This book presents a 360-degree picture of the world of insects and explores how their existence affects our lives: the "good, bad, and ugly" aspects of their interactions with humankind. It provides a lucid introductory text for beginning undergraduate students in the life sciences, particularly those pursuing beginner courses in entomology, agriculture, and botany.

Insects have evolved very unique and interesting tactics using chemical signals to survive. Chemical ecology illustrates the working of the biological network by means of chemical analyses. Recent advances in analytical technology have opened the way to a better understanding of the more complicated and abyssal interactions of insects with other organisms including plants and microbes. This book covers recent research on insects and chemical communications and presents the current status about challenges faced by chemical ecologists for the management of pests in agriculture and human health.

This book is perhaps the first attempt to comprehensively project the uniqueness of molluscs, covering almost all aspects of reproduction and development from aplacophorans to vampyromorphic cephalopods. Molluscs are unique for the presence of protective external shell, defensive inking, geographic distribution from the depth of 9,050 m to an altitude of 4,300 m, gamete diversity, the use of nurse eggs and embryos to accelerate the first few mitotic divisions in embryos, the natural occurrence of androgenics in a couple of bivalves, viable induced tetraploids, gigantism induced by elevated ploidy, the complementary role played by mitochondrial genome in sex determination by nuclear genes and the uptake and accumulation of steroid hormone from surrounding waters. In molluscs, sexuality comprises of gonochorism (< 75 %) and hermaphroditism, which itself includes simultaneous (> 24%), protandry (< 1 %), Marian and serial. In them, the presence of shell affords iteroparity and relatively longer life span in prosobranchs and bivalves but its absence semelparity and short life span in opisthobranchs and cephalopods. Within semelparity, gonochorism facilitates faster growth and larger body size but hermaphroditism small body size. In them, sex is irrevocably determined at fertilization by a few unknown genes and is not amenable to any environmental influence. However, the sex determining mechanism is more a family trait in bivalves. Primary sex differentiation is also fixed and not amenable to environmental factor but secondary differentiation is labile, protracted and amenable to environmental factors. Both sex differentiation and reproductive cycle are accomplished and controlled solely by neurohormones. In these processes, the role of steroid hormones may be alien to molluscs.

Members of the phylum Echinodermata are among the most familiar marine invertebrates. Forms such as the sea star have become virtually a symbol of sea life. Used in ancient oriental medicine as a source of bioactive compounds, sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins are now used for the extraction and purification of cytotoxic, haemolytic, antiviral, antifungal, antifouling, antimicrobial and even anti-tumoural activities. In addition, of the five extant classes, sea urchins and sea cucumbers are important economic resources for current fishery and aquaculture. Molecular and cell biological techniques described in this book are, on the one hand, indicative of the improvements made over the years and, on the other, stress the need of their further exploitation for the sustainable production of bioactive compounds and their application in biomedicine.

Reflects on insect pests' evolution by evaluating existing theories, documenting case studies of diverse pest species and presenting new concepts regarding the problem of variation and implications for pest management strategies. Leading experts offer contributions which deal with variations in genetic markers and ecologically meaningful traits as well as future perspectives in entomology and biosystematics.

Imagine scientists controlling the transmission of certain diseases through the genetic modification of mosquitoes. Eradicating harmful insects without the use of pesticides. Or increasing the fertility of some insects who in turn eat harmful arthropods or even a plant pathogen. Those are just a few of the real-world applications of insect transgenesis, which offers substantial benefits to humankind-whether it be in improving agricultural productivity or reducing the spread of insect-vectored diseases. Insect Transgenesis: Methods and Applications is the first publication to describe in a comprehensive manner the various methodologies available, possible applications, and the risk assessment and regulatory issues involved in this fascinating area of research. Divided into several areas of interest, the book starts with an overview of the history and methodology of insect gene transfer. The book then examines gene targeting by homologous recombination and recombination systems, and systems for transgenic selection, including visible eye color markers, chemical resistance, and fluorescent proteins. Other sections consider the use of various vector systems to integrate DNA into a host genome or to express foreign genes in a host organism. The work concludes with strategies for the use of transgenic insects, including examples for agricultural pests and vectors of disease. Of particular interest are the final chapters that discuss risk assessment considerations and governmental regulatory procedures for the transport and release of transgenic insects.

