Prologue

Abstract

The chapter opens with a brief discussion of the definition of a city, which is followed by a description of the evolution of human settlements and the associated invertebrate and vertebrate fauna over the past 50,000 years but more particularly the past 6000 years. The examination concludes that little is known about the fauna and the gene/environment interaction of cities, even now. The chapter also identifies the need for a final volume, namely the bacteria, protozoans and viruses of cities. The background to the book is explained, including the reason why it was not possible to achieve the original aspiration of two separate books (one about invertebrates and the other about vertebrates), choice of cities, selection of major groups of invertebrates and what can only be described as scandalous taxonomic issues. ­Communication skills of zoologists and their relationship with professions concerned with planning, design and management of cities are examined and it is concluded that there is an urgent need for two types of zoologists—the general practitioner and the specialist.