John Alcock is Regents Professor Emeritus of Biology at Arizona State University. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University under the direction of Ernst Mayr. His research deals with the behavioral ecology of insect mating systems, with projects that have taken him from Arizona to Costa Rica and Australia. He wrote The Triumph of Sociobiology (2001) and coauthored The Evolution of Insect Mating Systems (1983) with Randy Thornhill. Alcock has also written six other books on animal behavior and natural history for general audiences. One of these, In a Desert Garden, received the Burroughs Award for natural history writing in 1998. Dr. Alcock also received the Dean s Quality Teaching Award the first year it was given at Arizona State University.

This new edition of Animal Behavior has once again been thoroughly rewritten with coverage of much recent work in animal behavior, while retaining the many successful features of previous editions. The writing style is clear and engaging; the book is well illustrated with many new photographs; and the discussion questions are embedded in the text to encourage the development of problem-solving skills of students. This now-classic text continues to offer a balanced treatment of the underlying mechanisms and evolutionary bases of behavior with a focus on the importance of evolutionary theory for the unification of the different behavioral disciplines.