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Zoology in the
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published by Kasparek Verlag Mönchhofstr. 16, 69120 Heidelberg Fax 06221 / 471858, E-mail: Kasparek@t-online.de |
Abstracts
Volume 1, 1986
Volume 1 (1986) consists
of “short communications” without abstracts.
Preface to the first
volume of the journal:
Preface
For zoologists, and not only
for them, the Middle East is a very special region. Its geographic situation is
characterised by two contrasting features: on the one hand this region of
approximately 8 million square kilometers – slightly smaller than Europe – is
nearly an island, surrounded by former or still existing seas; on the other
hand it is a transitional area between three continents. It also contains a
very rieh variety of habitats, some of them unique in the worid. All this is
reflected in an outstanding fauna, resulting from the isolation, ecological variety,
and faunal exchange cited.
Thus the fauna of the Middle
East may be used as a model in many respects, a model which is surprisingly
little known despite the efforts of hundreds of zoologists and interested
laymen of all periods since antiquity. Our aim, in the long term, therefore, is
to improve the situation both regarding reliable information on the facts and
for scientific causal analysis.
In so doing, we are faced with
a special problem which we hope to solve with this booklet, which may hopefully
develop into a periodical.
The problem is that short
contributions in “classical” zoology, although of scientific interest and of a
high standard of writing, are at times not printed due to the lack of a
suitable journal. The traditional zoology periodicals are usually not interested.
Publication in local journals in Middle East countries in local languages does
not really amount to “publication” in the strict sense of the word.
Publication, on the other hand, in local journals of Europe or North America,
again makes the results inaccessible, especially for our Middle East
colleagues.
We are therefore trying to
establish an international forum. It is aimed at short communications on
morphology, zoogeography, faunistics, systematics, animal biology, and ecology,
serving both orientais and occidentals. To keep a certain standard, the
contributions are refereed.
Like this first volume, the
following are also intended to cover all animal taxa. This time vertebrates
dominate; in the future we hope to present a well balanced programme. Frequency
and volume of subsequent editions depend solely on the interest and
participation of authors as well as readers. We trust in both.
The editors
Heidelberg and Mainz, November 5th, 1986
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