Death-Feigning in Insects

This book examines the mechanisms and functions of tonic immobility, the so-called death feigning behavior, or thanatosis, or animal hypnosis. The chapters cover the neurophysiological and experimental studies on insects, the functional significance of death-feigning, examination of the freezing and immobility behavior in insects through environment, physiology, genetics, and responses to ultrasound and vibration. It also covers tonic immobility and freezing behavior in fish from the perspective of vertebrates study.
Tonic immobility is an interesting behavior that occurs reflexively in various animals under physical restraint by predators. The physiological mechanism of thanatosis was extensively investigated during 1960-1980. Researchers have proposed hypotheses to explain the mechanism underlying tonic immobility in vertebrates; local inhibition of the central nervous system, acceleration of the limbic system, abnormal control of the autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, the peripheral and central mechanisms of tonic immobility were intensely investigated at a behavioral and a neuronal level in stick insects and crickets. In the 1970s, behavioral ecology has shed light on the aspect of an ultimate factor for tonic immobility. Ethologists and ecologists challenged this matter in the laboratory and natural habitats, and have collected evidence for its functional roles using mainly insects such as beetles, moths, locusts. More recently, studies of tonic immobility in humans are drawing attention, as clinicians are trying to explain the defencelessness of rape victims from the viewpoint of animal hypnosis.
This timely publication provides an understanding of the past and present research of the mechanisms and functions of tonic immobility. This book is intended for researchers and undergraduate/ graduate students in the field of zoology including physiology, ethology, ecology, and human behavior. It will also appealto the public audience who has an interest in animal behavior, including human behavior.

Presents a comprehensive overview of the past and present research on Death-Feigning Examines the behaviour of Death-feigning from the aspects of mechanisms and functions Appeals to not only zoologists and students but also to non-researchers who are interested in animal and human behavior

Autorentext

Masaki Sakai
Emeritus Professor of Okayama University

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Freezing and Tonic immobility: Their Definitions and Naming.- Chapter 2: Historical Review on Thanatosis with Special Reference to the Work of Fritz Steiniger.- Chapter 3: The function of Death-Feigning: Review and Prospectus.- Chapter 4: Environmental, Physiological and Genetic Effects on Tonic Immobility in Beetles.- Chapter 5: Ultrasound-Induced Freezing Response in Moths.- Chapter 6: Vibration-Induced Immobility in Coleopteran Insects.- Chapter 7: Tonic Immobility in a Cricket: Behavioral Characteristics, Neural Substrate and Functional Significance.- Chapter 8: Tonic Immobility in a Cricket: Neuronal Underpinnings of Global Motor Inhibition.- Chapter 9: Catalepsy and Twig Mimesis in Insects and Its Neural Control.- Chapter 10: Descending Neuron for Freezing Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster .- Chapter 11: Immobility Behaviors in Fish: A Comparison with Other Vertebrates.