Invertebrates

Book Description

Invertebrates, Second Edition presents a modern survey of the 34 animal phyla (plus the Protista) and serves as both a college course text and a reference on invertebrate biology. Thorough and up-to-date, it is organized around the themes of bauplans (body plans) and evolution (phylogenetics). Each phylum is organized in a standardized fashion, treating the systematics, bauplan (support and movement, feeding and digestion, circulation and gas exchange, excretion and osmoregulation, nervous system, reproduction and development), and phylogeny. Detailed classifications, phylogenetic trees, and references for all phyla are provided. Tables summarize each phylum's defining attributes. The text is accompanied by an abundance of detailed line drawings and—new to this edition—color photographs.

Other key changes from the First Edition (1990) include:

* the incorporation of new developments in phylogenetics, developmental biology, and molecular genetics
* major changes at the highest levels among the invertebrates. Three phyla that appeared in the original book—Pentastomida, Pogonophora, and Vestimentifera—no longer exist, and a new phylum, Cycliophora, has been erected. Moreover, this edition discusses recent work in molecular systematics that has shaken classic views on animal classification.
* a large new section on "Kingdom Protista" (replacing "Protozoa") containing new contemporary views of these organisms (arranged in 18 phyla).

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2004-04-24

This is a really good book to have on your shelf. I will not be selling this textbook back!

To be permanently on desk.......2004-02-04

This is a very well organized, beautifully illustrated, comprehensive review of the invertebrates. I wish I had it when I studied biology, but I'm glad I can have it now on my shelf.

Well, It has a nice picture on the cover........2003-03-23

This invertebrate text is a mixed bag. Although the date on the Author's Preface is 2002, very few references more recent than 1997 are cited. The treatment is also very uneven. As expected given the authors' interests, the Arthropod treatment is done pretty well, but pretty much all the other major phyla are poorly treated. For example, reading the mollusk section is like entering a time warp; the gastropod systematic treatment is straight out of 1970s and the minor classes are perhaps worse. Within the molluscan overall framework, seminal works such as the Ponder and Lindberg treatment of gastropods are ignored, and the minor molluscan groups far no better; nothing more recent than references in the 1970s have obviously been consulted for the Scaphopods and although more recent references are listed for the Aplacophora and other minor classes the treatment is equally weak.

Similar problems are apparent within other major taxa as well.

Although the authors have tried to include some modern phylogentic analyses, the more recent data (from say, 1998 through at least 2000) that should have been included are totally absent.

Compared to the first edition, the text has many new illustrations; in fact, that seems to be the major positive addition over the earlier addition.

The book seems to have relatively few typographical errors.

Invertebrates - the definitive reference but without molecul.......2000-11-26

This large, comprehensive book is actually very suitable for the general reader. Concepts are explained well. Excellent line drawings accompany the text. The book starts off with general concepts, then covers the protozoa and then the placazoa (Trichoplax). It is suggested, as others have also speculated, that Trichoplax perhaps represents a surviving descendant of a premetazoan ancestor. The book then goes on to cover the sponges, cnidaria, ctenophora, platyhelminthes, pseudocolelomates, numerous chapters on worms, arthropoda, mollusca, etc, and finishes off with the invertebrate deuterostomes (including echinodermata, hemichordata and chordata). This book lacks recent molecular results, but nonetheless remains an excellent reference on the invertebrates.

Excellent text on the invertebrates.......2000-05-18

Brusca and Brusca's book, INVERTEBRATES, presents a wonderful treatment of this extremely diverse group of animals. The continuous themes of body plan, development, and evolutionary relationships provide a continuous focus for the book.

There is ample material in this book for any most groups of invertebrates. This book would work well for an undergraduate or a graduate level course. The line drawings and BW photos are great. The text is well written, and comprehensive taxonomic information is included.

I hope Brusca and Brusca come out with a 2nd edition, since this book was published ten years ago. If they do, it will be a top candidate for my invert zool course in the future.

