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Learning in Insects Except Apoidea

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Invertebrate Learning

Abstract

The class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda contains by far the largest assemblage of organisms in the animal kingdom, approximately 75% of all known living animal species being insect species (Ross, 1965). When the number of species, the large size of insect populations, and the extremely important effects which these populations have on other organisms are considered together, one might almost go so far as to say that the insects are the dominant life form on this planet. For these reasons, and also because of the importance of insects to agriculture and their role as vectors in the spread of disease, entomology has long been an important subdiscipline of zoology. However, entomological research has largely been directed toward establishing a satisfactory understanding of insect evolution and toward investigating those aspects of insect physiology which are directly related to the control of insect pests. Neither entomologists nor animal behaviorists have given the behavior of this extremely important group of animals the attention it deserves.

The author wishes to thank Professors Glenn Morris and David Gibo for their helpful advice and comments.

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Alloway, T.M. (1973). Learning in Insects Except Apoidea. In: Corning, W.C., Dyal, J.A., Willows, A.O.D. (eds) Invertebrate Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3009-7_3

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