Recent research has focused attention on the importance of intrinsic antiviral immunity, i.e. immunity mediated by factors that are constitutively expressed in many cells. In this volume, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of this relatively new and rapidly evolving field. They cover intrinsic proteinaceous antiviral immune effectors, such as the APOBEC3 and TRIM protein families as well as Tetherin and SAMHD1, which were initially discovered by researchers studying HIV-1. Furthermore, the role of RNA interference in antiviral defense in plants and invertebrates, as well as the interplay between microRNAs and viruses in mammalian cells, are analysed. One chapter discusses how intrinsic immunity and viral countermeasures to intrinsic immune effectors drive both pathogen and host evolution, and finally the emerging evidence that DNA damage response proteins restrict infection by DNA viruses is highlighted.

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Published in 1989: The CRC Handbook of Culture of Abalone and Other Marine Gastropods provides basic techniques and detailed information on the biology of abalone, tropical top shell, queen conch, and other gastropods. It supplies information and data on the culture, reproduction, nutrition, and economics of gastropods currently being raised.

Ants are familiar to every naturalist, ecologist, entomologist, and pest control operator. The identification of the 233 species of Florida ants is technically difficult, and information on Florida ants is dispersed among hundreds of technical journal articles. This book uses detailed and beautiful scientific drawings for convenient identification. To most Florida biologists ants are currently the most inaccessible group of conspicuous and intrusive insects. This book solves the twin problems of ant identification and the extraordinary fragmentation of natural history information about Florida ants.

With few exceptions, insects are perceived in industrialized countries as undesirable pests. In reality, relatively few insects interfere with us or our resources. Most have benign or positive effects on ecosystem services, and many represent useful resources in non-industrialized countries. Challenging traditional perceptions of the value of insects, Insects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services explores the ways insects affect the ecosystem services we depend upon. It also fosters an appreciation for the amazing diversity, adaptive ability, and natural roles of insects. The book discusses how the ways in which we manage insects will determine an ecosystem's capacity to continue to supply services. It reviews aspects of insect physiology, behavior, and ecology that affect their interactions with other ecosystem components and ecosystem services, emphasizing critical effects of insects on the sustainability of ecosystem processes and services. The author examines the integration of insect ecology with self-regulatory aspects of ecosystems that control primary production, energy and nutrient fluxes, and global climate-functions that underlie the sustainability of ecosystem services. Clearly, we need environmental policies that meet needs for pest control where warranted, but do not undermine the important contributions of insects to sustaining ecosystem processes and services. With in-depth coverage of the multiple, often compensatory, effects of insects on various resources or ecosystem services and on the consequences of control tactics for those resources or services, Insects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services recommends changes in perspectives and policies regarding insects that will contribute to sustainability of ecosystem services.

Cockroaches offer a useful and inexpensive alternative to traditional laboratory animals, yet most researchers are unfamiliar with their biology. This unique and comprehensive cockroach handbook is written for everyone from novice to expert. It addresses every aspect of cockroach biology, with a particular emphasis on the neuroendocrine system. Liberally illustrated chapters include such topics as cockroach culture, anatomy, behavior, and various experimental techniques. One of the few available books to provide broad coverage of the neurobiology of a single organism, this second volume is a must for all researchers in biomedical or veterinary fields, as well as for entomologists.

Anisoptera is the first of two volumes on the Odonata in the series Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects. The second will treat the Zygoptera. The Anisoptera volume encompasses the large dragonfly species. A brief review of the biology of the group includes illustrations of the main morphological features as well as explainations of alternative systems for naming the wing veins and other structures. This will prepare the user of the volume to understand the different names for the same structures that he will encounter in the literature. The review is then followed by keys to facilitate identification of the adult dragonflies and the known larvae, allowing the user a high probability of identifying his specimens correctly. In addition to anatomical features, the keys include the known ranges of the species, synonyms, and citations of literature in which more information about each individual species can be obtained.

