CONTENTS

The evolution of close vertebrate associations has occurred in seven orders of insects, resulting in a great diversity of interactions which range from commensalism to true parasitism. The evolution of each taxon of vertebrate associates is discussed in turn, some new ideas on the development of certain groups are presented and, o n a broader scale, a general model for the evolution of cctoparasitic insects is proposed. It argues that all vertebrate associates have evolved along one of two niacroevolutionary pathways which differ only in the sequencing of adaptations facilitating host association and host feeding. These pathways lead to parasite types which differ greatly in their life history aiid intimacy of host association. Soine inicroevolutionary processes inHuencing the diversification of ectoparasites are discussed, in particular the process of insecthertebrate coevolution and the forms this may take. Host specificity, o w consequence of coevolution, is recognised as an important factor influencing the structure of ecroparasite coininunities, and a hypothesis is presented that competition between ectoparasite species, inediated by host defensive responses, is also important in determining communit