Book Description

This long-awaited revision to Ruppert/Barnes' best-selling introduction to the biology of invertebrates is highly regarded for its accuracy and strong research base. This thorough revision provides a survey by groups, emphasizing adaptive morphology and physiology, while covering anatomical ground plans and basic developmental patterns. New co-author Richard Fox brings to the revision his expertise as an ecologist, offering a good balance to Ruppert's background as a functional morphologist. Rich illustrations and extensive citations make the book extremely valuable as a teaching tool and reference source.

Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Textbook and Reference.......2006-12-29

This is the best invertebrate zoology textbook on the market, perhaps the best ever written. The authors are not content to merely present in fine detail the classification, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology of invertebrates, they present alternative interpretations and controversial opinions where these topics are concerned. In that way, invertebrate zoology comes alive as an active, important, and relevant field of study for understanding the ecology and evolutionary relationships of these organisms in a global setting. I highly recommend this book for a course of study or as a reference for Earth Science instructors who wish to solidify and deepend their knowledge and understanding of invertebrates.

The best invert book on the planet.......2004-01-30

This text is the most comprehensive yet easy to read book on invertebrates out there. Using an evolutionary approach, it begins with the simplest organisms and ends with the most complex. Reproduction, organ systems, and lifestyle are discussed in detail giving the reader a functional view of a continuum of simple to complex nervous systems, digestive systems and locomotive and reproductive life styles. This book explains invertebrate zoology using techniques and concepts that can be used to study most biology topics in a systematic fashion. It is a must own for any undergraduate or post graduate!!!

The ""Bible" of Invertebrate Zoology.......2001-07-12

A modern replacement of Libby Hyman's classic series, but, even so, is now beoming out of date because of the rapid advances in molecular biology. Dr. Barnes is deceased and I understand that Dr. Ruppert has no plans to update the book, a horrendous undertaking. Nevertheless, I know of no substitute for this fine text. Readers should also refer to Margulis & Schwartz "Five Kingdoms".

Sets the standard for Invertebrate Zoology texts.......2000-05-04

Ruppert and Barnes' text, now in its 6th edition sets the standard for invertebrate zoology texts. The authors provide adequate depth for undergraduate courses in invertebrate zoology, and good fodder for graduate students starting in the discipline as well.

There are outstanding collections of line drawings in the text -- a method of illustration I prefer to photographs for most instructional purposes.

There is good coverage of invertebrate animal groups, but, since it's published in 1994, there are a few places where the book is becoming dated. There is, for example, no information about the Cycliophora, the latest invertebrate phyla to be proposed.

I hope that there will continue to be new editions of this text produced. I cut my teeth on the 3rd edition, and other editions have figured prominently as I have worked through my graduate and professional careers.

Top-notch material. If you are considering which text to select for an invertebrate zoology course, I urge you to give this book a look.

"quite simply the best book on invertebrate zoology".......1999-05-09

This book covers all the major taxa of invertebrate fauna and is surprisingly comprehensive for such a diverse topic.

Average customer rating:

Enthusiastically recommended as a college-level text.

Vertebrate Life (7th Edition)
F. Harvey Pough , Christine M. Janis , and John B. Heiser
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131453106

Book Description

Widely praised for its comprehensive coverage and exceptionally clear writing style, this best-selling exploration of vertebrate life is the only accurate and up-to-date treatment of vertebrates that employs a phylogenetic perspective and focuses on how vertebrates work, integrating ecology, behavior, anatomy, and physiology in an evolutionary context. A new chapter on conservation draws together information about the basic biology of vertebrates and shows how it is essential for biological and regulatory decisions that affect the survival of species. Discussions of anatomy, physiology, and behavior are placed in an evolutionary context, showing readers how animals work and how they got to be the way they are. Contains information about conservation and endangered species status—related to the basic biology of the groups stresses the importance of good biological information for management and legislation. Features a Cladistic perspective which reflects the widespread adoption of phylogenetic systematics (cladistics) as the basis for determining the evolutionary relationships of organisms. Includes emphasis on conservation—Includes the application of basic biological information about organisms in programs of captive husbandry and management of threatened and endangered species. For professionals in the fields of Vertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Biology Function, as well as Paleontology and Herpetology.