The first efforts to explore ecological interactions between insects and plants across several trophic levels are presented in this book, with special focus on mediation of complex interactions by plant allelochemicals. The first section looks at effects of plant allelochemicals on predator/prey and host/parasitoid interactions. The second section reveals the role of micro-organisms as mediators of interactions between insects and plants. The third section unifies and extends current theory to examine the effects of allelochemicals on the second and third trophic levels. The final section traces the physiological effects of plant allelochemicals in animal behavior, population regulation, maintenance of mimicry systems, and evolution of host range.

The first International Conference on Horseshoe Crab's Conservation conducted at Dowling College, USA, (2007) and it's proceedings published by Springer in 2009, prompted the continued research and conservation efforts presented at subsequent conferences and colloquium in Hong Kong, Taiwan, (2011); San Diego, CA, (2014), (CERF); Japan, Sasebo (2015) and an accepted inclusion for a special session on Horseshoe Crabs at the 2017 CERF Conference held in Providence, RI, USA. All these aforementioned conferences contributed manuscripts, posters, workshop "position papers", and oral presentations the majority of which have not been published in total. In 2015, Carmichael et al. had published by Springer the majority of manuscripts from the 2011 Hong Kong / Taiwan conference. However, workshop results and all subsequent presentations and workshops were not. The Japan conference presented over 40 papers alone. A collection of all workshop summaries, poster presentations and new manuscript submittals (San Diego, CA; Sasebo, Japan; and Providence, RI) as well as products prepared for the IUCN World Congress in Hawaii, (2016), are included potential contributions for review in this compilation now available for global distribution in this Springer Nature publication.The "Proceedings of International Conferences on the Biology and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs", thus contains over 50 manuscripts and a diversified collection of documents, photos and memorabilia covering all four of the horseshoe crab species globally: their biology, ecology evolution, educational, and societal importance. This book exposes the impacts that humans have imposed on all four of these species, revealing through the coordinated effort of horseshoe crab scientists with the IUCN, of the worldwide need for a clear conservative effort to protect these paleo- survival organisms from a looming extinction event. Biologists, conservationists, educators, and health professionals will all welcome this book not only for exploration of its pharmacological interest, but also for the mystery of their longevity. This book also clarifies the future research needs and the conservation agenda for the species worldwide. Anyone working or studying estuaries on a global scale, will need to obtain this seminal work on horseshoe crabs.

Insect Cell Cultures: Fundamental and Applied Aspects is a comprehensive reference work, covering the key issues involved in nearly 30 review papers: cell lines (development, characterisation, physiology, cultivation and medium design); viruses (virus-cell interactions, replication, recombinant construction, infection kinetics, post-translational modification and passage effects); engineering (shear, bioreactors including perfusion, immobilisation, scale-up and modelling, downstream processing); applications; economics and regulatory aspects. For cell biologists, biochemists, molecular biologists, virologists, immunologists and other basic and applied disciplines related to cell culture engineering, both academic and industrial.

A richly illustrated introduction to the incredible world of beetles With some 400,000 species, beetles are among the largest and most successful groups of organisms on earth, making up one-fifth of all plant and animal species. No other animals exhibit such a dazzling range of size, form, and color. Mostly small, sturdy, and compact, beetles are incredibly well-equipped to find food, reproduce, and avoid predators. Additionally, their collective roles as herbivores, hunters, and recyclers are critical to the sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. In this lavishly illustrated book, beetle expert and author Arthur Evans presents an inviting and comprehensive introduction to the fascinating lives of the world's beetles. Universal in scope, The Lives of Beetles is packed with the latest scientific findings, presented in an accessible way. Individual chapters cover beetles' structure and function; evolution, diversity, classification, and distribution; communication, reproduction, and development; feeding habits; uses in medicine, science, and technology; and study and conservation. Each chapter concludes with nine stunningly illustrated profiles that highlight the lives of some of the world's most beautiful and interesting species. The book also features an up-to-date family classification, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading. We need beetles for the ecological services they provide, the technological innovations they inspire, and the scientific insights they reveal, so it is essential that we all get to know beetles better and strive to conserve their habitats. The Lives of Beetles is the perfect place to begin this journey of discovery and understanding.

