Arthropods (e.g. spiders and insects) and reptiles (e.g. snakes) belong to the most successful desert animals. How they manage to survive under the extreme conditions of deserts is treated in the book.

Inhalt
1 Introduction.- 2 The Deserts of the World and Their Faunas.- 2.1 Classification of Deserts.- 2.2 Precipitation and Moisture.- 2.3 Exposure.- 2.4 Parallel Evolution, Convergence and Ecological Equivalents.- 2.5 Energy Flow.- 2.6 Trophic Level Patterns of Process-Functioning.- 2.7 Moisture-Associated Patterns of Process-Functioning.- 2.8 Field Metabolic Rates.- 2.9 Conclusions.- 3 Avoidance of Environmental Extremes.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Desert Microclimates.- 3.3 Circadian Locomotory Rhythms.- 3.4 Seasonal Rhythms in Locomotory Activity.- 3.5 Social Behaviour.- 3.6 Conclusions.- 4 Thermal Regulation and Control.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Behavioural Thermoregulation.- 4.3 Thermal Tolerance.- 4.4 Thermal Control.- 4.5 Responses to Ultraviolet Radiation.- 4.6 The Mechanism of Heat Death.- 4.7 Conclusions.- 5 Water Balance and Nitrogenous Excretion.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Evaporative Water Loss.- 5.3 Excretory Water Loss.- 5.4 Osmoregulation.- 5.5 Behavioural Regulation of Water Loss.- 5.6 Water Uptake.- 5.7 Conclusions.- 6 Seasonal Activity and Phenology.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 The Arthropods of Temporary Rain Pools.- 6.3 Flooding.- 6.4 Diapause, Aestivation and Seasonal Patterns of Activity.- 6.5 Phenology of Reproduction.- 6.6 Conclusions.- 7 Adaptations for Burrowing in Sand, Avoidance of Enemies and Defence.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Burrowing.- 7.3 Sand Swimming and Sand Running.- 7.4 Adaptive Colouration.- 7.5 Defences.- 7.6 Conclusions.- 8 Interspecific Relationships, Feeding Specializations and Species Diversity.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Food Selection and Consumption.- 8.3 Feeding Specializations.- 8.4 Species Diversity and Competition.- 8.5 Interacting Factors.- 8.6 Conclusions.- 9 Final Conclusions.- References.