Desert Arthropods: Life History VariationsIt is difficult for me to recollect a time when I was not fascinated with the very notion of a desert. Walt Disney's film, The Living Desert, which I initially saw when I was 8 years of age, provided me with my first glimpse of this wondrous yet seemingly ho stile environment. The images were hypnotic and captivating. I looked on in amazement at the promenade Cl deux of the male and female scorpions during courtship. Their rhythmic and coordinated movements as they grasped one another made them appear to glide in unis on over the surface of the sand, each individual totally absorbed with its partner. In the next minute the fern ale had suddenly and utterly transformed herself like some Jekyll and Hyde act, into an aggressive predator whose prior gregarious embrace was now a hold of death for the male. The indomitable desert grasshopper mouse, the ever sentient kit fox, the graceful shovel-nosed snake swimming in an endless sea of sand. |
Contents
Life Histories and the Desert Environment | 1 |
Embryonic Development | 15 |
Postembryonic Development | 47 |
Reproduction | 75 |
Individual Case Studies | 105 |
Relationship Between Life History | 157 |
References | 185 |
221 | |
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activity adaptations addition adult amount animals appear associated begin behavior body burrow cells centipedes changes Chapman characterized Cloudsley-Thompson clutch complete consists contain Crawford cycle cytoplasmic deposited desert arthropods detailed determine discussion early effects embryo emergence encounters et al example exhibit factors feeding females fitness followed further ground growth habitat hatching higher host increase individuals insects instars known larger larvae later legs length Lewis located loss males mass mating maturity mean membrane mites molt months nymphal nymphs observed occur offspring organisms oviposition patterns period plant Polis populations predators prey produced Punzo range reduced referred region relatively remain reported represent reproductive respect result rise scorpions seasonal segments selection sexual significant significantly smaller solifuges species spiders stage surface Table temperature traits typically usually various vary wasp Weygoldt yolk
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