아름다운 동물과 거구의 동물

표범 무늬를 가진 어리표범나비·······································12
비행하며 구애하는 호랑나비··········································15
잘생긴 고운땅거미···················································18
화려하고 아름다운 주홍거미··········································21
겨울 철새의 명품 - 고니··············································24
날씬하고 어여쁜 맵시벌··············································27
화려한 새 - 극락조··················································30
생태계를 교란하는 황소개구리·······································32
일부다처제의 바다사자··············································35
지구 역사상 가장 거대한 동물 - 대왕고래·····························38
몸길이 4m의 거구 - 덤보문어·········································41
소처럼 풀을 뜯는 듀공···············································44

신기하고 별난 녀석들
밤만 되면 잠드는 미모사·············································48
새똥처럼 생긴 새똥거미··············································51
자꾸만 잊어버리는 식망증 동물·······································55
머리는 오리, 몸은 너구리 - 오리너구리································58
다슬기의 공격·······················································61
매미의 인내심·······················································63
녹용과도 안 바꾸는 부추·············································66
소나무의 천적 - 흰개미··············································69
불침 쏘는 불개미····················································72
밟혀도 죽지 않는 민들레·············································74
속 좁고 질투심 많은 양···············································77
괴상하게 생긴 별코두더지···········································80
못난이 물고기 - 블롭피쉬············································82
남자의 성기를 닮은 페니스 스네이크·································84
판다를 닮은 판다개미················································87
최고의 애처가 - 늑대················································89

재주 많은 능력자들
철사보다 열 배 강한 거미줄··········································94
힘이 센 장수풍뎅이··················································97
스프링처럼 늘어나는 방울뱀········································100
인간을 능가하는 농사꾼 - 일꾼개미(가위개미)························103
침술의 대가 - 나나니벌·············································106
자연의 청소부 - 쇠똥구리···········································109
의사소통을 하는 꿀벌················································111
위장술의 대가 - 대벌레··············································114
대륙을 넘나드는 된장잠자리········································116
점프의 달인 - 갈기늑대··············································119
땅파기의 달인 - 벌거숭이두더지·····································122

동식물의 짝짓기
곤충계의 무법자 - 사마귀···········································126
수컷이 암컷을 유인하는 곤충 - 바퀴벌레·····························129
특이한 생식기의 소유자 - 빈대······································132
하트 모양으로 짝짓기하는 실잠자리·································135
귀뚜라미의 짝짓기··················································137
수중에서 짝짓기하는 물자라········································140
친족끼리 짝짓기하는 쌍살벌········································143
세상에서 가장 긴 생식기를 가진 따개비······························145

모성애와 부성애
거미의 모성애·····················································150
태어나자마자 고아가 되는 살모사···································153
고약한 냄새를 풍기는 노린재········································157
천축잉어와 가시고기의 자식 사랑····································161
새끼의 먹이가 되는 애어리염낭거미·································164
부성애의 상징 - 가시고기···········································166
어류에게 배우는 지혜···············································169

생존 경쟁과 진화
벌레를 잡아먹는 식충 식물··········································174
아가미와 허파로 호흡하는 폐어······································177
공기 방울 안에서 생활하는 물거미··································180
보다 쉬운 생존 방식을 선택한 초식성 거미···························183
파충류와 조류의 중간 형태 - 시조새·································186
소를 닮은 산양·····················································189
거미의 천적 - 대모벌················································192
새끼를 업고 비행하는 날여우원숭이··································94

사라져 가는 희귀종
세계 멸종 위기 동물 - 장수거북이···································198
한국의 나비························································201
씨가 말라 버린 장수하늘소·········································205
독성 강한 전갈·····················································208
겁쟁이 천산갑······················································211
우리나라에만 있는 크낙새··········································214
백령도 점박이물범··················································217
빙하기에 멸종한 동굴곰 뼈 화석····································220
수중 생활에 적합하게 진화한 물장군································222
일곱 쌍의 아가미 구멍을 가진 칠성장어·····························224
쥐와 박쥐의 중간 형태 - 아이아이원숭이·····························227
긴 주둥이로 먹이를 잡는 도깨비상어································230

인간과 동식물
미꾸리와 미꾸라지의 차이점은?·····································234
귀신 쫓는 주목나무·················································238
천연 청색 염색 식물 - 인도람········································241
우리나라에만 있는 미선나무········································244
분비물로 먹이를 잡는 가죽거미·····································247
인간의 먹거리 - 메뚜기··············································251
올챙이에서 더 자라지 않는 우파루파································254
질병 매개체 - 모기··················································257
생명공학에 공헌하는 곤충 - 초파리·································260
암 환자를 살리는 새우··············································263
의약품과 향수의 원료 - 꿀풀········································266
약재로 사용되는 야생화 - 원추리····································269
꽃말 ‘영원한 사랑’의 복수초·········································272
나를 흥분시킨 한국땅거미··········································274

인간과 자연
인간의 특징·······················································280
여성 상위 시대·····················································282
살아 있는 자연 생태 실습장 - 갈라파고스 섬·························285
철새들의 도래지 - 백령도···········································288
닭이 물을 먹듯 술을 마셔라·········································291
인간 냄새··························································294
지혜로운 소의 생존 방식 - 우생마사·································297
명상·······························································299
와인 이야기························································302
서해 우도에서 있었던 일············································305
노인들은 왜 자다가 깨서 소변을 볼까?······························308

찾아보기···························································310

『알면 유익한 자연의 세계』는 동물학자인 김주필 박사가 오랜 시간 조사하고 연구하면서 정리해 놓은 귀한 ‘동식물 생태 자료’ 중 우리와 가장 친숙한 자연과 책이 아니면 접하기 힘든 신기롭고 흥미로운 자연 세계의 이야기 100가지를 엄선해서 엮은 책이다. 책은 총 아홉 개의 장으로 구성되어 있으며(1. 아름다운 동물과 거구의 동물, 2. 신기하고 별난 녀석들, 3. 재주 많은 능력자들, 4. 동식물의 짝짓기, 5. 모성애와 부성애, 6. 생존 경쟁과 진화, 7. 사라져 가는 희귀종, 8. 인간과 동식물, 9. 인간과 자연) 각 장은 해당 동식물의 생태와 특징은 물론, 저자가 관찰 및 조사 과정에서 얻은 인상과 경험담까지 담고 있다.