Insect Endocrinology

Scarce cloth hardcover, xii+234 pages (b&w plates pp 217-234), b&w figures in text, NOT ex-library. Revised and updated translation from the Polish. Clean and bright (faint yellowing of endpapers only), free of inscriptions and stamps, firmly bound. Dust jacket with a small tear to the upper front panel, mild shelfwear. -- This book, a landmark synthesis of insect hormonal biology, offers a deep and integrative account of the mechanisms underlying insect development, reproduction, metabolism, and behaviour - making it an enduring reference for both researchers and advanced students in entomology, physiology, and related life sciences. Across nine comprehensive chapters, Cymborowski blends extensive original research with critical engagement with global literature to explore the role of hormones in the life cycle of insects. The book opens with a conceptual and historical introduction to insect endocrinology, including key problems such as hormonal feedback, circadian rhythms, and molecular regulation of metamorphosis. A detailed anatomical survey follows, mapping the structure and function of the neuroendocrine system - from neurosecretory cells and corpora allata to the prothoracic glands. Chapter 3 outlines a broad range of technical approaches - including endocrine gland ablation, parabiosis, in vitro culture, autoradiography, and multiple bioassay protocols - that together provide a foundation for experimental endocrinology in invertebrate systems. Chapters 4-8 present richly detailed discussions of how specific hormones, including PTTH, juvenile hormone, ecdysone, bursicon, and others, orchestrate developmental transitions, reproductive processes, diapause, and behavioural changes. These analyses synthesise hormonal interactions within ecological and physiological contexts, highlighting the interplay between endocrine signalling and environmental factors like temperature, photoperiod, and nutrition. The final chapter turns to applied entomology, addressing the use of insect hormones and analogues as a new generation of insecticides. Cymborowski offers a prescient discussion of juvenoids, ecdysoids, and hormone inhibitors, evaluating their mechanisms of action. With its blend of classical theory, methodological rigour, and applied relevance, Insect Endocrinology continues to be a valuable resource for anyone working in invertebrate physiology, developmental biology, or integrated pest management. -- Contents [Summary & References in each chapter]: 1. Introduction to insect endocrinology 2. Insect endocrine system [General characteristics of the insect endocrine system; Insect neurosecretory system; Corpora allata; Prothoracic glands] 3. Methods and techniques in insect endocrinology [Elimination of insect endocrine centres; Implantation of endocrine glands; Parabiosis; Culture of endocrine glands in vitro; Histochemical & Pharmacological methods; Methods of assaying hormone activity; Investigation of eclosion hormone activity; Determination of activity of other insect hormones] 4. Hormonal regulation of insect growth and metamorphosis [General characteristics of insect development; Hormones associated with development and metamorphosis; Interaction of hormones during insect development and metamorphosis] 5. Hormonal regulation of insect reproduction [Characteristics of the reproductive system; Female & male gonads; Hormonal regulation of egg maturation; Regulation of the reproductive processes in males] 6. Insect diapause 7. Hormonal regulation of insect metabolism [Hormonal regulation of respiratory metabolism; Carbohydrate & lipid & amino acid metabolism] 8. Hormones and insect behaviour [General characteristics of hormonal regulation of insect behaviour; Hormonal regulation of reproductive behaviour in insects & of insect behaviour during development and metamorphosis] 9. Insect hormones as insecticides [General characteristics of third-generation insecticides; Juvenoids; Ecdysoids; Antihormones]; Index.…