This book is devoted to the welfare of invertebrates, which make up 99% of animal species on earth. Addressing animal welfare, we do not often think of invertebrates; in fact we seldom consider them to be deserving of welfare evaluation. And yet we should. Welfare is a broad concern for any animal that we house, control or utilize – and we utilize invertebrates a lot. The Authors start with an emphasis on the values of non-vertebrate animals and discuss the need for a book on the present topic. The following chapters focus on specific taxa, tackling questions that are most appropriate to each one. What is pain in crustaceans, and how might we prevent it? How do we ensure that octopuses are not bored? What do bees need to thrive, pollinate our plants and give us honey? Since invertebrates have distinct personalities and some social animals have group personalities, how do we consider this? And, as in the European Union’s application of welfare consideration to cephalopods, how do the practical regulatory issues play out? We have previously relegated invertebrates to the category ‘things’ and did not worry about their treatment. New research suggest that some invertebrates such as cephalopods and crustaceans can have pain and suffering, might also have consciousness and awareness. Also, good welfare is going to mean different things to spiders, bees, corals, etc. This book is taking animal welfare in a very different direction. Academics and students of animal welfare science, those who keep invertebrates for scientific research or in service to the goals of humans, as well as philosophers will find this work thought-provoking, instructive and informative.

This book is comprised of important contributions from expert researchers around the world concerning the biology of animals from a variety of approaches. In particular are manuscripts that deal with cellular, biochemical, genetic, reproductive, and ecological themes including various manuscripts regarding invertebrate animals. Regarding this last animal class, the science provides excellent models to study a lot of biological processes that can explain the evolution and diversity of life on the earth's surface. They are simple organisms, the studies of which can contribute to explanations of how the metabolic processes found in vertebrates and humans started and have been maintained. This book also provides results that demonstrate some effects and interactions among environmental conditions and drugs on the morphology and biochemical processes in cells, and it contains reviews concerning the interaction between pathogenic invertebrates and human diseases. The aim of these studies was to provide important results that are not commonly treated in traditional and experimental models within the current scientific scene.

This fine monograph is the first all-color photo guide to the jellies, comb jellies, pelagic snails, salps and pyrosomes. This field guide covers animals that are found from Alaska to Baja California, many of which occur in most of the world's seas. A total of 160 species are illustrated with a color photo-95 cnidarians, 28 ctenophers, 23 molluscs and 14 tunicates. The narrative for each species includes a detailed description, geographic range, and natural history. Also included are a glossary, selected references and an index.

Invertebrate Medicine, Second Edition offers a thorough update to the most comprehensive book on invertebrate husbandry and veterinary care. Including pertinent biological data for invertebrate species, the book’s emphasis is on providing state-of-the-art information on medicine and the clinical condition. Invertebrate Medicine, Second Edition is an invaluable guide to the medical care of both captive and wild invertebrate animals. Coverage includes sponges, jellyfish, anemones, corals, mollusks, starfish, sea urchins, crabs, crayfish, lobsters, shrimp, hermit crabs, spiders, scorpions, and many more, with chapters organized by taxonomy. New chapters provide information on reef systems, honeybees, butterfly houses, conservation, welfare, and sources of invertebrates and supplies. Invertebrate Medicine, Second Edition is an essential resource for veterinarians in zoo animal, exotic animal and laboratory animal medicine; public and private aquarists; and aquaculturists.

Though many are harmless and even beneficial, invertebrates are some of the world’s most feared and dangerous creatures. Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates describes the health threats posed by invertebrate groups worldwide, from physical pain and annoyance to disease transmission risk. Featuring clear photographs, distribution maps and descriptions of biological, physical and behavioural characteristics of key groups, this book aids identification of potentially harmful invertebrates. It also summarises personal protection measures to reduce the risk of attack and disease, and provides guidance on treatment. This book will help to protect the health of travellers and serve as a reference for medical personnel working in high-risk areas, as well as those interested in entomology.

The most up-to-date book on invertebrates, providing a new framework for understanding their place in the tree of life In The Invertebrate Tree of Life, Gonzalo Giribet and Gregory Edgecombe, leading authorities on invertebrate biology and paleontology, utilize phylogenetics to trace the evolution of animals from their origins in the Proterozoic to today. Phylogenetic relationships between and within the major animal groups are based on the latest molecular analyses, which are increasingly genomic in scale and draw on the soundest methods of tree reconstruction. Giribet and Edgecombe evaluate the evolution of animal organ systems, exploring how current debates about phylogenetic relationships affect the ways in which aspects of invertebrate nervous systems, reproductive biology, and other key features are inferred to have developed. The authors review the systematics, natural history, anatomy, development, and fossil records of all major animal groups, employing seminal historical works and cutting-edge research in evolutionary developmental biology, genomics, and advanced imaging techniques. Overall, they provide a synthetic treatment of all animal phyla and discuss their relationships via an integrative approach to invertebrate systematics, anatomy, paleontology, and genomics. With numerous detailed illustrations and phylogenetic trees, The Invertebrate Tree of Life is a must-have reference for biologists and anyone interested in invertebrates, and will be an ideal text for courses in invertebrate biology. A must-have and up-to-date book on invertebrate biology Ideal as both a textbook and reference Suitable for courses in invertebrate biology Richly illustrated with black-and-white and color images and abundant tree diagrams Written by authorities on invertebrate evolution and phylogeny Factors in the latest understanding of animal genomics and original fossil material