This book recounts the habits of many interesting and unusual exceptions to the rule that insects are typically terrestrial forms of life. It examines the different ways that groups of species have developed modes of existence in or on the surface of water, and gives reasons why the gross morphology of insects is not favorable for life in or near bodies of water, such as wings that fail to function after coming into contact with water, rendering them useless.

This order once encompassed all insects with a complex network of wing veins, regardless of whether their metamorphosis was incomplete or complete. By the early 20th century, most of the species had been transferred to new orders, leaving only a small percentage of the insects once assigned to the Neuroptera remaining in that order. By the second half of the 20th century, some of the taxonomists began to believe that the fragmentation of this order had gone too far, and that the order Megaloptera needed to be grouped in some way with Neuroptera, either by making them suborders of the same order or by creating a superorder to accommodate both. This volume provides a discussion of both taxa, tentatively regrouping both in the order Neuroptera. While all known species of Megaloptera in South America have completely aquatic larval stages, few species in the suborder Planipennia, formerly called Neuroptera sensu stricto, are aquatic during any of their life stages. The most interesting of the exceptions are species in the family Sisyridae, some of which develop as larvae inside freshwater sponges.Because only a relatively small number of species are still included in Neuroptera sensu lato, this book provides keys to all known South American species that have been described well enough to be identified with any degree of certainty. Many species in the family Chloropidae, the neuropteran family with the greatest number of recognized species in South America, have proven to be valuable as biological controls for insect pests in agriculture. Their importance for tropical agriculture is another reason for including terrestrial species in this book. The series will continue with volumes providing keys to identify species of other South American orders, but in most cases, only aquatic insects can be included in the keys to the species.

This order once encompassed all insects with a complex network of wing veins, regardless of whether their metamorphosis was incomplete or complete.  By the early 20th century, most of the species had been transferred to new orders, leaving only a small percentage of the insects once assigned to the Neuroptera remaining in that order.  By the second half of the 20th century, some of the taxonomists began to believe that the fragmentation of this order had gone too far, and that the order Megaloptera needed to be grouped in some way with Neuroptera, either by making them suborders of the same order or by creating a superorder to accommodate both. This volume provides a discussion of both taxa, tentatively regrouping both in the order Neuroptera.  While all known species of Megaloptera in South America have completely aquatic larval stages, few species in the suborder Planipennia, formerly called Neuroptera sensu stricto, are aquatic during any of their life stages.  The most interesting of the exceptions are species in the family Sisyridae, some of which develop as larvae inside freshwater sponges.Because only a relatively small number of species are still included in Neuroptera sensu lato, this book provides keys to all known South American species that have been described well enough to be identified with any degree of certainty.  Many species in the family Chloropidae, the neuropteran family with the greatest number of recognized species in South America, have proven to be valuable as biological controls for insect pests in agriculture.  Their importance for tropical agriculture is another reason for including terrestrial species in this book. The series will continue with volumes providing keys to identify species of other South American orders, but in most cases, only aquatic insects can be included in the keys to the species.

