Evolution of the Insects

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 772 pages
• Published by: Cambridge University Press May 16, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0521821495
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0521821490
• Book Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.3 x 1.6 inches
• Weighs: 4.4 pounds

Product Review
'A landmark contribution, not just to entomology and evolutionary biology, but to the life sciences as a whole. gorgeously conceived, splendidly written, and exquisitely illustrated Bound to remain a primary scientific reference for years to come. A must for naturalists, young and old. Truly a definitive work.' Thomas Eisner, Cornell University, author of For Love of Insects ' insects deserve the immense, sumptuously illustrated monograph text Grimaldi and Engel have now provided. Evolution of the Insects is a hugely impressive achievement. Throughout, the writing is clear and lively, the scholarship outstanding and the amount of information summarized vast. The enthusiasm of the authors for entomology shows in every aspect of this book, but the task of creating or assembling the images alone has evidently been a colossal labour of love. for its wealth of insights, as well as its unprecedented scope and depth, this superlative synthesis should have a durable appeal not only to entomologists, but also to biologists in general.' TRENDS in Ecology and Evolution 'There are a number of good entomology books on the market. Few, however, have integrated the living and fossil record as seamlessly as David Grimaldi and Michael Engel's Evolution of the Insects. None, moreover, has combined this integration with so much student-friendly text and such a wealth of illustrations (more than 900). The book shows that lavish photography and lucidity need not be the prerogative of popular entomology Whatever is in store, Evolution of the Insects superbly documents the rich and colorful history of hexapods.' Science ' a 'must have' for anyone interested in this extraordinary group of organisms the stress on the importance of insects in the daily life of the planet is one of the book's many strengths a joy simply to browse, not only because of the high standard of the images but also because of the discoveries to be made on every page ' BBC Wildlife 'Grimaldi and Engel, two entomologists, have produced a really excellent, gorgeously illustrated account that will enthral both student and general reader. They have gone to town on the tome that is not just informative but also accessible and covers one of the most important topics in biology.' New Scientist ' the book whips up the mind without forgetting the eyes. I challenge anyone who opens its covers not to have one's eyes bamboozled by the visual treat within; magnificent photographs of living insects, rare fossils and stunning electron micrographs and line drawings a must for anyone even remotely interested in insects' Nick Baker, author of The New Amateur Naturalist ' the next great evolutionary jolt has been given to entomology by Grimaldi and Engel's book I find the information presented is accurate and surprisingly detailed. Importantly, too, the text has a freshness and a new approach which can be lacking in books where specialists in the group are yet again asked to write a section. This is quite simply a gorgeous, comprehensive, amazingly good value book that is not just for entomologists and I would wager there will be few who do not have a copy on their shelves in a short time from now. It is also within the grasp of students as an great entomology textbook and is more than attractive enough for the general biologist/naturalist to be interested in this book not only gives the science of entomology a new vitamin shot in the arm but it should also do much to increase the popularity of this animal group among the non specialists. Can you afford not to have a copy on your bookshelves/coffee table?' Biologist ' this is the single, most authoritative up-to-date and gorgeous book treating all insects and the most wonderfully written (the seamlessness with which one topic melts into another literally 'sucks one in' reading this book will enable every entomologist to painlessly discover his or her roots.' European Journal of Entomology 'Authoritative and encyclopaedic Evolution of the Insects is the first book that has attempted to pull together and synthesize both fossil and recent evidence for insect evolution, and to present the information in an accessible, engaging way. They have succeeded to an unprecedented degree, and anyone with an active or passing interest in insects owes it to themselves to have a look will fill a number of important roles; a text for the serious student of insects, a reference for a wealth of information on insect evolution, and a source of joy for the casual reader who picks it up and opens it to any of the hundreds of intriguing stories and examples it contains.' Times Literary Supplement ' this is a superb book, and anyone who is not already an entomophile most likely will be after browsing through it.' Palaeontological Association Newsletter ' simply essential reading for anybody who is interested in the evolutionary history of insects, or any particular group of insects, including their systematics and historical bio-geography.' Systematic Biology ' lavishly illustrated with colour plates and some very nice drawings: this is a lovely book as well as a work of scholarship. as a reference work on insect diversity, systematics and phylogeny with a broad view over historical time this is a awesome book.' Entomologia Generalis 'Evolution of the Insects cleverly intertwines history and the theoretical foundations of reconstructing evolution, illustrated by insect examples. Grimaldi has introduced an excitement and accessibility to the study of fossil insects that had been absent in a previously turgid and excessively technical literature. Here, the most important deposits that have given up fossils are presented in both their geographic and plate-tectonic contexts, helping us to grasp just how much, or how little, we know and the complex interplay of space and time in the origin of insects. What sets Evolution of Insects apart is the quality and quantity of illustrations: gorgeous colour photographs; spectacular digital images; scanning electron micrographs; clever use of colour to unravel bits of complex anatomy; crisp diagrams; evolutionary trees; and the kind of skillful scientific illustrations that are widely identified with David Grimaldi's contributions to insect morphology. David Grimaldi and Michael This book is well written, logically presented, well referenced, easy to read and marvellously illustrated, mostly in colour Each of the other chapters is an equal pleasure to read, and the average of at least one illustration per page is maintained throughout. Apart from being relevant to the text, some of the photographs of both living and fossil insects are so gorgeous that the book might even have a casual 'coffee table' appeal. I am sure that I will use it much more frequently than many other reference books that I own, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone with an interest in entomology.' Times Higher Education Supplement

