After a brief survey of biotopic and vegetational features and an account of the main groups of desert animals, the most unusual patterns of the behaviour of the xerophilous fauna are examined. The importance of the thermohygric regulation and self-protective and locomotor mechanisms to the survival of arid-adapted animals is emphasized and various adaptations in the alimentary, reproductive and social spheres are analyzed.
The clear and fluent treatment will awaken the interest of the reading public, from the amateur naturalists to research scientists.

Inhalt

1 Introduction.- 2 Biotope and Vegetation Features.- 2.1 Definition of Desert.- 2.2 Factors of Aridity.- 2.3 Classifications of Deserts.- 2.3.1 Tropical and Subtropical Deserts.- 2.3.2 Cool Coastal Deserts.- 2.3.3 Rain Shadow Deserts.- 2.3.4 Interior Continental Deserts.- 2.3.5 Polar Deserts.- 2.3.6 Sandy/Coastal Areas.- 2.3.7 Semi-Desert Areas.- 2.4 Biotope Features.- 2.4.1 Temperature.- 2.4.2 Atmospheric Humidity.- 2.4.3 Wind.- 2.5 Characteristics of Desert Vegetation.- 3 Desert Zoocoenosis.- 3.1 General Characteristics.- 3.2 Main Animal Groups.- 3.2.1 Protozoans.- 3.2.2 Turbellarian Flatworms.- 3.2.3 Rotifers.- 3.2.4 Nematodes.- 3.2.5 Annelids.- 3.2.6 Gastropods.- 3.2.7 Tardigrades.- 3.2.8 Arachnids.- 3.2.9 Crustaceans.- 3.2.10 Myriapods.- 3.2.11 Insects.- 3.2.12 Fishes.- 3.2.13 Amphibians.- 3.2.14 Reptiles.- 3.2.15 Birds.- 3.2.16 Mammals.- 4 Thermohygric Regulation.- 4.1 Timing of Activity Rhythms.- 4.2 Modulation of Activity Rhythms.- 4.3 Exploitation of Substratum Resources.- 4.3.1 Subterranean Life.- 4.3.2 Digging Behaviour.- 4.3.3 Looking for Sheltered Microhabitats.- 4.3.4 Exploitation of Water Resources.- 4.4 Exploitation of Body Resources.- 4.4.1 Sun-Basking.- 4.4.2 Self-Production of Shadow.- 4.4.3 Body Orientation.- 4.4.4 Locomotor Strategies.- 4.4.5 Fog-Basking.- 4.5 Exploitation of Social Resources.- 5 Self-Protective Mechanisms.- 5.1 Primary Self-Protection.- 5.1.1 Anachoretic Behaviour.- 5.1.2 Batesian Mimicry.- 5.1.3 Crypsis.- 5.1.4 Aposematism.- 5.2 Secondary Self-Protection.- 5.2.1 Retreat.- 5.2.2 Escape.- 5.2.3 Deimatic Behaviour.- 5.2.4 Thanatosis.- 5.2.5 Deflection of Attack.- 5.2.6 Counterattack.- 5.2.7 Social Defense Strategies.- 6 Patterns of Movement.- 6.1 Locomotor Patterns.- 6.1.1 Crawling.- 6.1.2 Walking.- 6.1.3 Digging.- 6.1.4 Swimming.- 6.2 Orientation Mechanisms.- 6.2.1 Primary Orientation.- 6.2.2 Secondary Orientation.- 6.2.3 Dispersal and Migration.- 7 Exploitation of Food Resources.- 7.1 Herbivores.- 7.1.1 Insects.- 7.1.2 Other Invertebrates.- 7.1.3 Rodents.- 7.1.4 Ungulates.- 7.1.5 Other Vertebrates.- 7.2 Carnivores.- 7.2.1 Invertebrates.- 7.2.2 Vertebrates.- 7.3 Detritivores.- 8 Reproductive Regulation.- 8.1 Timing of Reproduction.- 8.2 Partner Location.- 8.3 Courtship and Mating.- 8.4 Pair Stabilization; Sexual Groups.- 8.5 Parental Care and Developmental Regulation.- 9 Social Behaviour.- 9.1 Sociality in Desert Environments.- 9.2 Territorial Phenomena.- 9.3 Learning and Culture.- References.