Hemiptera - Heteroptera encompasses the three well-defined suborders of the true bugs which are adapted to an aquatic or littoral habitat. The book begins with a section on the biology these insects and provides illustrations of the basic features of their morphology and outlines the larval development. Brief outlines of the ecological and zoogeographical peculiarities of the three aquatic suborders are presented individually, and various methods for observing, collecting, preserving, rearing, and examining specimens are discussed. Most of the book is devoted to keys for the identification of adults to species, and notes are provided that will help recognize the known larvae. Unlike most other aquatic insects, the larval instars of the heteropteran species closely resemble the adults in their morphology, preferred habitats, and feeding habits. Therefore, distinguishing features of those relatively few larvae which have been described in detail are usually mentioned in the keys to the adults rather than being included in separate keys. In addition to the most important features for determining the individual species, many keys include additional notes on the morphology, which is intended to give the user a better chance of recognizing specimens of species not yet known to science. After the currently recognized name of each species, the known range is provided. Regions of the world outside of South America, South American countries, and the states of Brazil from which the species has been reported are listed. Following the range information, major synonyms previously used for the species in the literature are provided. If subspecies have been described and are still recognized as such, they are also discussed. Finally, if the status of the species is regarded as uncertain because of a poor description, strong resemblance to another species, or any other reason, a note is added that a detailed study will be necessary to clarify the status of the taxon. Taxonomic revisions in the book itself are strictly avoided. To provide the user of the keys with maximum assistance in making reliable identifications, the book is richly illustrated with pen and ink drawings of thousands of individual morphological structures arranged in 820 figures. The book is intended to make a significant impact toward popularizing the study of South American water bugs by assembling and condensing the information in hundreds of individual publications on the group, which appeared in many books and journals published in many different countries over the past 200 years. Some of these works are very difficult to obtain in South America, and their lack creates serious impediments to systematic, ecological, and zoogeographical research. In the more than 730 titles appearing in the bibliography, the original descriptions and revisions of almost all South American species can be found.

Research was carried out in Udorn Thani beginning in September, 1975, in order to elucidate the effects of seasonal changes on the aquatic community of a rice field. Physical and chemical changes that occur during the course of a year were recorded and related to the structure and activity of the aquatic biological com munity. A rice field was selected that is typical of the countless habitats of this kind that are found in Northeastern Thailand (Fig. 1). For a variety of reasons these habitats and their location are of special interest (Fig. 2). Figure 1. The rice field investigated, north of the province capital, Udorn Thani, Thailand. Northeastern Thailand and a small part of Laos comprise the middle Mekong Valley. Its geographic situation and climatic conditions set this area apart as a dis tinct sub-region of Southeast Asia. It is unfortunate that sufficient biological research has not yet been carried out to delimit the SUb-regions according to their fauna and flora and to fully describe the various ecosystems that occur in them. The middle Mekong Valley is one of the most neglected areas of the region, and there is no comprehensive literature on its biota. Very little ecological information is available on many of the species that abound there."

This work was begun to provide keys to the aquatic insect species known from Brazil. The original goal was to include all genera known from South America and all species from Brazil, but for most groups, the scope was expanded to encompass all species in South America, and, in some cases, to include terrestrial species of orders comprising both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. In no case is a taxonomic revision of any group undertaken, although recommendations for such revisions are included where appropriate, and probable synonymy of nominal species still treated as valid in the literature is noted. Two different approaches will be employed according to the taxon being treated. For phylogenetic groups encompassing overwhelmingly or exclusively aquatic species, such as the orders Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera or the families Dytiscidae and Culicidae, keys are provided to distinguish all genera and species known to occur in South America. An effort has been made to include every identifiable species so that the user ofthe key can determine with reasonable certainty whether or not his specimen belongs to a species that has already been described or whether it is one that is not yet known to science. Where feasible, complete keys will be prepared for groups containing both aquatic and terrestrial species that do not encompass an extraordinarily large number ofspecies. This has already been done for the order Collembola.

Hemiptera - Heteroptera encompasses the three well-defined suborders of the true bugs which are adapted to an aquatic or littoral habitat. The book begins with a section on the biology these insects and provides illustrations of the basic features of their morphology and outlines the larval development. Brief outlines of the ecological and zoogeographical peculiarities of the three aquatic suborders are presented individually, and various methods for observing, collecting, preserving, rearing, and examining specimens are discussed.

Most of the book is devoted to keys for the identification of adults to species, and notes are provided that will help recognize the known larvae. Unlike most other aquatic insects, the larval instars of the heteropteran species closely resemble the adults in their morphology, preferred habitats, and feeding habits. Therefore, distinguishing features of those relatively few larvae which have been described in detail are usually mentioned in the keys to the adults rather than being included in separate keys. In addition to the most important features for determining the individual species, many keys include additional notes on the morphology, which is intended to give the user a better chance of recognizing specimens of species not yet known to science. After the currently recognized name of each species, the known range is provided. Regions of the world outside of South America, South American countries, and the states of Brazil from which the species has been reported are listed. Following the range information, major synonyms previously used for the species in the literature are provided. If subspecies have been described and are still recognized as such, they are also discussed. Finally, if the status of the species is regarded as uncertain because of a poor description, strong resemblance to another species, or any other reason, a note is added that a detailed study will be necessary to clarify the status of the taxon. Taxonomic revisions in the book itself are strictly avoided.