Product Review
"A landmark contribution, not just to entomology and evolutionary biology, but to the life sciences as a whole. gorgeously conceived, splendidly written, and exquisitely illustratedBound to remain a primary scientific reference for years to come. A must for naturalists, young and old. Truly a definitive work."
Thomas Eisner, Cornell University, Author of For Love of Insects

"Whatever is in store, The Evolution of Insects superbly documents the rich and colorful history of hexapods."
Edmund Jarzembowski, SCIENCE

"a 'must have' for anyone interested in this extraordinary group of organismsthe stress on the importance of insects in the daily life of the planet is one of the book's many strengthsa joy simply to browse, not only because of the high standard of the imagesbut also because of the discoveries to be made on every page"
BBC Wildlife

"insects deserve the immense, sumptuously illustrated monography text Grimaldi and Engel have now provided. Evolution of the Insects is a hugely impressive achievement. Throughout, the writing is clear and lively, the scholarship outstanding and the amount of information summarized vast. The enthusiasm of the authors for entomology shows in every aspect of this book, but the task of creating or assembling the images alone has evidently been a colossal labor of lovefor its wealth of insights, as well as its unprecedented scope and depth, this superlative synthesis should have a durable appeal not only to entomologists, but also to biologists in general."
TRENDS in Ecology and Evolution

"There are a number of good entomology books on the market. Few, however, have integrated the living and fossil record as seamlessly as David Grimaldi and Michael Engel's Evolution of the Insects. None, moreover, has combined this integration with so much student-friendly text and such a wealth of illustrations (more than 900)."
Science

"Grimaldi and Engel, two entomologists, have produced a really excellent, gorgeously illustrated account that will enthrall both student and general reader. They have gone to town on the tome that is not just informative but also accessible and covers one of the most important topics in biology."
New Scientist

"Put all of the insects on a giant scale, and they will outweigh all other animals, whales and elephants included. And insects are also ecologically essential. If all humans decided to leave for Mars, life on Earth would not change much. All the vertebrates could probably leave as well, causing only a minimum of disruption. But if the insects disappeared, catastrophe would ensue. Forests would probably collapse, rivers and oceans would be poisoned, and many other animals would starve. Two entomologists have now written the first book that chronicles this success story. Evolution of the Insects, published by Cambridge University Press, is the result of five years' labor by David Grimaldi of the American Museum of Natural History and Michael Engel of the University of Kansas. Grimaldi and Engel are well-qualified for the job. Among their many accomplishments, they identified the oldest insect fossils from a 410-million-year-old rock in 2004. But to write Evolution of the Insects, they went well beyond their own research and synthesized the work of the armies of scientists who study living insects, dig up insect fossils and discover evolutionary secrets in insect DNA Advent of wings. This effort has produced an increasingly clear picture of the rise of insects."
San Diego Union Tribune

