This book examines the mechanisms and functions of tonic immobility, the so-called death feigning behavior, or thanatosis, or animal hypnosis. The chapters cover the neurophysiological and experimental studies on insects, the functional significance of death-feigning, examination of the freezing and immobility behavior in insects through environment, physiology, genetics, and responses to ultrasound and vibration. It also covers tonic immobility and freezing behavior in fish from the perspective of vertebrates study. Tonic immobility is an interesting behavior that occurs reflexively in various animals under physical restraint by predators. The physiological mechanism of thanatosis was extensively investigated during 1960-1980. Researchers have proposed hypotheses to explain the mechanism underlying tonic immobility in vertebrates; local inhibition of the central nervous system, acceleration of the limbic system, abnormal control of the autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, the peripheral and central mechanisms of tonic immobility were intensely investigated at a behavioral and a neuronal level in stick insects and crickets. In the 1970s, behavioral ecology has shed light on the aspect of an ultimate factor for tonic immobility. Ethologists and ecologists challenged this matter in the laboratory and natural habitats, and have collected evidence for its functional roles using mainly insects such as beetles, moths, locusts. More recently, studies of tonic immobility in humans are drawing attention, as clinicians are trying to explain the defencelessness of rape victims from the viewpoint of animal hypnosis. This timely publication provides an understanding of the past and present research of the mechanisms and functions of tonic immobility. This book is intended for researchers and undergraduate/ graduate students in the field of zoology including physiology, ethology, ecology, and human behavior. It will also appeal to the public audience who has an interest in animal behavior, including human behavior.

This book discusses the evolution of the mechanisms by which prey avoid attack by their potential predators and questions how such defences are maintained through natural selection. Topics covered include camouflage, warning signals and mimicry.

Insects and Wildlife: Arthropods and their Relationships with Wild Vertebrate Animals provides a comprehensive overview of the interrelationships of insects and wildlife. It serves as an introduction to insects and other arthropods for wildlife management and other vertebrate biology students, and emphasizes the importance of insects to wild vertebrate animals. The book emphasizes how insects exert important influences on wildlife habitat suitability and wildlife population sustainability, including their direct and indirect effects on wildlife health. Among the important topics covered are: the importance of insects as food items for vertebrate animals; the role of arthropods as determinants of ecosystem health and productivity; the ability of arthropods to transmit disease-causing agents; an overview of representative disease-causing agents transmitted by arthropods; arthropods as pests and parasites of vertebrates; the hazards to wildlife associated with using using pesticides to protect against insect damage; insect management using techniques other than pesticides; the importance of insect conservation and how insects influence wildlife conservation.

Cuckoos lay eggs carefully matched to their host's own clutch.

This serial is firmly established as an extensive documentation of the advances in contemporary brain research. Each volume presents authoritative reviews and original articles by invited specialists.This volume concentrates on coma and consciousness science. presenting articles from leading figures in the area on the clinical and ethical implications of work in this field. The book provides a thorough review of the various aspects of coma science from a review of the concepts, questioning of recent advances, case studies, through to where research in the field is heading. - Provides the reader with a unique overview of all aspects of new advances in coma science - Broad focus with contributions by the top scientists worldwide in the respective disciplines

Insects display a staggering diversity of behaviors. Studying these systems provides insights into a wide range of ecological, evolutionary, and behavioral questions including the genetics of behavior, phenotypic plasticity, chemical communication, and the evolution of life-history traits. This accessible text offers a new approach that provides the reader with the necessary theoretical and conceptual foundations, at different hierarchical levels, to understand insect behavior. The book is divided into three main sections: mechanisms, ecological and evolutionary consequences, and applied issues. The final section places the preceding chapters within a framework of current threats to human survival - climate change, disease, and food security - before providing suggestions and insights as to how we can utilize an understanding of insect behavior to control and/or ameliorate them. Each chapter provides a concise, authoritative review of the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological foundations of each topic.