Notodontidae & Oenosandridae (Lepidoptera)


Book Description

This 11th volume in the World Catalogue of Insects comprises 4415 species in 532 genera of Notodontidae & Oenosandridae (Lepidoptera), which is about 1000 species more than ever before provided in any catalogue. Altogether 7434 names of taxonomic entities are included. 27 cases of new synonymies on genus level and 72 new synonymies on species group level are reported and 15 statuses of taxa are changed. One Neotype and 24 Lectotypes are designated to stabilize the nomenclature. In line with recognized homonymies 4 replacement names are proposed. The catalogue also includes 107 new combinations of Notodontidae. The bibliographical source of almost all of the listed taxa (including the infrasubspecific entities) has been checked by the author personally. The exact type-locality of a taxon as well as the depository of the type is given, where traceable.




Notodontidae of the Indonesian Archipelago (Lepidoptera)


Book Description

A standard work, which deals monographic with all oriental notodontid moths between Australia and the Malayan Peninsula. All species are illustrated as adults in both sexes in colour and in their genitalia. Detailed distribution maps are provided for each species.




The New Natural History of Madagascar


Book Description

A marvelously illustrated reference to the natural wonders of one of the most spectacular places on earth Separated from Africa’s mainland for tens of millions of years, Madagascar has evolved a breathtaking wealth of biodiversity, becoming home to thousands of species found nowhere else on the planet. The New Natural History of Madagascar provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis available of this island nation’s priceless biological treasures. Now fully revised and expanded, this beautifully illustrated compendium features contributions by more than 600 globally renowned experts who cover the history of scientific exploration in Madagascar, as well as the island’s geology and soils, climate, forest ecology, human ecology, marine and coastal ecosystems, plants, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This invaluable two-volume reference also includes detailed discussions of conservation efforts in Madagascar that showcase several successful protected area programs that can serve as models for threatened ecosystems throughout the world. Provides the most comprehensive overview of Madagascar’s rich natural historyCoedited by 18 different specialistsFeatures hundreds of new contributions by world-class expertsIncludes hundreds of new illustrationsCovers a broad array of topics, from geology and climate to animals, plants, and marine lifeSheds light on newly discovered species and draws on the latest scienceAn essential resource for anyone interested in Madagascar or tropical ecosystems in general, from biologists and conservationists to ecotourists and armchair naturalists




Processionary Moths and Climate Change : An Update


Book Description

Because of its peculiar biology, its negative impacts on forestry, and its urticating larvae affecting human and animal health, pine processionary moth has largely been studied in many European countries during the last century. However, knowledge remained scattered and no synthesis has ever been published. Since the IPCC retained the moth as one of the two insect indicators of climate change because of its expansion with warming up, filling this gap became increasingly important. Led by INRA, this book associates 101 authors from 22 countries of Europe, Minor Asia and North Africa, combining all the concerned research fields (entomology, ecology, genetics, mathematical modelling, medical and veterinary science, pest management) in a multidisciplinary approach to understand and model the processes underlying past, present and future moth expansion and to propose adapted management methods. Besides, the major biological patterns of the related processionary species are also detailed.




Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography


Book Description

The renowned German reference work The Handbuch der Zoologie/Handbook of Zoology was founded in the 1920's by Professor Willi Kükenthal in Berlin and treated the complete animal kingdom from single cell organisms to mammals in eight thematic volumes: Volume I Protozoa, Porifera, Colenteratea, Mesozoa (1925); Volume II Worms (1933/34); Volume III Arthropoda ex. Insecta (1927/1932); Volume IV Arthopoda: Insecta; Volume V Solenogastres, Mollusca, Echinoderma (1925); Volume VI Pisces / Amphibia (1930); Volume VII Reptilia / Aves (1931); Volume VIII Mammalia. The Volumes Insecta (Eds. N.P. Kristensen, R.G. Beutel) and Mammalia (Eds. M.S. Fischer, H. Schliemann) continued publication into the present with the most recent contributions in English language. Covering nearly 100 years of zoological research, the Handbook of Zoology represents a vast store of knowledge. But with the speed of scientific discovery in the past decades, a new edition of the Handbook in a new form is required. Beginning in 2010 the Handbook of Zoology will be restructured and offered additionally as a database (Zoology Online) which can be easily searched and rapidly updated. The eight thematic volumes will be replaced with smaller and more flexible groupings that reflect the current state of phylogenetic knowledge. Faster publication times through online-prepublication, reference linking, forward linking and multimedia presentations will make the Handbook of Zoology highly attractive to both authors and users. Aims and Scope The Handbook of Zoology aims to provide an in depth treatment of the entire animal kingdom from the lower invertebrates to the mammals. It publishes comprehensive overviews on animal systematics




Genetic Structure and Local Adaptation in Natural Insect Populations


Book Description

Providing an essential foundation for evolutionary theory, this comprehensive volume examines patterns of genetic variation within natural insect populations, and explores the underlying mechanisms that lead to the genetic divergence of coexisting organisms. In particular, the text investigates current research on finescale genetic structure in natural insect populations. Internationally renowned scientists offer a wealth of current information not previously published. Part I present case studies of adaptive genetic structure in natural insect populations, including a critical discussion of the strenghts and weaknesses of the experimental methods employed. Part II addresses the ecological mechanisms that produce adaptive genetic structure in natural insect populations. Part III describes how behavioral and life-history patterns influence genetic structure. Finally, Part IV combines theoretical and empirical approaches linking genetic structure at the population level with larger-scale patterns of variation, such as host race formation and speciation. This broad-ranging, interdisciplinary source of information supplies a thorough examination of the mechanisms that promote and impede genetic structure in natural insect populations. It is a book that will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students, and to researchers in the fields of ecology, evolution, insect and plant systems, entomology, and population genetics.




