The Black Flies (Simuliidae) of North America (Comstock Books) - Hardcover

Adler, Peter H.; Currie, Douglas C.; Monty Wood; Lawrence Zettler; Daniel H. Janzen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801424984 ISBN 13: 9780801424984

Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates, 2004

Synopsis

A ROM Publication in Science
A Comstock Book Published in association with the Royal Ontario Museum

There is much more to black flies than you can learn in the woods on a warm spring day. This book compiles the authors' previously unpublished research and nearly all of the published information on North American black flies. All aspects of black flies are treated within the context of a worldwide perspective, including natural history and ecology, cytology and morphology, phylogeny and classification, economic impact, pest management, natural enemies, history of research, study methods, and identification.

Each of the 254 species known from the continent north of Mexico, including 43 new species, is treated in detail. Each species account summarizes all pertinent information on taxonomy, morphology, cytology, physiology, molecular systematics, and bionomics. The book is copiously illustrated with more than 1,100 figures, including color drawings of larvae and adult thoraxes, by some of the world's foremost scientific illustrators. Additional figures and photographs show chromosomal and morphological features, portraits of important researchers, control efforts, natural enemies, oviposition behavior, and cladograms. Detailed distribution maps show the range of each species.

A Comstock Book published in Association with the Royal Ontario Museum

About this title

About the Author:

Peter H. Adler is Professor of Entomology at Clemson University. Douglas C. Currie is Curator of Entomology at the Royal Ontario Museum. D. Monty Wood is Research Associate with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa. Daniel H. Janzen is Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds the Thomas E. and Louise G. DiMaura Term Chair in Conservation Biology. Ralph M. Idema is a biologist, biomedical illustrator, and entrepreneur. Lawrence W. Zettler is Associate Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at Illinois College and a Research Associate at The Marie Selby Botanical Garden and The Morton Arboretum.

Review:

"Based on its title, one could expect this volume to be mainly a taxonomic reference for the North American black flies, but its actually much more.... Probably the most surprising two chapters are in what appears to be strictly a taxonomic review in Part III ('Economic Aspects'). These chapters on social and economic impact, and management give an applied view to a taxonomic tome and make it a very well-rounded volume for anyone interested in the field. The social and economic impacts are concisely, but dramatically, presented and well supported with photographs showing swarms of simuliids attacking livestock and poultry. The management chapter has a very helpful table that shows the control methods used against particular simuliid species in various locations.... Although recent trends tend to indicate the preference of digitally referenced materials over books, volumes are in many ways still indispensable at least at the current time. The Black Flies (Simuliidae) of North America is such a book. This is an encyclopedia on the subject that is up to date, portable, practical, and easy to use."

(Jerome A. Hogsette, Jr., Quarterly Review of Biology)

"In this well-executed and hefty volume, Adler, Currie, and Wood offer a comprehensive review of the black flies of North America. Although notorious for the bites and welts they inflict, these small, humpbacked flies also play prominent roles in freshwater systems.... Introductory chapters describe the history of research on this insect family, collection and curation techniques, and the natural history.... The authors treat in separate chapters aspects of the economic impact and management of these flies.... Highly recommended."

"The Black Flies of North America... is a splendid contribution that literally compiles all worthwhile knowledge in existence on the subject. This regional monograph of almost 1,000 pages of text and illustrations is truly monumental in both contents and physical appearance and will no doubt stand as the ultimate source of information on Nearctic simuliidae for the next many decades. In addition, this book will also convey valuable knowledge and inspiration to students and applied entomologists working with black flies in other parts of the world."

(Verner Michelsen, Insect Systematics and Evolution)

About this edition

• Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0801424984
• ISBN 13: 9780801424984
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 960
• Illustrator: Idema Ralph M., Zettler Lawrence W.