Customer Reviews:

Enthusiastically recommended as a college-level text........1999-03-13

Vertebrate Life would serve as an excellent upper-level college textbook to anyone interested in becoming informed about vertebrates. Professionally, I am a physicist, who after visiting the American Museum of Natural History's Hall of Vertebrates, wanted to learn more about the subject. Even after reading Vertebrate Life, I don't think that I could point out the squamate bone on a fossilized skull. On the other hand, with 733 pages, it is unfair to critize this book about a lack of coverage! The authors provide several pages of excellent references at the end of each chapter. So, if I really wanted to be able to identify a squamate bone, I'm sure that I could have found out from one of references. However, I was troubled by a number of typos, some of the them serious. Figure 15-3 appears to have the second half of the figure repeated as the first half. It would have been nice to see missing illustrations. Figure 3-6b identifies the Otic capsule as "Optic capsule" at one point. This confused me for a while. Even with all this, I was fascinated by what I read, and read the entire book, cover to cover, all 733 pages worth. For the serious student of our natural world, I would recommend spending full price for this book, and plan on spending more than a few hours with it.

Average customer rating:

A solid text
Good text for advanced students
Illinois Physiology Class Recommends Chapman's Text
AN ESSENTIAL BOOK !!!!!!!!!

The Insects: Structure and Function
R. F. Chapman
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521578906

Book Description

The Insects takes a detailed look at how insects function as animals. This textbook brings together basic anatomy and physiology and relates them to behavior. Coverage emphasizes the roles of different functional systems in the context of the whole organism using studies of many different species as examples. Unlike other texts, The Insects does not dwell on classification, opting instead to take an in-depth look at physiology, providing any biologist with a better basic understanding of how insects work. A long-awaited update of a well established standard text and respected reference work for students and researchers in zoology, entomology and physiology, this fourth edition has been rewritten throughout, while retaining the successful structure of the earlier editions. Illustrations have been augmented with electron micrographs, and expanded reference sections will make this volume a valuable addition to all biologists' bookshelves.

Customer Reviews:

A solid text.......2001-07-10

This is a solid text on the structure and physiology of insects. It has been used in two of my graduate level entomology classes, and none of the instructors have said "I wish Chapman had done ... differently".

Good text for advanced students.......2000-05-04

Chapman's book is a comprehensive and well-written entomology text. Not only does he cover all the basic topics in entomology, he does so in depth. This text may be too detailed and overwhelming for begining entomology students but is great for more advanced students. The one problem I have with this book is that Chapman often uses jargon without defining or explaining it, leaving the reader to look it up or remain confused.

Illinois Physiology Class Recommends Chapman's Text.......2000-05-01

The following comments were written by graduate and undergraduate members of an advanced class in insect physiology taught Spring Semester 2000.

Chapman's book is interesting and covers a variety of topics. It is interesting for learning about how much insects differ between orders. Chapman gives many examples of different phenomena in insects. As a student, though, all the examples and different phenomena make studying from the book difficult and overwhelming. It is useful as a reference, a book to read to clarify topics discussed in lecture. But it is very specific with the examples.

Chapman's textbook is comprehensive. It covers all aspects of insect physiology. It has full and updated literature citations for each chapter, which is very helpful for further reading. The language is simple and precise. But it is a little bit conservative and has slight coverage of some hot topics. The coverage favors insect structure and morphology.

For me as a student the Chapman text was very helpful, because it is clearly structured and it covers nearly all important fields of insect physiology and structure. The new edition is very up-to-date and gives good examples from recent investigations. It is a bit too focused on research conducted in the US, but this probably reflects the fact that most of the important research is conducted there. The illustrations are very clear and helpful.

