Insect Classification and Systematics
Contents: 1. Origin of arthropods. 2. Systematics and taxonomy: relationship between systematics and taxonomy. 3. Relationship of insects with phylum annelida and other classes of arthropoda. 4. Origin of insects: dominance of insects in animal kingdome. 5. Zoological nomenclature: principles and application of zoological nomenclature, international code of nomenclature, law of priority. 6. Zoological classification. 7. Modern classification of insects: insects of agricultural importance, characters of orders and family. 8. History of insect systematics: insect phylogeny, evolution, zoogeographical regions. 9. Importance of taxonomy and levels of systematics. 10. Numerical taxonomy: phenetics, cladistics, dendograms. 11. Concept of species: subspecies, kinds of species, taxonomic categories. 12. Concept of supraspecific and infraspecific categories: biotypes. 13. Procedure in identification: taxonomic characters; morphological, physiological, biochemical, cytological, parasitological, geographical. 14. Kinds of taxonomic keys. 15. Ethics in taxonomy. 16. Hierarchy in classification. 17. Palaeontology, fossil insects. 18. Taxonomic publication: description of new texa. 19. Hybridization and speciation. 20. Taxonomic collections, curation and preservation.
This book chronicles the complete evolutionary history of arthropods and most importantly of insects; their diversity, relationships, process of fossilization and fossils in particular. The book also contains chapters on relationship between Taxonomy and Systematics, Modern Classification, Concept of species and Entomological database, to name a few. Numerical Taxonomy and Kinds of taxonomic keys beautifully illustrated with figures and diagrams to help in identification of important insects are also incorporated. The book will appeal to any one engaged in Insect Taxonomy, professional entomologists, insect collectors and curators.
Taxonomy is a subject which is so operational that it could not be learned theoretically. Therefore, the present book will serve as a guide for those who are learning the subject and also for taxonomists, teachers, students pursuing higher education and aspiring for a career in entomology.