To provide the user of the keys with maximum assistance in making reliable identifications, the book is richly illustrated with pen and ink drawings of thousands of individual morphological structures arranged in 820 figures. The book is intended to make a significant impact toward popularizing the study of South American water bugs by assembling and condensing the information in hundreds of individual publications on the group, which appeared in many books and journals published in many different countries over the past 200 years. Some of these works are very difficult to obtain in South America, and their lack creates serious impediments to systematic, ecological, and zoogeographical research. In the more than 730 titles appearing in the bibliography, the original descriptions and revisions of almost all South American species can be found.

There are many famous wetlands in the world that have been deemed important for the homeostasis ofthe biosphere and accorded some form ofprotected status in view of the richness of their flora and fauna. T}1e Pantanal, located almost directly in the center ofthe South American continent, is among the largest such wetlands in the world. It is, in fact, the largest wetland that is still in a nearly natural state and has not been extensively modified by man for agriculture. The extent of the region covered by flood waters at the end of each rainy season varies from year to year, sometimes considerably, so estimates of the exact area it occupies have varied enormously. The size of the 2 2 Pantanal has been reported to be between 80,000 km (Bonetto, 1975) and 250,000 km (Tundisi and Matsumura-Tundisi, 1985). The most co~on1y accepted estimates at the present time are approximately 130,000 to 140,000 km , supported by estimates made from Nimbus-7 satellite observations (Hamilton et al. , 1996). However, Por (1995) suggested that the area extending into Bolivia and Paraguay has not been satisfactorily 2 surveyed, leading him to accept the figure of 200,000 km as the area of the entire Pantanal, ineluding all of its extensions. The main reason for the year to year variation in the extent of the flooding is the considerable difference in timing of the rainfall on the watershed.

This work was begun to provide keys to the aquatic insect species known from Brazil. The original goal was to include all genera known from South America and all species from Brazil, but for most groups, the scope was expanded to encompass all species in South America, and, in many cases, to include terrestrial species of orders that include both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. In no case is a taxonomic reVlSlon of any group undertaken, although recommendations for such revisions are included, and the probable synonymy of nominal species still treated as valid in the literature is noted. Two different approaches are employed according to the taxon being treated. For phylogenetic groups encompassing overwhelmingly or exclusively aquatic species, such as the orders Odonata and Ephemeroptera or the families Dytiscidae and Culicidae, keys are provided to distinguish all genera and species known to occur in South America. An effort has been made to include every identifiable species so that the user of the key can determine with reasonable certainty whether or not his specimen belongs to a species that has already been described or whether it is one that is not yet known to science.

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. These citations are compiled in an extensive bibliography, including titles of the original publications in which descriptions of almost all South American species appeared. Although taxonomic revisions are deliberately avoided, suggestions for additional research are provided where the validity of taxa seems doubtful.

To provide the user with the best possible opportunity to distinguish the species, the keys are richly illustrated with pen and ink drawings of thousands of individual morphological structures arranged in 797 figures. It is certain that significant changes will occur in the systematics of South American dragonflies in the future, and this book should provide the impetus needed to accelerate the revisional work. Meanwhile, it will provide a comprehensive overview of the Anisoptera in South America that is otherwise unavailable to most South American scientists because of the great difficulties in obtaining the hundreds of publications from numerous countries in which the descriptions and revisions of the species appeared. It also provides young entomologists with a basic text for learning what they need to know to work effectively with the Anisoptera of South America and adjacent regions.