I used this textbook in an advanced insect physiology class. To be perfectly honest, this book was a minor part of the class for me. I skimmed through it, used it for references, and as a sort of entomology handbook. From my perspective, it was a very complete source of information. At times it was a bit heavy on detail, but the information I needed was all there and clearly stated.

This book is not one that is useful to read from front to back. It is an excellent reference book that should be owned by all entomologists. Three or more specific examples are given for each topic instead of a generic example for all insects. This is useful because it gives you the range of known physiology of insects that can be compared to the reader's "insect of choice."

Chapman gives all the details an entomologist needs to know about insects. It may be a bit confusing due to the vast number of insects, but it is a good resource to own and keep. Chapman is very thorough.

One of the strengths of Chapman's new edition of Insects, Structure and Function is the wealth of examples. Every section of the book has examples from just about all of the orders of insects, although grasshoppers seem to rule disproportionately. A weakness with all of these wonderful examples is the cumbersome way Chapman places a list of them at the beginning of a section. He intends them to be as authoritative fleet of representatives who give some scale and scope to the subject being presented. They unfortunately end up as a heavy flotilla that diverts the reader's attention from the information sought. There are places in the book where subjects that are usually treated together or that work as a whole system are poorly integrated. Digestion and nutrition are so separately treated (they are in different chapters) that the reader finds herself having to cross reference from section to section to make cogent sense of what nutrients have to do with digestion. Strangely, when Chapman presents the great variety of insect form and function one has a sense of cacophony. Instead of giving us a unity, or even the illusion of unity, of how form and function interact we are presented with vignettes of research. But these vignettes do not provide us with the pretty and easy to get to views that we find on the Internet. We find ourselves lost somewhere in a tome that is more intent on directing our attention to variation than to presenting us with direct descriptions. But then again, how do you argue with the only author in English who has been brave enough to try to make a synthetic analysis of the most diverse group of animals on earth?

AN ESSENTIAL BOOK !!!!!!!!!.......1999-02-05

If you have Wiggleswort's Insect Physilology, Borror's Introduction to Entonology and Chapman's Insects Structure and Function, you have the best basic Entomology sources. Yes, is a little expensive but, It is not the life expensive too?. Buy it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Animals Without Backbones: An Introduction to the Invertebrates (New Plan Texts at the University of Chicago)

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The best book for Invertebrate Zoology
A must for Biologist of all levels.
A great classroom resource!
the best ever

Animals Without Backbones: An Introduction to the Invertebrates (New Plan Texts at the University of Chicago)
Ralph Buchsbaum , Mildred Buchsbaum , John Pearse , and Vicki Pearse
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226078744

Book Description

Animals Without Backbones has been considered a classic among biology textbooks since it was first published to great acclaim in 1938. It was the first biology textbook ever reviewed by Time and was also featured with illustrations in Life. Harvard, Stanford, the University of Chicago, and more than eighty other colleges and universities adopted it for use in courses. Since then, its clear explanations and ample illustrations have continued to introduce hundreds of thousands of students and general readers around the world to jellyfishes, corals, flatworms, squids, starfishes, spiders, grasshoppers, and the other invertebrates that make up ninety-seven percent of the animal kingdom.

This new edition has been completely rewritten and redesigned, but it retains the same clarity and careful scholarship that have earned this book its continuing readership for half a century. It is even more lavishly illustrated than earlier editions, incorporating many new drawings and photographs. Informative, concise legends that form an integral part of the text accompany the illustrations. The text has been updated to include findings from recent research. Eschewing pure morphology, the authors use each group of animals to introduce one or more biological principles.

In recent decades, courses and texts on invertebrate zoology at many universities have been available only for advanced biology majors specializing in this area. The Third Edition of Animals Without Backbones remains an ideal introduction to invertebrates for lower-level biology majors, nonmajors, students in paleontology and other related fields, junior college and advanced high school students, and the general reader who pursues the rewarding study of the natural world.