Imagine a statistics book for bioassays written by a statistician. Next, imagine a statistics book for bioassays written for a layman. Bioassays with Arthropods, Third Edition offers the best of both worlds by translating the terse, precise language of the statistician into language used by the laboratory scientist. The book explains the statistical basis and analysis for each kind of quantal response bioassay in just the right amount of detail. The first two editions were a great reference for designing, conducting, and interpreting bioassays: this completely revised and updated third edition will also train the laboratory scientist to be an expert in estimation of dose response curves. New in the Third Edition: Introduces four new Windows and Apple-based computer programs (PoloJR, OptiDose, PoloMixture and PoloMulti) for the analyses of binary and multiple response analyses, respectively Replaces out-of-date GLIM examples with R program samples Includes a new chapter, Population Toxicology, and takes a systems approach to bioassays Expands the coverage of invasive species and quarantine statistics Building on the foundation set by the much-cited first two editions, the authors clearly delineate applications and ideas that are exceptionally challenging for those not already familiar with their use. They lead you through the methods with such ease and organization, that you suddenly find yourself readily able to apply concepts that you never thought you would understand. To order the PoloSuite computer software described in Bioassays with Arthropods, Third Edition, use the order form found at www.leora-software.com or contact the LeOra Software Company at [email protected].

A primary aim of this catalog is to offer an accounting for each species as originally proposed and for the first usage only of all its name combinations (including valid names, synonymies, and misspellings) that have been published for our area. We follow the policy outlined by the 1985 Code of Zoological Nomenclature for nonmenclatorial proposes that a dissertation for an advanced educational degree is not published unless it satisfies the criteria present in Articles 8 and 9.

Wang has gathered contributions from an impressive cohort of the world's most respected experts on longhorned beetles. Chapters review both basics of cerambycid taxonomy, mor- phology, and behavior (feeding, reproduction, and chemical ecology), as well as more applied concerns, such as laboratory rearing, pest control, and bio- security. Overall, this volume is a valuable contribution to the literature as a "one-stop shop" for readers seeking a comprehensive overview of longhorned beetles... It represents a tremendous effort on the part of Wang and the authors, and has resulted in a much-needed update to the literature. This volume is the only work of its kind available at this time, and is a valuable addition to the library of any scientist studying wood-boring beetles. - Ann M. Ray, Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio in The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 94, 2019 There are more than 36,000 described species in the family Cerambycidae in the world. With the significant increase of international trade in the recent decades, many cerambycid species have become major plant pests outside their natural distribution range, causing serious environmental problems at great cost. Cerambycid pests of field, vine, and tree crops and of forest and urban trees cost billions of dollars in production losses, damage to landscapes, and management expenditures worldwide. Cerambycidae of the World: Biology and Pest Management is the first comprehensive text dealing with all aspects of cerambycid beetles in a global context. It presents our current knowledge on the biology, classification, ecology, plant disease transmission, and biological, cultural, and chemical control tactics including biosecurity measures from across the world. Written by a team of global experts, this book provides an entrance to the scientific literature on Cerambycidae for scientists in research institutions, primary industries, and universities, and will serve as an essential reference for agricultural and quarantine professionals in governmental departments throughout the world.

