Ecology, Systematics, and the Natural History of Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) (eBook)

Although his primary research focus involves medically important container mosquitoes, he is broadly a community ecologist who has a strong, broad background in invertebrates and aquatic habitats. He has focused most of his research efforts on mosquitoes, in part because this group provides an excellent model system to explore topics across many levels of ecological organization, from individuals, to population, to communities. His specific interests lie in examining how individual species traits, such as feeding behavior, habitat selection, dispersal and oviposition decisions affect species interactions and in linking how the outcomes of these interactions affect patterns of species diversity and invasion success. This work has important implications for public health, as findings of his work can offer insights into the factors that control the distributions of medically important mosquitoes.

Title: Ecology, Systematics, and Natural History of Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)Title PageTable of ContentsDedicationForewordPreface1. An introduction to the Dytiscidae: their diversity, historical importance, cultural significance, and other musings1.1 Dytiscids past and present1.2 Nature red in tooth and claw and mandible1.3 Cultural notes1.4 Final words2. Bridging ecology and systematics: 25 years of study of larval morphology of world Dytiscidae2.1. Introduction2.2 General Morphology of Dytiscidae Larvae2.3. Chaetotaxy Analysis: Methodological Approach2.4. Ground Plan Pattern of Primary Setae and Pores of the Dytiscidae2.5 Larval Chaetotaxy and Ontogeny2.6 Bridging Ecology and Systematics2.7 Summary and future directions3. The phylogeny and classification of predaceous diving beetles 3.1 Introduction 3.2  Material and Methods3.3 Results3.4 Discussion3.5 Diving beetle phylogeny and classification3.6 Family-group classification of Dytiscidae Leach, 18153.7 Future directions4. Morphology, anatomy, and physiological aspects of dytiscids4.1 External morphology4.2 Internal anatomy and physiology4.3 Future directions5. Predaceous diving beetle sexual systems5. Predaceous diving beetle sexual systems5.1 Introduction5.2 Sexual variation5.3 Dytiscid sexual systems5.4 Summary5.5 Future directions6. Chemical ecology and biochemistry of Dytiscidae6.1. Chemical ecology of freshwater organisms6.2. Chemical senses 6.3. Intraspecific interactions: Sex-Pheromones6.4. Interspecific interactions6.5. Dermal glands, epicuticular lipids, and body coloration by pigments 6.6. Microorganisms and dytiscids 6.7. Future directions7. Habitats7.1 Defining habitats7.2 Classifying habitats 7.3 Abiotic habitat conditions7.4 Biotic interactions 7.5 Plant-dytiscid relationships7.6 Habitat specificity 7.7 Future Directions8. Predator-prey interactions of dytiscids8.1 Introduction8.2 What do dytiscids eat?8.3 Selective predation and effects on community attributes8.4 Cannibalism and Intraguild Predation8.5 Non-consumptive effects of dytiscid predation8.6 Dytiscids as predators of vector and nuisance species8.7 Environmental constraints on predation8.8 Dytiscids as prey8.9 Future Directions9. Dispersal in Dytiscidae9.1 Introduction9.2 The evolution, maintenance, and consequences of dispersal9.3 Consequences of dispersal9.4 On flight and wings and flightlessness9.5 Proximate drivers of dispersal and how to find water9.6 The macroecology of movement in predaceous diving beetles9.7. Future directions – where do we (and the beetles) go from here?10. Community patterns in dytiscids10.1 An introduction to natural communities10.2 Random vs. non-random distributions10.3 Ecological similarity10.4 Dispersal10.5 Phylogenetic community composition10.6 Summary and Future Directions11. The conservation of predaceous diving beetles:  knowns, unknowns and anecdote11.1 Introduction11.2 Dytiscidae as a group worthy of conservation11.3 The causes of loss 11.4 Drainage 11.5 Pollution 11.6 Encroachment11.7 Climate change11.8 Globalization, and the fourth horsemen of the apocalypse11.9 Types of conservation11.1 0 European Conventions – including a case-study in conservation legislation and its consequences11.11 Popularity, biodiversity and ecosystem services11.12 Global Lists11.13 Dumbing-down11.14 The way ahead – “passive conservation” and the possible pitfalls of connectivity1.15 Future directionsIndex