Already published within this encyclopedia:

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Collembola ISBN: 0-7923-6704-9
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Ephemeroptera ISBN: 1-4020-0775-2
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Plecoptera ISBN: 1-4020-1520-8

Forthcoming book titles:
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Odonata - Zygoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Orthoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Heteroptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Neuroptera, including Megaloptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Trichoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Lepidoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Coleoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Diptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Hymenoptera

This work was begun to provide keys to the aquatic insect species known from Brazil. The original goal was to include all genera known from South America and all species from Brazil, but for most groups, the scope was expanded to encompass all species in South America, and, in some cases, to include terrestrial species of orders comprising both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. In no case is a taxonomic rev1s10n of any group undertaken, although recommendations for such revisions are included where appropriate, and probable synonymy of nominal species still treated as valid in the literature is noted. Two different approaches will be employed according to the taxon being treated. For phylogenetic groups encompassing overwhelmingly or exclusively aquatic species, such as the orders Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera or the families Dytiscidae and Culicidae, keys are provided to distinguish all genera and species known to occur in South America. An effort has been made to include every identifiable species so that the user of the key can determine with reasonable certainty whether or not his specimen belongs to a species that has already been described or whether it is one that is not yet known to science. Where feasible, complete keys will be prepared for groups containing both aquatic and terrestrial species that do not encompass an extraordinarily large number of species. This has already been done for the order Collembola.

This beautiful volume, with hundreds of fascinating hand-drawn illustrations, completes the two-volume work on the order Odonata in the Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects. The Zygoptera volume encompasses the small dragonflies often called damselflies. The sections on the morphology of the adults and larvae are followed by discussions of factors influencing their distribution and instructions on the methods used to observe, collect, preserve, and examine specimens.

Zygoptera completes the two volume work on the order Odonata in the Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects.

The Zygoptera volume encompasses the relatively small dragonflies, often called damselflies. A brief review of the biology of the group includes illustrations of the main morphological features as well as explanations of alternative systems for naming the wing veins and other characteristics commonly used to distinguish the species. This will show the user of the identification keys in the volume the alternative names for the anatomical structures most frequently encountered in the literature. The sections on the morphology of the adults and larvae are followed by brief discussions of ecological and zoogeographical factors influencing the distribution of the dragonflies and instructions on the various methods used to observe, collect, preserve, and examine specimens.

Most of the book is devoted to keys that facilitate identification of both adults and those larvae which have already been described. For the first time, all of the available information needed to identify the adults of all recognized species inhabiting South America has been compiled from a large number of individual taxonomic works written in six languages during the past two centuries. Separate keys are provided to identify all larvae that have been positively identified and described prior to early 2007. In addition to the descriptions of the morphological features used to distinguish the species, the keys provide the known ranges listed by country and by states within Brazil, as well as the synonyms most likely to be encountered in the literature. The publications cited with the species names andin the keys can be found compiled in an extensive bibliography, informing the user where more extensive species descriptions and additional information about each species can be located. Although taxonomic revisions are deliberately avoided, suggestions for additional research and the opinions of experts concerning immanent taxonomic changes are provided where appropriate.

To provide the user of the keys with maximum assistance in making reliable identifications, the book is richly illustrated with pen and ink drawings of thousands of individual morphological structures arranged in 767 figures. It is certain that many significant changes will occur in the systematics of South American damselflies in the future, and this book is meant to provide the impetus needed to accelerate the work of nomenclature and revision. Meanwhile, it will provide a comprehensive overview of the South American Zygoptera that has hitherto remained almost unobtainable to most South American scientists because of the great difficulties in obtaining the numerous publications from numerous countries in which the original descriptions of species and taxonomic revisions have appeared. It also provides student entomologists with a basic text for learning what they need to know to work effectively with the Zygoptera of South America and adjacent regions.