Customer Reviews:

The best book for Invertebrate Zoology.......2003-03-19

As a new teacher of Zoology, this book has become my most valuable resource for the invertebrates. The information is easy to understand and the labeled photos are wonderful. If I could chose a textbook for my students, this would definitely be it. My students have also found it to be a great resource for their studies.

A must for Biologist of all levels........2001-10-29

The beginning zoology student has a daunting task before them. There are at least thirty phyla of animals on earth, most with several unique ecologically important sub groups. The arthropods, for example, include almost a million species of terrestrial insects as well as countless aquatic animals ranging in size from the minute copepod to crabs over two meters in width. To get a grasp on all of these requires a good bit of effort, a well organized mind and no small amount of perseverance. While anybody who has tried is no doubt familiar with the several very good invertebrate zoology textbooks available this is the only book on the subject that can be appreciated by the mass market.

The book groups animals by the traditional phyla, and gives critical information on each. Characteristics, development, ecology and diversity are all included. There are many good black and white photographs and a few good line drawings. If I had one complaint about this book it would be unity. I would like to have seen each chapter organized along a set pattern. This would be no easy feat either. I would also have liked to seen more line illustrations. I did like the books treatment of the protozoans as well.

If you are a student of zoology, beginning or PhD, you should try and get your hands on this book. It will help you understand things better than anything single resource I have seen.

A great classroom resource!.......2000-08-31

I have used the book "Animals Without Backbones" for 5 years now in my Honors Zoology class here in Maryland. This text is great - it is easy to read and understand and the photos are fabulous! The only thing is that all the pictures are black and white, unlike the "fancy" new biology books. It reads at a level lower than my students, which are honors juniors and seniors. I give them additional information to supplement their studies, but I can't say enough about the photos and the labelled diagrams! A great book!

the best ever.......2000-04-02

This book is a necessity for anyone interested in the fascinating structure of spineless creatures. As an artist, I find this collection of photographs to be a priceless visual dictionary, and a sumptuous treat for the eyes. The writing is scholarly and dense, absolutely comprehensive. Also important for academes: Where drawing illustrations are necessary for clarity, they are doubled up with the photographic representation.

Average customer rating:

Decent book, but not all it's hyped to be
Astonishing
Much more than I expected
What else can on say
Evolution has an inordinate fondness for insects

Evolution of the Insects
David Grimaldi , and Michael S. Engel
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521821495

Book Description

This book chronicles the complete evolutionary history of insects--their living diversity and relationships as well as 400 million years of fossils. Introductory sections cover the living species diversity of insects, methods of reconstructing evolutionary relationships, basic insect structure, and the diverse modes of insect fossilization and major fossil deposits. Major sections then explore the relationships and evolution of each order of hexapods. The volume also chronicles major episodes in the evolutionary history of insects from their modest beginnings in the Devonian and the origin of wings hundreds of millions of years before pterosaurs and birds to the impact of mass extinctions and the explosive radiation of angiosperms on insects, and how they evolved into the most complex societies in nature. Whereas other volumes focus on either living species or fossils, this is the first comprehensive synthesis of all aspects of insect evolution. Illustrated with 955 photo- and electron- micrographs, drawings, diagrams, and field photos, many in full color and virtually all of them original, this reference will appeal to anyone engaged with insect diversity--professional entomologists and students, insect and fossil collectors, and naturalists. David Grimaldi and Michael S. Engel have collectively published over 200 scientific articles and monographs on the relationships and fossil record of insects, including 10 articles in the journals Science, Nature, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. David Grimaldi is curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at Cornell University, Columbia University, and the City University of New York. David Grimaldi has traveled in 40 countries on 6 continents, collecting and studying recent species of insects and conducting fossil excavations. He is the author of Amber: Window to the Past (Abrams, 2003). Michael S. Engel is an assistant professor in the Division of Entomology at the University of Kansas; assistant curator at the Natural History Museum, University of Kansas; research associate of the American Museum of Natural History; and fellow of the Linnean Society of London. Engel has visited numerous countries for entomological and paleontological studies, doing most of his fieldwork in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Western Hemisphere.

