait on this elusive subject. The text includes 32 chapters written by top experts from all corners of the globe. Divided into two major sections, this groundbreaking text starts with a general introduction to insect sounds and communication that leads into a discussion of the technical aspects of recording and analyzing sounds. It then considers the functioning of the sense organs and sensory systems involved in acoustic behavior, and goes on to investigate the impact that variables such as body size and temperature have on insect sounds and vibrations. Several chapters are devoted to various evolutionary and ecological aspects of insect communication, and include rare information on seldom-studied groups, including Neuropterida and Plecoptera. The second section of the book includes chapters on communication and song repertoires of a wide diversity of insects, including Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Psylloidea, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera . Insect Sounds and Communication is packaged with a DVD, which holds sound and video recordings of many of the insects discussed throughout the text, as well as many full color illustrations not included in the printed text. The DVD also features an unabridged discussion in French of the contribution of the famous French cicadologist, MichelBoulard.

With rich detail and vibrancy, internationally recognized experts across several fields address the evolution and phylogenetic relationships of the Arthropoda . They offer innovative ideas to reevaluate the phylogeny of major arthropod groups, discuss the evolution of arthropod eyes in a phylogenetic context, present a comprehensive overview of appendage loss and regeneration, and address the most recent molecular phylogenetic data, including nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. They also discuss relationships between insects and crustaceans, offer diverse approaches to evaluate fossil evidence, and evaluate competing hypotheses for arthropod placement in the animal kingdom. .,."contributes important new insights into the rapidly changing field of evolutionary relationship within the arthropods, revealing a process in which the traditional view of phylogenetic relationships is being reevaluated and revolutionized. ...Fred Schram, as well as the many researchers honouring him with this volume, have markedly advanced our present understanding of arthropod phylogeny, while also providing a template for testing of arthropod relationships as the field advances in years to come." -Christoph D. Schubart, Universitat Regensburg and Carsten H. G. Muller, Institut fur Biowissenschaften, Universitat Rostock, Germany, Systematic Biology, Vol. 55 "It is a highly appropriate collection of thought-provoking and innovative papers...which should do Fred Schram proud. ...for anyone who is interested in current views on arthropods and/or crustacean relationships, and who does not shy away from interpretations that deviate strongly from the general views, this is a must-have volume." -Contributions toZoology "Reassuringly, perhaps, like any other multiauthored volume dealing with aspects of arthropod phylogeny, this one includes plenty that is controversial. ...This book...will serve as a marker in the development of ideas of crustacean and arthropod relationships." -Derek E.G. Briggs, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, The Palaeontology Newsletter, Vol. 61

The nemerteans are a fascinating, common and often locally abundant group of invertebrates, yet for long have attracted the attention of only a handful of scientists. In recent years, however, increasing numbers of people have developed diverse research interests in the group with the result that our knowledge of these worms has rapidly advanced. Clearly there is a need for a regular series of international meetings where individuals working on these animals can meet to exchange ideas, review developments concerning nemertean biology and freely discuss future proposals. The first such meeting was held in Philadelphia during December 1983. Twenty-seven scientists from eight countries participated in the Second International Meeting on Nemertean Biology, held at the Tjarno Marine Biological Laboratory, Sweden, 11-15 August 1986. The meeting was divid ed into five sessions: two dealt with ecological studies, two with nemertean taxonomy, and the final session covered aspects of general biology. A total of 26 papers was presented; four, by N. Anadem, G. Berg, 1. Bierne, and 1.M. TurbeviIIe, were for different reasons not submitted for inclusion in this volume. Three additional presentations were made on behalf of B. Kulikova, E. N. WiIImer, and Z. Yin, all of whom were unable to participate in the meeting.

Planthoppers include some of the most devastating pests of major agricultural crops throughout the world. One species, the rice brown planthopper, is among the most economically important pests in Asia. In past decades, government policies encouraged the control of rice planthoppers with synthetic pesticides, a tactic which promoted insecticide resistance and often led to the pesticide-induced resurgence of pest populations. To deter planthopper outbreaks, a more ecologically sound management strategy is being implemented, one based on a thorough investigation of population dynamics, natural enemies, and the genetics of host plant and insecticide adaptation. In the natural habitats of North America and Europe, scientists have also used planthoppers as model organisms to test ecological and evolutionary theory. The consequence of these diverse studies is an extremely scattered literature on planthoppers that has never been synthesized from an ecological perspective. This volume summarizes what is known about planthopper ecology and biological control. It takes a theoretical approach yet is deeply concerned with the application of theory to the practical problems of pest management.

Insects are the major component of the world's biodiversity. By their vast numbers of both species and individuals, they are vital determinants of the terrestrial ecological processes. Quantitatively, insects are important pointers for the species-rich geographical areas. Qualitatively, they are also important, whether the subjects of conservation themselves or as tools for identifying biotic areas with high endemism. "Insect Conservation Biology" covers a wide range of topics from single species to landscape conservation, and from rare butterflies to the benefits-and-risks of biocontrol agents. The approach is both positive and realistic, with insects being discussed in the contexts of sustainable development, agroecology and monitoring environmental change. Ethical issues surrounding insects are also considered as well as preservation technology and restoration ecology. Conservation circles have given too little attention to the ecological significance of insects, while entomologists have been employed mostly to control a tiny minority of species of insect pests. The realms of conservationist and entomologist are brought together in this book. This book should be of interest to conservation managers/biologists, entomologists, ecologists, and environmental scientists interested in biological diversity.

A multi-authored work on the basic biology of Asian honeybees, written by expert specialists in the field, this book highlights phylogeny, classification, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, biogeography, genetics, physiology, pheromones, nesting, self-assembly processes, swarming, migration and absconding, reproduction, ecology, foraging and flight, dance languages, pollination, diseases/pests, colony defensiveness and natural enemies, honeybee mites, and interspecific interactions. Comprehensively covering the widely dispersed literature published in European as well as Asian-language journals and books, "Honeybees of Asia" provides an essential foundation for future research.