Curculionoidea Ii

Volume 8 of the Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera provides a list of all taxa of the bulk of the family Curculionidae and of Cryptolaryngidae reported from the biogeographical realm covered. For the genus and species-groups taxa all available names are given, and for the valid species and subspecies the distribution per country is shown, including more details for endemic taxa. Type species are listed for all genus-group names. The work is based on verification of the primary sources, and the respective references are given. Particular chapters deal with the actual impediments of taxonomy, nomenclatural and taxonomic problems, and corrections to previously published volumes of the Catalogue.

This volume covers the remainder of the primitive weevils (Division Orthoceri), namely the families Brentidae, Eurhynchidae and Apionidae. It catalogues 43 genera and 173 species and features almost 2000 individual drawings and black-and-white photographs. These illustrations are augmented by 270 full-colour habitus photographs in Volumes V and VI. The volume also includes an important chapter on the Immature Stages of Australian Curculionoidea by Brenda May, New Zealand, which describes the larval and pupal stages of 158 species of Australian weevils and features overviews of larval characters and their nomenclature as well as of rearing and preservation techniques applicable to weevil larvae. More than half the drawings in the volume accompany this chapter.

Australian Weevils: Volume IV covers the 11 smaller tribes of the weevil subfamily Entiminae (broad-nosed weevils), which comprises more than 100 genera and 700 described species in Australia. Around half of this fauna is covered in Volume IV, featuring keys to all the tribes, genera and described species as well as updated concepts and diagnoses of the tribes and summarising accounts of the taxonomy, nomenclature, distribution and known hostplants of all the genera and species. All the introduced species of Entiminae in Australia, most of which are regarded as agricultural or horticultural pests, are included, as are descriptions of 12 new genera and eight new species and identifications of about another 240 undescribed species. The book also includes an overview of the salient characters of the Entiminae, illustrated on 18 colour plates of diagnostic features needed for identifying these weevils, alongside a further 180 colour plates illustrating the habitus and genitalia of all the genera and of several other species and their diagnostic characters. The volume further includes an obituary and full publication list of the late Elwood C. Zimmerman as well as an updated list of recent literature on the Australian Entiminae and other weevils. The book is an essential reference work for researchers and students working with entimine weevils both in Australia and abroad. It is part of the Australian Weevils series.

Experts offer the most sweeping reference available on the subject of North American beetles. Their rigorous standards for the presentation of data create a concise, useful format that is consistent throughout the book. This is the resource of choice for quick, accurate, and easily accessible information.

The Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera provides information about all beetles occurring in Europe, North Africa and Asia north of the tropics.

Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society brings togetherleading scientific experts to assess the impact insects have onhumankind and the earth’s fragile ecosystems. It examines whyinsect biodiversity matters and how the rapid evolution of insectspecies is affecting us all. Insects and related arthropods make up more than 50 percent ofthe known animal diversity globally, yet a lack of knowledge aboutinsects is hindering the advance of science and society. This bookexplores the wide variety in type and number of insect species andtheir evolutionary relationships. Case studies offer assessments onhow insect biodiversity can help meet the needs of a rapidlyexpanding human population, and also examine the consequences thatan increased loss of insect species will have on the world. The book concludes that a better understanding of the biologyand ecology of insects is the only way to sustainably manageecosystems in an ever changing global environment.