Customer Reviews:

Decent book, but not all it's hyped to be.......2007-07-25

This book was a textbook for a course on insect fossils I took a few years ago and we read it cover to cover. My fellow classmates and I (all professional entomologists) had mixed reviews of this book. While it undoutedly provides a lot of good information and is a tremendous contribution to the field of insect fossils, it also contains several mistakes and leaves out a lot of important information. For example, the professor for my fossil insect course is one of the world's experts on giant water bug fossils and was appalled to see what was clearly a giant water bug fossil, from a formation in Germany he has studied himself, labeled as a naucorid, a completely different insect. A description of a dryopid beetle fossil on another page said that all stages of dryopids are aquatic when the larvae are terrestrial. My classmates and I found several such errata throughout the book and felt they seriously undermined the reliability of the information it contains. We were also all annoyed by the lack of molecular support for the arguments presented by the authors. While morphological data is certainly important to consider in systematic studies, it is blatently obvious that the authors don't think much of molecular phylogenetic data. This is unfortunate because in several cases, molecular data has cleared up long standing controversies over taxnomic deliniations where morphological data alone could not. It is clear from the text that the authors are more comfortable with the morphological data than molecular (as expected - they're experts on insect fossils), which would be fine if the book was called Insect Paleontology. However, this book is called Evolution of the Insects. Molecular data is a huge part of modern insect systematics and phylogenetics and any book purporting to canvas the subject of insect evolution should take advantage of the entire wealth of knowledge available and report on it all. That said, this book does what few other books does: it contains information on both extant and extinct linages and it covers the groups we know only through fossils as thoroughly as it does the living taxa. For me, that information alone makes this book worth reading, and is the reason I give it 3 stars insted of 2.

Astonishing.......2007-07-17

It is difficult to understand how such an extraordinary book can be published for such a good price. The production values for this volume put to shame nearly every other book on evolutionary history I own. It is hard to imagine how the authors secured this level of support for publishing a relatively narrow-interest book. I assume significant grants must have been involved.

I can only hope that future books by different authors on the evolutionary history of different organisms (chordates, molluscs, etc.) will be afforded this level of support.

Much more than I expected.......2007-01-23

Evolution of the Insects is not a light read. It could be the textbook for a graduate course in Entomology, but if you are fascinated by insects and you want to use some of your gray cells, this book is for you! The authors present the latest views on insect evolution based on fossil evidence, anatomical studies of modern insects and molecular evidence as well. The images of fossil insects and phylogenetic trees are remarkable. I am enjoying and learning something new on every page.

What else can on say.......2006-08-30

Magnificent piece of work by the authors (scholars)! Incredible! It is about time such a compilation was put together. The significance of insects, and natural selection cannot be understated! To bad we will not be around in the near future but insects will. Enough said a must have in one's library.

