ABSTRACT
Some of the earliest studies of irradiation effects on organisms used insects because of their ease of handling, short life cycles, large number of progeny produced by most species, and their other favorable biological attributes. Arthropods other than insects have been little studied and except for a few economically important species of the Arachnida, studies are either superficial or lacking entirely. The chapter provides a general overview of most of the major groups of insects studied and focuses on those species where the information is most complete. It enables the reader to gain an insight into how and why irradiation affects arthropods without the confusing detail of considering the multitude of species that have been studied. Little emphasis can be placed on arthropods other than insects because of the paucity of information on these groups. Sublethal doses of irradiation can produce short- or long-term changes in physiology, developmental rate, viability, longevity, behavior, and fertility.
