A unique and critical analysis of the wealth of research conducted on the biology, biochemistry and chemical ecology of the rapidly growing field of insect cuticular hydrocarbons. Authored by leading experts in their respective fields, the twenty chapters show the complexity that has been discovered in the nature and role of hydrocarbons in entomology. Covers, in great depth, aspects of chemistry (structures, qualitative and quantitative analysis), biochemistry (biosynthesis, molecular biology, genetics, evolution), physiology, taxonomy, and ecology. Clearly presents to the reader the array of data, ideas, insights and historical disagreements that have been accumulated during the past half century. An emphasis is placed on the role of insect hydrocarbons in chemical communication, especially among the social insects. Includes the first review on the chemical synthesis of insect hydrocarbons. The material presented is a major resource for current researchers and a source of ideas for new researchers.

Insect Pheromone Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Second Edition, provides an updated and comprehensive review of the biochemistry and molecular biology of insect pheromone biosynthesis and reception. The book ties together historical information with recent discoveries, provides the reader with the current state of the field, and suggests where future research is headed. Written by international experts, many of whom pioneered studies on insect pheromone production and reception, this release updates the 2003 first edition with an emphasis on recent advances in the field. This book will be an important resource for entomologists and molecular biologists studying all areas of insect communication. - Offers a historical and contemporary perspective, with a focus on advances over the last 15 years - Discusses the molecular and regulatory mechanisms underlying pheromone production/detection, as well as the evolution of these processes across the insects - Led by editors with broad expertise in the metabolic pathways of pheromone production and the biochemical and genetic processes of pheromone detection

Emphasis is placed on the elaborate cuticular matrices in insects and crustaceans, spider and insect silks, sialomes of phytophagous and blood-feeding arthropods as well as on secretions of male and female accessory glands. Focus is placed largely on insects, due to the extensive body of published research that in part is the result of available whole genome sequences of several model species (in particular Drosophila melanogaster) and accessible ESTs for other species. Such advances have facilitated fundamental insights into genomic, proteomic and molecular biology-based physiology. This new volume contains comprehensive contributions on extracellular composite matrices in arthropods. The building blocks of such matrices are formed in and secreted by single layered epithelial cells into exterior domains where their final assembly takes place.Additionally, the unique mechanical properties of natural biocomposites like chitin/chitosan, the crustacean mineralized exoskeleton, the pliant protein resilin or insect and spider silks, have inspired basic and applied research that yield sophistical biomimetics and structural biocomposite hybrids important for future industrial and biomedical use. In summary, this book provides an invaluable vast source of basic and applied information for a plethora of scientists as well as textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students.

Intraspecific communication involves the activation of chemoreceptors and subsequent activation of different central areas that coordinate the responses of the entire organism—ranging from behavioral modification to modulation of hormones release. Animals emit intraspecific chemical signals, often referred to as pheromones, to advertise their presence to members of the same species and to regulate interactions aimed at establishing and regulating social and reproductive bonds. In the last two decades, scientists have developed a greater understanding of the neural processing of these chemical signals. Neurobiology of Chemical Communication explores the role of the chemical senses in mediating intraspecific communication. Providing an up-to-date outline of the most recent advances in the field, it presents data from laboratory and wild species, ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates, from insects to humans. The book examines the structure, anatomy, electrophysiology, and molecular biology of pheromones. It discusses how chemical signals work on different mammalian and non-mammalian species and includes chapters on insects, Drosophila, honey bees, amphibians, mice, tigers, and cattle. It also explores the controversial topic of human pheromones. An essential reference for students and researchers in the field of pheromones, this is also an ideal resource for those working on behavioral phenotyping of animal models and persons interested in the biology/ecology of wild and domestic species.

Our objective in compiling a series of chapters on the chemical ecology of insects has been to delineate the major concepts of this discipline. The fine line between presenting a few topics in great detail or many topics in veneer has been carefully drawn, such that the book contains sufficient diversity to cover the field and a few topics in some depth. After the reader has penetrated the crust of what has been learned about chemical ecology of insects, the deficiencies in our understanding of this field should become evident. These deficiencies, to which no chapter topic is immune, indicate the youthful state of chemical ecology and the need for further investigations, especially those with potential for integrating elements that are presently isolated from each other. At the outset of this volume it becomes evident that, although we are beginning to decipher how receptor cells work, virtually nothing is known of how sensory information is coded to become relevant to the insect and to control the behavior of the insect. This problem is exacerbated by the state of our knowledge of how chemicals are distributed in nature, especially in complex habitats. And finally, we have been unable to understand the significance of orientation pathways of insects, in part because of the two previous problems: orientation seems to depend on patterns of distri bution of chemicals, the coding of these patterns by the central nervous system, and the generation of motor output based on the resulting motor commands.

Fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) pests have a profound impact on horticultural production and economy of many countries. It is fundamental to understand their biology and evaluate methods for their suppression, containment, or eradication. Area-Wide Management of Fruit Fly Pests comprises contributions from scientists from around the world on several species of tephritids working on diverse subjects with a focus on area-wide management of these pests. The first three sections of the book explore aspects of the biology, ecology, physiology, behavior, taxonomy, and morphology of fruit flies. The next two sections provide evidence on the efficacy of attractants, risk assessment, quarantine, and post-harvest control methods. The fifth and sixth sections examine biological control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique and the use of natural enemies of fruit flies. The seventh section focuses on area-wide integrated pest management and action programs. Finally, the eighth section examines social, economic, and policy issues of action programs aimed at involving the wider community in the control of these pests and facilitate the development of control programs. Features: Presents information on the biology of tephritid flies. Provides knowledge on the use of natural enemies of fruit flies for their biological control. Includes research results on models and diets used for the Sterile Insect Technique. Reports developments on the chemical ecology of fruit flies that contribute to make control methods more specific and efficient. Reviews subjects such as Holistic Pest Management and Area-Wide Management Programs including social, economic, and policy issues in various countries. The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429355738, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Pheromone Biochemistry covers chapters on Lepidoptera, ticks, flies, beetles, and even vertebrate olfactory biochemistry. The book discusses pheromone production and its regulation in female insects; as well as reception, perception, and degradation of pheromones by male insects. The text then describes the pheromone biosynthesis and its regulation and the reception and catabolism of pheromones. Researchers in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry, entomology, neurobiology, molecular biology, enzymology, morphology, behavior, and ecology will find the book useful.

Bringing together for the first time prominent researchers in social insect pheromone communication, including nestmate recognition, this book looks at ants, wasps, bees, and termites, highlighting areas of convergence and divergence among these groups, and identifying areas that need further investigation. Presenting broad synthetic overviews as well as species-specific studies, the volume will be useful to natural scientists, ecologists, and those interested in pest management, as well as to anyone interested in the fascinating chemically mediated behavioral interactions of social insects.

Based on nearly 40 years of teaching, this book thoroughly describes the principles and fundamentals of insect physiology. Readers will quickly understand the terminology needed to navigate the voluminous, scattered literature in the field. With approximately 1500 references and more than 240 figures and tables, Insect Physiology and Biochemistry is useful as a core text for upper division and graduate students, as well as a valuable reference for scientists who work with insects in genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and behavior.