By Robert Dudley Princeton University Press pp. 536. ISBN 0-691-04430-9 (cloth)/0-691-09491-8 (pbk) £35 (cloth)/£24.95 (pbk)
By most measures, insects are remarkable: whether considering number of species, biomass, economic importance or range, insects are impressive. One key attribute that accounts for much of this `success' is the ability to fly;with flight comes improved speed, range, opportunity for feeding and escape,and consequently a vastly expanded number of potential ecological niches. Hence, an understanding of the evolution and mechanics of flight provides insight into many aspects of insect biology. Now that the Biomechanics of Insect Flight by Princeton University Press is reissued in paperback, it has become accessible to more than a specialist readership.
After an introduction briefly covering the evolution and taxonomy of insects, with the essence of an advertising campaign for the insect taxon,Dudley runs through the basics of flight and relevant morphology (including some fluid dynamics and an introduction to...
