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A guide to the beetles of Australiaby George Hangay and Paul Zborowski
Published in 2010 by CSIRO Publishing, colour photos and illustrations, soft cover, 248 pages
Price $A49.95 plus $A13.50 postage within Australia [up to 3 kg], overseas postage please request a quote
ISBN 9780643094871 |
- Description
- Contents
- About the authors
Winner of the 2010 Whitley Medal
A Guide to the Beetles of Australia provides a comprehensive introduction to the Coleoptera – a huge and diverse group of insects. Beetles make up 40 per cent of all insects known to science. The number of described beetle species in the world – around 350,000 – is more than six times the number of all vertebrate species.
New beetle species are being discovered all the time. Of the 30,000 species that may occur in Australia, only 20,000 have been scientifically described. These include around 6500 weevils (Curculionidae), 2600 scarabs, dung beetles and chafers (Scarabaeidae); and 2250 leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae).
A Guide to the Beetles of Australia highlights the enormous diversity of this unique insect Order. It emphasises the environmental role of beetles, their relationships with other plants and animals, and their importance to humans.
Contents
• Introduction
• What makes a beetle?
• Anatomy
• Reproduction and development
• Food and survival
• Higher taxonomy
• Family descriptions
• Endnotes
• Glossary 225 Index of common names
• Index of scientific names
About the authors
George Hangay has studied beetles in many parts of the world but has focused on the Australian fauna during the last four decades. After retiring from the Australian Museum, where he worked as Chief Preparator, he took part in various projects as a consultant, curated the insect collection of AQIS (NSW) and wrote several articles and books. He continues to collaborate with many Australian and overseas coleopterists.
Paul Zborowski is an entomologist and photographer, based in the Wet Tropics of Queensland. For the past 40 years he has studied and photographed insects all over the world. He is the published author of a number of insect reference works including the Whitley Award winning Field Guide to Insects in Australia, and he operates a specialist image bank at www.close-up-photolibrary.com.