Evolution has an inordinate fondness for insects.......2006-08-13

What organism has a loss of musculature in the antenna beyond the scape, possesses the Johnston's Organ, and for females the presence of an ovipositor formed by gonapophyses? The answer is an organism that seems to have the favor of evolutionary pressures for over 400 million years which has produced about 5,000, 000 species of insects that are alive today. The authors of this book estimate that perhaps 100 million species have existed at various points in this evolutionary timescale. Even if you are not an entomophile, even if you were never tempted to create a butterfly collection, and even if bee and ant stings, pesky cockroaches, and devastating grasshoppers cause you to believe that humans are better off without insects, this literary and scientific masterpiece will give you a deep appreciation for how the most successful life forms on the planet have evolved over the past 400 million years. Written for the professional entomologist and serious students of entomology, with some perseverance and discipline, along with a sizeable block in time, any reader who is interested in the subject matter can gain immensely from a reading of this book. Everything about insects is fascinating, and one could spend a lifetime for example just studying the evolution of one particular order of insects. For readers (such as this reviewer) who are not experts in entomology it is helpful to photocopy the glossary while reading the book, in order to have the important terminology readily available without having to constantly flip to the back of the book. There are hundreds of facts in the book that are fascinating and surprising. A small sampling of these include:
- The sociality of certain species of insects, such as bees, termites, and ants, does not by itself explain ecological dominance. The exact species and the size of the colonies must be taken into consideration also.
- Since the book addresses is about evolution, the authors address the theory of evolution in general and the biological mechanisms used in adaptation and change. The authors speak of insects as being the most diverse group of organisms in history. But how does one actually measure diversity and "evolutionary success" of a group of organisms? The authors list a few criteria for doing so: the longevity of lineage; the degree of diversity in adaptations; the biomass; the ecological impact. One can measure diversity by counting the number of species, and by observing the variety of structures and behaviors that allows insects to adapt to the environment.
- The high oxygen content of the atmosphere during the Permian period allowed the flight of gigantic insects, the griffenflies, which represent the largest insects that have ever lived. The Meganluropsis permiana had an amazing wingspan of almost 28 inches.
- Even though insects do not leave behind skeletons of bone when they perish, they have left behind an impressive fossil record in amber and other media such as carbon, silica, and tar.
- Insects are also masters of mimicry and camouflage. There are ample photos in the book that illustrate this.
- The insects are masters at being crop pests and spreading disease, and the authors point out that every plant species has at least one insect species that feeds on it. However, in spite of the major annoyance of insects to humans sometimes, to take away ants, bees, and termites the authors say would result in the possible extinction of all terrestrial life.
- Two species of insects, namely Apis mellifera (honey bee) and Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) have been the most intensely investigated life forms on Earth.
- For readers with a background in bioinformatics/molecular biology, the author discuss various methodologies for phylogeny reconstruction, such as likelihood models and Bayesian belief networks.
- "Popular culture" and Hollywood have played up the possibility of DNA preservation in amber. The authors give an explicit example where this has accomplished, namely a fragment of a chloroplast gene of 770 base pairs long from an extinct tree Magnolia latahensis.
- The `cryptobiotic' state that some organisms, the tarigrades, can be in, allowing survival through extreme conditions such as temperatures above the boiling point of water or high intensity X-rays.
- The origin of insect flight and geometry and anatomy of the insect wing, which contain flexion lines that allow the generation of vortices. Insects were the first organisms to fly, and with flight came sophisticated nervous systems. Insects could then learn, and as the case of the honeybee shows, impressively so.
- Mammalian evolution was coupled with that of insects as expected, with a good example being the evolution of the phthirapterons (lice).
- The coleopterans, the beetles, and given wide discussion in the book. The tiger beetle is the fast running insect and some beetles can spray an adversary with a hot mixture of water, oxygen, and quinones. The catharoid beetles and their bioluminescent ability is given detailed discussion. The genes utilized in bioluminescence have been inserted as transgenes in some organisms to study their metabolic activity. The authors discuss in some depth the evolutionary advantages of bioluminescence.

The list goes on, and the authors encourage the reader at the end of the book to further their studies of entomology and give warning to the importance of the preservation of insects, even though their resilience through time is unequaled. The extinction of insects by human destruction of habitat is a reality that must be dealt with, and the elimination of certain species of insects would be catastrophic for most of the lifeforms on the planet (the termites being the best example). Insects have thus been friend and foe to humankind, but through the techniques of genetic engineering the impact to humans of the foes can be diminished (such as malaria in mosquitoes). It is quite possible that the evolution of insects can be accelerated using these techniques, but if not one can still be confident that evolution will, to paraphrase the biologist G.E. Hutchinson, continue to have an inordinate fondness for insects.

Behavior and Its Neural Control in Gastropod Molluscs

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Behavior and Its Neural Control in Gastropod Molluscs
Ronald Chase
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

During the past quarter century, there has been a tremendous expansion in our knowledge about gastropods, their behavior and their neurobiology. We can understand a great deal about mammalian nervous systems by studying the relatively larger and simpler structure of the gastropod nervous system. Behavior and Its Neural Control in Gastropod Molluscs first reviews the broader aspects of molluscan biology and draws attention to the special features of the gastropod nervous system. The book then examines different types of behavior, reviewing progress in understanding the mechanisms of neural control, and emphasizing cases in which control can be attributed to identified neurons and identified neural circuits.

