This monumental reference work treats an entire worldwide order of insects. It summarizes, from both a biological and sytematic perspective, current knowledge on the Heteroptera, or true bugs, a group containing approximately 35,000 species, many of which are important to agriculture and public health.
To introduce the reader to this group, Randall T. Schuh and James A. Slater offer chapters on the history of the study of the Heteroptera, research techniques, and sources of specimens. They also cover attributes of general biological interest, including habitats, habits, mimicry, and wing polymorphism; selected taxa of economic importance; and basic morphology.
Presenting a current classification of the Heteroptera, the authors synthesize to the subfamily and sometimes tribal level the enormous, scattered literature, including diagnoses, keys, general natural history, a summary of distributions, and a listing of important faunistic works. In addition to a wealth of detailed illustrations, they provide a glossary to help the reader deal with the confusing terminology that has evolved over the years, as well as an extensive bibliography of more than 1350 entries.
Meticulously prepared by two of the world's leading specialists, this major work will be the standard reference on the Heteroptera for many years to come.
Reviews
"This book has been needed for decades and was awaited by entomologists and students alike working on bugs in any part of the world."--Imtiaz Ahmad, Zoology, University of Karachi, Pakistan, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 72, December 1997
About the Author
Randall T. Schuh is George Willett Curator, Department of Entomology a the American Museum of Natural History, New York. James A. Slater is Professor of Biology, Emeritus, a the University of Connecticut.
Subject Areas
