Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol. XVIII, Part II.
Arthropoda: Crustacea, Merostomata, Myriapoda and Arachnida/Zia Uddin Ahmed. Dhaka, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh,
2008, xviii, 226 p., 84 line drawings, 149 colour plates, ISBN 984-300-000286-0.
From the Introduction: "Arthropods are members of the largest animal phylum, Arthropoda that includes the Crustaceans (prawns, shrimps, crabs, lobsters), Arachnids (Scorpions, mites, ticks, spiders), insects (flies, bees, bugs, butterflies), centipedes, millipedes and the trilobites. These highly diverse joint-footed animals comprise about 95% of all the known animal species with about 10,00,000 living species described and a fossil record reaching back to the late Proterozoic era. They first appeared in the Cambrian, implying an earlier, hidden history, reaching back into the Precambrian. The first fossil arthropods are represented by trilobites, merostomes and crustaceans. From embryological evidence it is assumed that they are either derived from the primitive annelids, the polychaete worms, or from a common ancestor. Arthropods share with annelid worms a metamerically segmented body, at least in the embryo, a dorsal heart and an anterior brain, a ventral nerve cord with segmented ganglionic swellings.
Arthropoda is the largest Phylum in the Animal kingdom in terms of both number of taxa and biomass. They are bilaterally symmetrical and metamerically segmented coelomates, with appendages on some or all segments (somites). Their body is covered with chitinous cuticle that is hardened into an exoskeleton, which is replaced by ecdysis (moulting) with growth. Their joined appendages or limbs, primarily one pair to each somite, are modified into numerous organs for walking, grasping and eating. They have complex muscular system, with exoskeleton for attachment, striated muscles for rapid actions and smooth muscles for visceral organs. Their open circulatory system consisting of a dorsal contractile heart, arteries and sinuses that makes up the haemocoel, containing blood (haemolymph). Body cavity or coelom is reduced to haemocoel. Digestive system is complete with mouthparts modified for different modes of feeding. They respire by body surface, gills, tracheae or both. Nervous system is similar to annelid plan, with dorsal brain and chain of ventral ganglion. Sexes are usually separate, with paired reproductive organs and ducts; fertilization is usually internal, and development often includes metamorphosis."
Contents: Introduction. 1. Phylum Arthropoda. 2. Sub Phylum Crustacea. 3. Class Branchiopoda. 4. Subclass Phyllopoda. 5. Order Diplostraca: i. Family Sididae. ii. Family Bosminidae... 6. Class Maxillopoda. 5. Infraclass Cirripedia. 7. Superorder Thoracica. 8. Order Sessilia: i. Family Chthamalidae. ii. Family Tetraclitidae.... 9. Subclass Branchiura. 10. Order Arguloida: i. Family Argulidae. 11. Subclass Copepoda. 12. Order Calanoida: i. Family Diaptomidae. 13. Order Cyclopoida: i. Family Cyclopidae. ii. Family Lernaeidae. 14. Order Poecilostomatoida. 15. Order Siphonostomatoida. 16. Class Ostracoda. 17. Order Myodocopida: i. Family Cypridinidae. 18. Class Malacostraca. 19. Order Stomatopoda: i. Family Squillidae. 20. Order Isopoda: i. Family Cymothoidae. ii. Family Bopyridae. 21. Order Decapoda: i. Family Penaeidae. ii. Family Solenoceridae. iii. Family sergestidae. iv. Family Atyidae. v. Family Palaemonidae...... Glossary. References. Index of scientific names. Index of English and local names.
"The Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh is the first illustrated compendium of all the life forms so far identified in Bangladesh. In 28 volumes it makes an exhaustive inventory of the whole range of plant and animal species in the country. While focusing mainly on the description, habits and habitats of the various species, comments are also made on their economic and ecological significance. Published both in Bangla and English the encyclopedia should be useful to those working for biodiversity conservation, teachers and students of the natural sciences, as well as general readers.
The encyclopedia is compiled and edited by a team of experts, with contributions from the leading scientists and researchers of the country, making it an authoritative reference work. It is another pioneering publication of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, following the BANGLAPEDIA - the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh." (jacket)