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Written by world experts in astacology, this book covers a range of aspects of the biology and ecology of freshwater crayfish. With a strong focus on wild crayfish, the book studies the taxonomy and genetics of this interesting group of animals. Under examination also are crayfish growth and reproduction, with detailed illustrations; behavior and c

The Biology of Crustacea, Volume 3: Neurobiology: Structure and Function focuses on fundamental aspects of crustacean neurobiology, from the organization of the central nervous system (CNS) and neuromuscular systems to synapses and neurotransmitters, nerve and muscle, hormones and neurosecretion, photoreception, chemoreception and thermoreception, and mechanoreception. It also looks at systematics, phylogeny, biogeography, embryology, genetics, ecology, behavior, pathobiology, comparative morphology, growth, and sex determination of crustaceans. Organized into nine chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the crustacean CNS, with emphasis on neural organization of the brain as well as neural organization in the optic lobes and in the thoracic and abdominal ganglia. It then discusses the organization and components of neuromuscular systems, mechanisms of release of neurotransmitters at synapses, morphology and excitation-contraction coupling in muscle, and development of nerve, muscle, neuromuscular synapses, and neural circuits. It explains the neural control of neurosecretion in crustaceans, anatomy of photoreceptors and accessory structures in the compound eye, and chemosensory organization. The book concludes with a chapter on crustacean mechanoreceptors and their evolution. This book will be of interest to zoologists, paleontologists, ecologists, physiologists, endocrinologists, morphologists, pathologists, biologists, and other scientists engaged in basic or applied research on various aspects of crustacean biology.