The Biology of Terrestrial Isopods

Oniscids are wonderful model organisms for studies addressing more general biological questions, and they arguably demonstrate the best evolutionary progression in any extant group of organisms. Their unique properties as terrestrial crustaceans living in a wide range of habitats from coast to desert offer great advantages to study physiological and behavioural adaptations, ecological, phylogenetic, and biogeographical patterns, and evolutionary processes. This volume contains contributions, which were presented at the 5th International Symposium on the Biology of Terrestrial Isopods that took place on Crete, May 2001, and which was dedicated to the memory of the late Marie Flasarova. All papers have been peer-reviewed before inclusion in the book. The contributions give a well balanced account of current research on all aspects - covering systematics, ecology, biogeography, morphology, physiology, immunology, endocrinology, behaviour, and hostparasite relationships - of biology of the remarkable creatures included in the Isopoda suborder Oniscidae, the only crustaceans that have conquered almost all terrestrial habitat types. This book will prove useful to all crustacean researchers, working on either terrestrial, freshwater or marine organisms.