"This is a gorgeously produced book, with cleanly presented photographs of fossils supplemented by attractively produced photographs of living taxa, elegant line drawings, diagrams, and tables. The authors and Cambridge University Press are to be congratulated for making this large volume such a pleasure to read and use."
J.B. Whitfield, American Entomologist

"Evolution of the Insects is filled with lavish color photographs of both fossil and recent insects."
George Poinar, Jr., American Scientist

"Evolution of the Insects by David Grimaldi and Michael S. Engel is the first book that has attempted to pull together and synthesize both fossil and recent evidence for insect evolution, and to present the information in an accessible, engaging way. They have succeeded to an unprecedented degree, and anyone with an active or passing interest in insects owes it to themselves to have a look."
Quentin D. Wheeler, Natural Science

"This is a rich work and an great contribution to the study and teaching of insect and arthropod science."
Kipling W. Will, BioScience

"Surprisingly for a book of this depth the intended audience are beginning graduate students, non-specialist, and even amateur naturalists and fossil insect collectors. The writing style is simple, without the over-explained feel of a textbook, but complete and satisfying. In cases where technical terms are inevitable, there's a very useful glossary at the end."
Ecoscience

"Entomologists such as myself are concerned only with a few insect species, especially those that interact with man - either pest species or gorgeous, endangered species such as butterflies. Seldom do we give much thought to how and when our study organisms evolved, and when we do, the relevant information is often hard to find. Fortunately, two American authors, David Grimaldi and Michael Engel, have brilliantly synthesised the potentially mind-boggling diversity of information in Evolution of the InsectsThis book is well written, logically presented, well referenced, easy to read and marvellously illustrated, mostly in colorit will be immensely useful to non-taxonomists, entomologists who are ecologists, behaviorists and physiologists. One of its strengths is that it is a general reference source that can be dipped into according to need but also has a logical thread and can be read cover to cover.Each of the other chapters is an equal pleasure to read, and the average of at least one illustration per page is maintained throughout. Apart from being relevant to the text, some of the photographs of both living and fossil insects are so gorgeous that the book might even have a casual "coffee table" appeal. I am sure that I will use it much more frequently than many other reference books that I own, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone with an interest in entomology."
Graham Elmes, Times Higher Education

"The authors have created an impressive work in presenting an evolutionary history of insects, including information on their diversity, relationships, and 400 million years of fossils. No other work has managed to integrate this diversity of living and extinct insects. This book has already been noted as a breakthrough work and a landmark contribution. [] This work advances our knowledge of insect relationshiops and conveys the vast scope and depth of information the authors have provided about the topic that no other work on insect fossils has approachedThis work is a must have for anyone interested in insect studies and is highly recommended for academic libraries." -- American Reference Books Annual

Reader Reviews
When I read "History of Insects" by Rasnitsyn & Quicke, I was happy, when I read "Evolution of the Insects" I became ecstatic! This book has colorful, well chosen illustrations that illuminate the chapters. The book is well written to the point of being hard to put down. The authors have included much about living insects which will make this accessible volume useful to biologists as well as paleontologists. Teachers and libraries ought to have this book. Fossil collectors and naturalists will be drawn to it. The price of this hardbound treasure is low enough to be irresistable. To be sure, there are some errors; all chert is not volcanic(P. 49), and the 'spider' in photo 2.4 on P. 45 is actually the Holotype of a whip scorpion relative called a Schizomid. The authors accept impact for the Triassic mass extinction which is still debated, while curiously balking to accept the widely acknowledged impact termination to the Cretaceous. All in all, this is a MUST HAVE book. I still love the more technical "History of Insects" for its many illustrations of Asian fossils which are seldom seen in English language publications. "Evolution of the Insects" is perhaps the finest treatment yet given to any fossil group!