Arthropod Structure & Development 43 (2014) 1
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Arthropod Structure & Development journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/asd
A letter from the Editors Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the composition of the journal’s Advisory Board has undergone a substantial revision, with several of its members who have served the journal so loyally being replaced by new names. We would here like to publically express our gratitude to Drs. Arikawa, Bräunig, Budd, Dow, Lehane, Loesel, Paul, Sandeman, Waloszek, nine colleagues who have served the journal so well over the last few years. We extend a very warm welcome to our new members of the Board and look forward to working with them. It is worth reminding our readers of the degree to which the Advisory Board and Section Editors assist in making this journal a success. Without them we would be hard pressed in identifying reviewers and receiving valuable suggestions for articles and special issues. Turning now to the latter, we are delighted that the first issue of this volume is devoted to Myriapoda. Scholarly articles about centipedes and millipedes are overwhelmed by those on insects, arachnids and crustaceans. This deficiency is vigorously countered by this special issue devoted to the subphylum Myriapoda and its two major classes, Chilopoda and Diplopoda. The Silurian ancestors of these venerable animals were probably the first wholly terrestrial arthropods in the colonization of land. Much more than persistent survivors, chilopods and diplopods occupy a huge spectrum of ecological niches, their absence from which would bring catastrophe to those biotopes. Myriapods are animals that deserve our respect and protection, the one class comprising obligate and
1467-8039/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2013.12.002
unceasing carnivores, the other populated by vegetarians and scavengers, many so toxic as to be shunned by even the most determined predator. Centipedes and millipedes have many and fascinating morphological peculiarities, not least the modified venomous first leg pair of centipedes, which equip some larger species the means to hunt even small reptiles and mammals, and the strange evolutionary hallmark of diplosegmentation that characterize millipedes. The two guest editors for this special issue, Greg Edgecombe and Andy Sombke have enabled insights into these and many more peculiarities of this class of arthropods by bringing together experts to provide a comprehensive review of many important aspects of myriapod morphology, development, and evolution. It remains for us to thank Greg and Andy for their efforts and for ensuring that this volume will be an enduring reference work for years to come. The journal is proud to have gained a truly exceptionally prepared special issue. Finally, we extend our best wishes for 2014 to our Advisory Board and Section Editors, to Sara Miller in the Exeter Office who is responsible for the journal’s excellent production, to our publisher Dr. Dale Seaton, and of course to our reviewers, authors and our readers. Alexander Steinbrecht and Nicholas Strausfeld
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Arthropod Structure & Development journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/asd
A letter from the Editors Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the composition of the journal’s Advisory Board has undergone a substantial revision, with several of its members who have served the journal so loyally being replaced by new names. We would here like to publically express our gratitude to Drs. Arikawa, Bräunig, Budd, Dow, Lehane, Loesel, Paul, Sandeman, Waloszek, nine colleagues who have served the journal so well over the last few years. We extend a very warm welcome to our new members of the Board and look forward to working with them. It is worth reminding our readers of the degree to which the Advisory Board and Section Editors assist in making this journal a success. Without them we would be hard pressed in identifying reviewers and receiving valuable suggestions for articles and special issues. Turning now to the latter, we are delighted that the first issue of this volume is devoted to Myriapoda. Scholarly articles about centipedes and millipedes are overwhelmed by those on insects, arachnids and crustaceans. This deficiency is vigorously countered by this special issue devoted to the subphylum Myriapoda and its two major classes, Chilopoda and Diplopoda. The Silurian ancestors of these venerable animals were probably the first wholly terrestrial arthropods in the colonization of land. Much more than persistent survivors, chilopods and diplopods occupy a huge spectrum of ecological niches, their absence from which would bring catastrophe to those biotopes. Myriapods are animals that deserve our respect and protection, the one class comprising obligate and
1467-8039/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2013.12.002
unceasing carnivores, the other populated by vegetarians and scavengers, many so toxic as to be shunned by even the most determined predator. Centipedes and millipedes have many and fascinating morphological peculiarities, not least the modified venomous first leg pair of centipedes, which equip some larger species the means to hunt even small reptiles and mammals, and the strange evolutionary hallmark of diplosegmentation that characterize millipedes. The two guest editors for this special issue, Greg Edgecombe and Andy Sombke have enabled insights into these and many more peculiarities of this class of arthropods by bringing together experts to provide a comprehensive review of many important aspects of myriapod morphology, development, and evolution. It remains for us to thank Greg and Andy for their efforts and for ensuring that this volume will be an enduring reference work for years to come. The journal is proud to have gained a truly exceptionally prepared special issue. Finally, we extend our best wishes for 2014 to our Advisory Board and Section Editors, to Sara Miller in the Exeter Office who is responsible for the journal’s excellent production, to our publisher Dr. Dale Seaton, and of course to our reviewers, authors and our readers. Alexander Steinbrecht and Nicholas Strausfeld
