Spider Evolution: Genetics, Behavior, and Ecological Influences provides a thorough exploration of the evolutionary trail of arachnids, particularly spider species, from prehistoric origins to current sustainability issues. This book analyzes extinct organisms in the Arachnida class, specifically looking at their phylogenomics and molecular footprints to understand evolutionary changes in diversification in today’s species. Sections cover spider origins and their influences on behavioral traits, physiology of sensory organs, and biomechanics, also touching on spiders as prey and predators and how their roles have changed in the 400 million years of Arachnida existence.
The book then focuses upon current environmental issues facing spider species and how these have, and can, affect the evolution of these organisms. Topics include biodiversity minimization, climate change and natural disasters. This book is a much-needed resource for entomologists and arachnid- or arthropod-driven researchers. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students will also benefit from the historic review, current assessment and future predictions of spider evolution provided in this book.
1. Chapter One : Introduction: A fable of the first fire, brought by the water spider from a warm glowing island to the cold dark world of animal-people - p. Page viii 2. Chapter Two : An exordium to the cultural delineation of spiders - p. Page 13 3. Chapter Three : Spiders: The seventh-ranked species on planet Earth coming from the mythological abode of seven earths (or seven heavens) - p. Page 26 4. Chapter Four : Spider life span: Web-weaving with a wispy thread of silk - p. Page 44 5. Chapter Five : The tangled equilibrium of predator and prey: The hunter becomes the hunted - p. Page 60 6. Chapter Six : Evolutionary and Ecological impacts of stenophagy in Araneae: Its role in promoting or limiting spider diversity on planet Earth - p. Page 74 7. Chapter Seven : A thumbnail preview of sensuous impression versus sensual expression of the spider - p. Page 91 8. Chapter Eight : Untangling the mystery of the origin and evolution of spiders on planet Earth - p. Page 107 9. Chapter Nine : Evolutionary repertoire on silk spinning by spiders: Origin and Microevolution of spinnerets and role of the spidroin gene family - p. Page 123 10. Chapter Ten : Adaptation and Evolutionary changes of spiders on planet Earth against the backdrop of geological time - p. Page 137 11. Chapter Eleven : Impact of environmental parameters on the biodiversity, web formation, and niche properties of spiders - p. Page 157 12. Chapter Twelve : Shifting of environmental factors related to ecophysiological and adaptive responses of spiders - p. Page 175 13. Chapter Thirteen : Biomonitoring of environmental pollution using spiderwebs - p. Page 193 14. Chapter Fourteen : Effects of climate change and natural disasters: Microevolution of spiders with aggressive behavioral traits - p. Page 213 15. Index - p. Page 237
Spider Evolution: Genetics, Behavior, and Ecological Influences provides a thorough exploration of the evolutionary trail of arachnids, particularly spider species, from prehistoric origins to current sustainability issues. This book analyzes extinct organisms in the Arachnida class, specifically looking at their phylogenomics and molecular footprints to understand evolutionary changes in diversification in today’s species. Sections cover spider origins and their influences on behavioral traits, physiology of sensory organs, and biomechanics, also touching on spiders as prey and predators and how their roles have changed in the 400 million years of Arachnida existence.
The book then focuses upon current environmental issues facing spider species and how these have, and can, affect the evolution of these organisms. Topics include biodiversity minimization, climate change and natural disasters. This book is a much-needed resource for entomologists and arachnid- or arthropod-driven researchers. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students will also benefit from the historic review, current assessment and future predictions of spider evolution provided in this book.
1. Chapter One : Introduction: A fable of the first fire, brought by the water spider from a warm glowing island to the cold dark world of animal-people - p. Page viii 2. Chapter Two : An exordium to the cultural delineation of spiders - p. Page 13 3. Chapter Three : Spiders: The seventh-ranked species on planet Earth coming from the mythological abode of seven earths (or seven heavens) - p. Page 26 4. Chapter Four : Spider life span: Web-weaving with a wispy thread of silk - p. Page 44 5. Chapter Five : The tangled equilibrium of predator and prey: The hunter becomes the hunted - p. Page 60 6. Chapter Six : Evolutionary and Ecological impacts of stenophagy in Araneae: Its role in promoting or limiting spider diversity on planet Earth - p. Page 74 7. Chapter Seven : A thumbnail preview of sensuous impression versus sensual expression of the spider - p. Page 91 8. Chapter Eight : Untangling the mystery of the origin and evolution of spiders on planet Earth - p. Page 107 9. Chapter Nine : Evolutionary repertoire on silk spinning by spiders: Origin and Microevolution of spinnerets and role of the spidroin gene family - p. Page 123 10. Chapter Ten : Adaptation and Evolutionary changes of spiders on planet Earth against the backdrop of geological time - p. Page 137 11. Chapter Eleven : Impact of environmental parameters on the biodiversity, web formation, and niche properties of spiders - p. Page 157 12. Chapter Twelve : Shifting of environmental factors related to ecophysiological and adaptive responses of spiders - p. Page 175 13. Chapter Thirteen : Biomonitoring of environmental pollution using spiderwebs - p. Page 193 14. Chapter Fourteen : Effects of climate change and natural disasters: Microevolution of spiders with aggressive behavioral traits - p. Page 213 15. Index - p. Page 237
