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E-book
Author Byrne, Marcus author

Title Dance of the dung beetles : their role in our changing world / Marcus Byrne and Helen Lunn
Published Johannesburg : Wits University Press, 2019

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Description 1 online resource (xiii, 228 pages) : PDF file(s)
Contents When the dung beetle wore golden shoes -- Crawling out of the darkness -- Joining the dots -- Colonising insects -- Of elephants and dung beetles -- Tribes with human attributes -- Design construction first -- 'What a wonderful world'
Summary In this sweeping history of more than 3 000 years, beginning with Ancient Egypt, scientist Marcus Byrne and writer, Helen Lunn capture the diversity of dung beetles and their unique behaviour patterns. Dung beetles' fortunes have followed the shifts from a world dominated by a religion that symbolically incorporated them into some of its key concepts of rebirth, to a world in which science has largely separated itself from religion and alchemy. With over 6 000 species found throughout the world, these unassuming but remarkable creatures are fundamental to some of humanity's most cherished beliefs and have been ever present in religion, art, literature, science and the environment. They are at the centre of current gene research, play an important role in keeping our planet healthy, and some nocturnal dung beetles have been found to navigate by the starry skies. Outlining the development of science from the point of view of the humble dung beetle is what makes this charming story of immense interest to general readers and entomologists alike
Notes Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 01 Nov 2019)
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 193-212) and index
Subject Dung beetles -- Ecology
Dung beetles -- Evolution
Beetles.
Ecology.
Biodiversity.
Coleoptera
Ecology
Biodiversity
ecology.
Coleoptera (order)
South Africa.
insects.
ecology.
SCIENCE -- Life Sciences -- Zoology -- General.
SCIENCE -- Natural history-discipline.
Dung beetles -- Ecology
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
Author Lunn, Helen, author
ISBN 9781776142354
1776142357
OTHER TI Cambridge EBA. CaBVaS