The Lepidoptera: Form, Function, and Diversity (Natural History Museum Publications) - Tapa dura

The Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are one of the largest groups of insects with over 150,000 named species. This book deals with their structure and function, environmental significance, and diversity. Part I provides a review of the main body parts with discussion of function and importance in the lifestyle of the organisms. Further chapters cover feeding, flight, migration, hearing, sound production, defence, and many other aspects of Lepidopteran life. Environmental aspects, which are summarized in Part II, are discussed mainly in terms of larvae as herbivores and as prey. In Part III, the author provides a global survey of the Lepidoptera. He describes their biology, classification, and evolutionary relationships within and between groups. This book will be an indispensable reference work for naturalists, professional entomologists, and conservationists for years to come.