The Crustacea (Treatise on Zoology-Anatomy, Taxonomy, Biology)

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The Crustacea (Treatise on Zoology-Anatomy, Taxonomy, Biology)

Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9004137912

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The Biology of Terrestrial Molluscs

Manufacturer: CABI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0851993184

Book Description

With an estimated 35,000 species, terrestrial molluscs are one of the most successful and diverse animal groups in land-based ecosystems. These animals have long been of importance to human societies as food, medicine, crop pests, vectors of parasites, and as tools, personal ornamentation and currency in trade. This book is aimed particularly at students and professionals concerned with terrestrial Mollusca and presents a synthesis of current knowledge and research on the biology of terrestrial molluscs.

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Fantastic
Great book
Another Ten Star book!!
Can you say Pulitzer Prize?
Awesome macrophotographs

The Smaller Majority
Piotr Naskrecki
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674019156

Book Description

Smaller, on average, than a human finger, creatures climbing, scampering, and flying out of sight make up 99 percent of all animal life visible to the naked eye. This is the "smaller majority" that we meet eye-to-eye, often for the first time and certainly as never before, in Piotr Naskrecki's spectacular book. A large-format volume of over 400 exquisite, full-color photographs, some depicting animals never before captured with a camera, The Smaller Majority takes us on a visual journey into the remote world of organisms that, however little known, overlooked, or even reviled, are critical to the biodiversity of the tropics, and to the life of our planet.

Here are the species who truly dominate the tropics, both in terms of their diversity and the ecological functions they play--invertebrates such as insects, arachnids, or flatworms, but also little-known vertebrates such as the pygmy chameleons of Madagascar or legless, underground frog kin known as caecilians; here is behavior never before documented, as in katydids preying upon one another, photographed in places few have visited. Using pioneering camera techniques that allow us to see the world of these creatures from their point of view, the book exposes the environment in which they live, the threats they face, and the devastating impact their disappearance may have. A unique introduction to the marvelous variety of the overlooked life under our feet, Naskrecki's book returns us to a child's sense of wonder with a fully informed, deeply felt understanding of the importance of so much of the world's smaller, teeming life.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2007-05-15

Dr. Naskrecki's photography and the reproduction of it has created a book full of rare jewels! He is an entomologist with an eye for beauty and humor...all in the persuit of science. This book should be shared with children that they may learn what magic can be found behind a leaf or under a stone. His writing is concise and informative. This book is for everyone who appreciates what we have been given on this planet!

Great book.......2007-03-31

I bought one for my nephew's birthday. After looking at it, I had to buy another for a different nephew. The photos are MAGNIFICENT!!! Very enjoyable.

Another Ten Star book!!.......2007-03-07

I want to join all other reviewers in praising this book as one of the most beautiful books on animals, period! Simply put, this book defines the word "magnificence". A must have for all nature lovers. Get this book along and "Rainforest" by Thomas Marent and you'll be amazed of the wonderfull creatures that inhabit this world. This awesome book is well worth the few bucks it costs. Save the rainforests, before it is too late!!!

Can you say Pulitzer Prize?.......2006-04-30

This book is outstanding... Period! The work that went into this book results in a standard that will be incredibly hard to beat. Even though this is a serious work in natural history I certainly WOULD recommend this as a gift for a younger child, because they would be thrilled with the photographs all by themselves. Fun to read, this book is primarily a book of nature photography. And Oh, what photographs... the book would be worth every penny just for the photos of these small animals. If nothing else have your local library obtain this book.

Awesome macrophotographs.......2006-03-16

The photographs are outstanding and the text behind gives a good idea of the threats that many of these small creatures face. Thanks to our societies that will lead most of the animals to extinction!

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