Biology and Management of Invasive Quagga and Zebra Mussels in the Western United States is a synthesis of the biology and management of invasive mussels from scientists and managers working on invasive quagga and zebra mussels in the western United States. Invasive dreissenid mussels have spread throughout southwestern United States at unprecedented speeds, and present a unique threat to native ecosystems. This book documents the efforts, both successful and unsuccessful, of individuals and agencies after dreissenid mussels invaded the West. Although the book is designed specifically for scientists and managers fighting invasive mussels in western waterbodies, it offers an opportunity for scientists and lake managers worldwide to compare successful strategies relevant to their unique situation. It includes guidance documents and protocols related to early detection, prevention, regulation, monitoring, and control of these invasive pests in the West. It compares quagga and zebra mussels in the western United States with those mussels colonizing the Great Lakes and European waters.

The use of forensic entomology has become established as a global science. Recent efforts in the field bridge multiple disciplines including, but not limited to, microbiology, chemistry, genetics, and systematics as well as ecology and evolution. The first book of its kind, Forensic Entomology: International Dimensions and Frontiers provides an inclusive summary of worldwide research on this body of knowledge that integrates aspects of a wide range of scientific realms. The book first reviews the history of forensic entomology, its accomplishments, and future challenges in nations around the world. It then provides perspectives of other scientific disciplines that are shaping the questions being addressed in the field. With an emphasis on medicolegal investigations, the book: Provides countrywide and regionally relevant syntheses on the current state and future of forensic entomology worldwide Presents insight from up-and-coming entomologists who offer new perspectives on the field while acknowledging their predecessors' contributions and foundational work Highlights both established and newly emerging areas of forensic entomology research that provide the foundation and future of this exciting discipline Discusses the success of forensic entomology and identifies key challenges to current work and practice Supplies an internationally cohesive perspective to emerging multidisciplinary dimensions and frontiers of forensic entomology The book is designed to provide readers with a firm appreciation of the history of forensic entomology and the scientists who built its foundation in each of the countries presented. In doing so, it is destined to inspire new and exciting global collaboration among established researchers and newcomers to the field.

Plant volatiles-compounds emitted from plant organs to interact with the surrounding environment-play essential roles in attracting pollinators and defending against herbivores and pathogenes, plant-plant signaling, and abiotic stress responses. Biology of Plant Volatiles, with contributions from leading international groups of distinguished scientists in the field, explores the major aspects of plant scent biology. Responding to new developments in the detection of the complex compound structures of volatiles, this book details the composition and biosynthesis of plant volatiles and their mode of emission. It explains the function and significance of volatiles for plants as well as insects and microbes whose interactions with plants are affected by these compounds. The content also explores the biotechnological and commercial potential for the manipulation of plant volatiles. Features: Combines widely scattered literature in a single volume for the first time, covering all important aspects of plant volatiles, from their chemical structures to their biosynthesis to their roles in the interactions of plants with their biotic and abiotic environment Takes an interdisciplinary approach, providing multilevel analysis from chemistry and genes to enzymology, cell biology, organismal biology and ecology Includes up-to-date methodologies in plant scent biology research, from molecular biology and enzymology to functional genomics This book will be a touchstone for future research on the many applications of plant volatiles and is aimed at plant biologists, entomologists, evolutionary biologists and researchers in the horticulture and perfume industries.

The German cockroach continues to be one of the most important indoor urban pests in the world. They contaminate foods, transmit pathogens and produce allergens that trigger asthma. The last seminal publication dedicated to the German cockroach was published in 1995 by Rust, Owens and Reierson, and numerous advances in management technology, products, delivery system, basic and applied research have occurred over the last two-and-a-half decades. This book summarises the research on German cockroaches over the last 25 years with an emphasis on its biology and management. Fourteen authors contributed to this book, including university researchers and one pest management professional. In the preparation of this book, the authors provide a critical review of the research advancements in the past 25 years with the objective of making it a go-to reference on German cockroach biology and management. Biology and Management of the German Cockroach will provide the reader with a one-stop compilation of comprehensive understanding into the pest. It will be a valuable reference book to researchers, university professors, graduate students, pest management professionals, health workers, government agencies and even the general public when dealing with pests and pesticides.