Insect Evolution in an Amberiferous and Stone Alphabet


Book Description

Insects are the most diverse group of life on Earth and their history extends well into the Paleozoic, making them among the oldest of terrestrial animal lineages. They are critical to the well being of ecosystems from the equator to the poles, and are inexorably tied to the well being of our world. Whether beneficial or malignant, insects wield an overwhelming influence on our health, economy, and security. It is little wonder that insects so consistently appear in our cultures, religions, and mythologies. Given such realities, it is vital that we gain a better understanding and appreciation of Nature’s ‘inordinate fondness’. Indeed, there is considerable wisdom to be found in the study of these marvels of evolution, and what better way to understand their present and future than to peer back into their distant past. Here presented are some of the results of the 6th International Congress on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber (FossilX3) held in Byblos, Lebanon in April, 2013. In the tradition of previous congresses, researchers from around the world gathered to discuss the latest developments and to build new co-operative endeavours. Recognizing that the future of our science is one of interdisciplinary collaboration, these meetings steadily grow in importance, and proceedings such as this reveal the latest hypotheses and conclusions, while inspiring others toward newer and greater goals.




Insect Biodiversity


Book Description

Volume One of the thoroughly revised and updated guide to the study of biodiversity in insects The second edition of Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society brings together in one comprehensive text contributions from leading scientific experts to assess the influence insects have on humankind and the earth’s fragile ecosystems. Revised and updated, this new edition includes information on the number of substantial changes to entomology and the study of biodiversity. It includes current research on insect groups, classification, regional diversity, and a wide range of concepts and developing methodologies. The authors examine why insect biodiversity matters and how the rapid evolution of insects is affecting us all. This book explores the wide variety of insect species and their evolutionary relationships. Case studies offer assessments on how insect biodiversity can help meet the needs of a rapidly expanding human population, and also examine the consequences that an increased loss of insect species will have on the world. This important text: Explores the rapidly increasing influence on systematics of genomics and next-generation sequencing Includes developments in the use of DNA barcoding in insect systematics and in the broader study of insect biodiversity, including the detection of cryptic species Discusses the advances in information science that influence the increased capability to gather, manipulate, and analyze biodiversity information Comprises scholarly contributions from leading scientists in the field Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society highlights the rapid growth of insect biodiversity research and includes an expanded treatment of the topic that addresses the major insect groups, the zoogeographic regions of biodiversity, and the scope of systematics approaches for handling biodiversity data.




A Guide to Australian Moths


Book Description

Moths are often thought of as the ugly cousins of butterflies, yet their colours can be just as remarkable and, with over 20,000 species in Australia, their biology and lifestyles are far more diverse. With striking colour photographs of live moths in their natural habitat, this guide illustrates all the major moth families in Australia, including some rarely seen species. It provides many curious facts about the unusual aspects of moth biology, including details on day-flying species, camouflage, moths that mimic wasps, larvae with stinging hairs, and larvae that have gills. This easy-to-read book includes sections on the iconic Witjuti grubs, Bogong moths, the giant-tailed Hercules moths of northern Queensland (one of the largest moths in the world, with a wingspan of over 25 cm), moths that release hydrocyanic acid in their defence, and moths that produce ultrasonic calls that bats learn to associate with a bad taste. A Guide to Australian Moths highlights the environmental role of moths, their relationships with other animals and plants, and their importance to humans. It provides a unique introduction to the extraordinary diversity of moths found in Australia.




Tiger Moths and Woolly Bears


Book Description

Moths of the family Arctiidae, with their brilliant coloration, spectacular courtship rituals, and bizarre defenses, are wonders of the natural world. Unpalatable by virtue of secondary chemicals acquired from their hostplants, these moths advertise their defenses by their coloration and often mimic butterflies, wasps, bees, stinkbugs, and even cockroaches. They have ears with which they hear the echolocation of bats, and some answer with aposematic warnings, while some may jam the bats' sonar.This book, the first written on this fascinating group, documents how tiger moths and woolly bears-the adults and larvae of the Arctiidae-flourish in a world rife with predators, parasites, and competitors. The contributing authors' accounts, each written by a recognized expert in the field, weave together seminal studies on phylogeny and behavior, natural history, chemical communication, mate choice and sexual selection, chemical ecology, parasite-host relationships, self medication, animal orientation, predator-prey interactions, mimicry, adaptive coloration, speciation, biodiversity, and more.