Chemical Zoology V5

Book excerpt: Chemical Zoology Volume V Arthropoda Part A presents chemical information on zoological importance of Arthropoda. It is composed of 12 chapters that cover anatomy, feeding, and digestion; carbohydrate, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism; osmoregulation; and growth and development. After briefly dealing with general characteristics, evolution and classification of Arthropoda, the book discusses arthropod nutrition and the nutrients needed for their growth and development. It describes the unique features of the digestive system, as well as secretion, resorption, and production of digestive juices of arthropods and crustaceans. Other chapters deal with the aspects and dynamics of arthropods' carbohydrate, lipid, and nitrogen metabolism. The book also describes the mechanism of osmotic regulation in aquatic arthropods and the role of amino acids in this function in insect hemolyph. The concluding chapters discuss some of the metabolic changes as related to tissue growth and an increase in body size in arthropods. This book is an invaluable resource for zoologists and biochemists.