Mites: Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour
Cabi
(Author)
David Evans Walter
(Author)
Description
There are over 40,000 named species of mite, and if estimates for unnamed species are included, then up to 1 million may grace the planet. By comparison, there are approximately 40,000 species of vertebrates, half of them fish, alive today. Mites are predators, parasites, herbivores and detritivores. They live in the dark depths of the ocean, in the lungs of birds, on the leaves of rainforest plants, and in human clothes and bedding. They are vectors of disease, vital players in soil formation, and important agents of biological control. Despite the grand diversity of mites, these small arthropods are often overlooked, and even trained biologists can be unaware of their significance.This books aims to fill the gap in our understanding of these intriguing creatures. It surveys life cycles, feeding behavior, reproductive biology and host-associations of mites, without requiring prior knowledge of their morphology or taxonomy. The text is richly illustrated with line drawings and photographs. Topics covered include evolution of mites and other arachnids, mites in soil and water, mites on plants and animals, sperm transfer and reproduction, and mites as models of ecological and evolutionary theories.
Product Details
Price
$326.77
Publisher
Cabi
Publish Date
September 01, 1999
Pages
352
Dimensions
6.86 X 10.8 X 0.99 inches | 1.72 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780851993751
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
CABI
Reviews
"This book surveys life cycles, feeding behavior, reproductive biology, and host associations of mites. Topics include: evolution of mites and other arachnids, mites in soil and water, mites on plants and animals, sperm transfer and reproduction, and mites as models of ecological and evolutionary theories."--Entomological News"Before I read this book mites were just small arthropods that were responsible for clogging up berlese samples and that itchy feeling after hiking. Never again. I now know that the Acari exhibit a multitude of feeding and sexual behaviors, and comprise somewhere between 0.5 and 1 million species. The authors have produced a very digestible entry into the extensive and scattered literature on mite ecology and behavior, and their enthusiasm for the subject leaps from the page. ... The authors are very well known for their beautiful scanning electron micrographs of mites that render the external anatomy of mites in exquisite detail, and the illustrations throughout this work are excellent. The goal of this book is to attract new students to acarology by showing them that mites are interesting and exciting; the authors hope to infect others with their 'acarophilia.' I think that they will succeed ..."--The Quarterly Review of Biology