Already published within this encyclopedia:

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Collembola ISBN: 978-0-7923-6704-8
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Ephemeroptera ISBN: 978-1-4020-0775-0
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Plecoptera ISBN: 978-1-4020-1520-5

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Odonata-Anisoptera ISBN: 978-1-4020-4801-2

Forthcoming book titles:

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Orthoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Heteroptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Neuroptera, including Megaloptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Trichoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Lepidoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Coleoptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Diptera
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Hymenoptera

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.

This work was begun to provide keys to the aquatic insect species known from Brazil. The original goal was to include all genera known from South America and all species from Brazil, but for most groups, the scope was expanded to encompass all species in South America, and, in some cases, to include terrestrial species of orders comprising both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. In no case is a taxonomic rev1s10n of any group undertaken, although recommendations for such revisions are included where appropriate, and probable synonymy of nominal species still treated as valid in the literature is noted. Two different approaches will be employed according to the taxon being treated. For phylogenetic groups encompassing overwhelmingly or exclusively aquatic species, such as the orders Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera or the families Dytiscidae and Culicidae, keys are provided to distinguish all genera and species known to occur in South America. An effort has been made to include every identifiable species so that the user of the key can determine with reasonable certainty whether or not his specimen belongs to a species that has already been described or whether it is one that is not yet known to science. Where feasible, complete keys will be prepared for groups containing both aquatic and terrestrial species that do not encompass an extraordinarily large number of species. This has already been done for the order Collembola.

This book is the second in a series designed to facilitate identification of South American insects likely to be encountered in, on, or near water and wetlands. After a general introduction to the study of Ephemeroptera, the mayflies, it provides illustrated keys for the identification of all species in South America that were described by the beginning of 2002. It is the only up-to-date comprehensive work of its kind encompassing the entire South American continent. The many illustrations facilitate identification of a mayfly specimen to species with reasonable certainty if the life stage has been described. If it has not been described, that is also clear from the information in the keys, letting taxonomists know where future studies would be fruitful. The book will be indispensable to all scientists and students investigating the mayflies of South America.
Already published within this encyclopedia:

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Collembola ISBN: 0-7923-6704-9;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Ephemeroptera ISBN: 1-4020-0775-2;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Plecoptera ISBN: 1-4020-1520-8. Forthcoming book titles:

-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Odonata;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Orthoptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Heteroptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Neuroptera, including Megaloptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Trichoptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Lepidoptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Coleoptera;
-Encyclopedia of South AmericanAquatic Insects: Diptera;
-Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Hymenoptera

This work was begun to provide keys to the aquatic insect species known from Brazil. The original goal was to include all genera known from South America and all species from Brazil, but for most groups, the scope was expanded to encompass all species in South America, and, in many cases, to include terrestrial species of orders that include both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. In no case is a taxonomic reVlSlon of any group undertaken, although recommendations for such revisions are included, and the probable synonymy of nominal species still treated as valid in the literature is noted. Two different approaches are employed according to the taxon being treated. For phylogenetic groups encompassing overwhelmingly or exclusively aquatic species, such as the orders Odonata and Ephemeroptera or the families Dytiscidae and Culicidae, keys are provided to distinguish all genera and species known to occur in South America. An effort has been made to include every identifiable species so that the user of the key can determine with reasonable certainty whether or not his specimen belongs to a species that has already been described or whether it is one that is not yet known to science.

This book recounts the habits of many interesting and unusual exceptions to the rule that insects are typically terrestrial forms of life. It examines the different ways that groups of species have developed modes of existence in or on the surface of water, and gives reasons why the gross morphology of insects is not favorable for life in or near bodies of water, such as wings that fail to function after coming into contact with water, rendering them useless.

Superbly written, this is an account by a participant in the airlift that supplied the blockaded capital of the Khmer Republic and several provincial capitals with food and other necessities of life during the last year of the United States' direct involvement in the Indochina War. Civilian pilots from many nations stepped in to fill the gap lift by the departing American armed forces; they had to contend not only with makeshift facilities and heavy fire from the invading Vietnamese but also with a monumentally inept and corrupt Cambodian bureaucracy, which hindered the effective operation of the airlift in countless way.