Conchology is the scientific, semi-scientific, or amateur study of the shells of mollusks. Zoology (from Greek ζῷον, zoon, "animal" + λόγος, " Logos " "knowledge" is the branch of Anthrozoology is the study of human - Animal interaction ("animal" referring to all non-human animals also described as the science focusing on Arachnology (from Greek grc ἀράχνη arachnē, "spider" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of Cetology (from Greek grc κῆτος kētos, "whale" and grc -λογία -logia) is the branch of Marine mammal Entomology (from Greek grc ἔντομος entomos, "that which is cut in pieces or engraved/segmented" hence "insect" and grc -λογία Ethology ( from Greek ἦθος ethos, "character" and λόγος logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of Animal Herpetology (from Greek: ἑρπετόν herpeton, "creeping animal" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the branch of Zoology Ichthyology (from Greek ἰχθυ ikhthu, "fish" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the branch of Zoology devoted to the study Malacology is the branch of Invertebrate Zoology which deals with the study of Mollusks the second-largest Phylum of animals in terms of described In Zoology, mammalogy is the study of Mammals – a class of Vertebrates with characteristics such as Homeothermic Metabolism Myrmecology (from Greek μύρμεξ myrmex, "ant" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the scientific study of Ants Neuroethology ("neuro" Greek related to Nerve cells, "ethos" Greek habit or custom is an evolutionary and comparative approach to the study of animal behavior Ornithology (from Greek ὄρνις ὄρνιθος ornis, ornithos, "bird" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the branch of Planktology is the study of Plankton, various Microorganisms that inhabit bodies of Water. Paleozoology, also spelled as palaeozoology ( Greek: παλαιον paleon = old and ζωον zoon = animal is the branch of Paleontology Primatology is the study of Primates It is a diverse Discipline and primatologists can be found in departments of Biology, Anthropology Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier ( August 23 1769 &ndash May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist Charles Robert Darwin (February 12 1809 &ndash April 19 1882 was an English naturalist, who realised and demonstrated that all Species of life William Kirby ( September 19, 1759 &ndash July 4, 1850) was an English Entomologist, an original member of the Linnean Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for Konrad Zacharias Lorenz ( November 7, 1903 in Vienna &ndash February 27, 1989 in Vienna) was an Austrian Thomas Say ( June 27, 1787 &ndash October 10, 1834) was an American naturalist, Entomologist, Malacologist Alfred Russel Wallace OM, FRS (8 January 1823 &ndash 7 November 1913 was an British naturalist, Explorer, Geographer This is a list of Zoologists by their surnames with abbreviated given names Timeline of zoology This article considers the history of Zoology before the theory of Evolution proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859 This article considers the history of Zoology in the years up to 1912 since the theory of Evolution by Natural selection proposed by Charles Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding A seashell, also known as a sea shell, is the Common name for a hard protective outer layer a shell or in some cases a " test " that was created It can include the study of the shells (i. e. the calcareous exoskeletons of the phylum mollusca, which includes the operculum of the organism where one is present - a "trap door" the animal uses to protect itself from predators and extreme conditions) of land, freshwater, and marine mollusks. A phylum ( Plural: phyla) is a Taxonomic rank between Kingdom and above Class. Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 The operculum, meaning little lid (plural opercula or operculums is a corneous or Calcareous structure which exists in some groups of marine freshwater and land

Conchology is often confounded with shell collecting in general. However, many collectors are primarily concerned with the perceived beauty (aesthetic value) and the extreme variability of shapes, colors and patterns of shells, as opposed to systematic study of these natural history objects. Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called Natural history is the Scientific research of Plants or Animals leaning more towards the Observational than Experimental methods One does not have to be a shell collector in order to be a conchologist: this simply requires access to private and/or institutional collections. The two terms can therefore regarded as distinct, although there is some debate in the conchological community about this matter with many considering all collectors regardless of motivation, to be conchologists of one kind or another.

Conchology can be viewed as a branch of malacology, which is the study of molluscs (UK spelling) or mollusks (US spelling) as whole organisms, not just their shells - and indeed, conchology predated malacology as a field of study by many years: ever since at least the time of the ancient Egyptians (reference needed), people have admired, collected and no doubt studied mollusc shells. Malacology is the branch of Invertebrate Zoology which deals with the study of Mollusks the second-largest Phylum of animals in terms of described

That having been said, the term "conchology" is used by some (especially in Europe) to mean the same thing as "malacology", thus when using the term it is often useful to "operationally define" what you are refering to.

In current times, conchology (i. e. in its more constrained sense) is often seen as rather archaic: it is sometimes considered to be lacking in scientific rigor because of the limitation of looking only at the shell of an organism.

In the scientific or natural history sense, conchologists study these animal shells in order to gain an understanding of the diverse and complex taxonomy of mollusks. Natural history is the Scientific research of Plants or Animals leaning more towards the Observational than Experimental methods Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos As with many other taxonomic fields, molluscan taxonomy is in a constant state of flux.

A vendor in Tanzania sells seashells.

Conchology is sometimes considered to include the shells/tests of other marine invertebrates, such as brachiopods, echinoderms, cnidarians, and crustaceans. Brachiopods (from Latin brachium, arm + New Latin -poda, foot are a small phylum of Benthic Invertebrates Also Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata) are a phylum of marine Animals (including Sea stars) Cnidaria (naɪˈdɛəriə is a phylum containing some 9000 Species of Animals found exclusively in aquatic mostly marine, environments Structure of crustaceans As Arthropods crustaceans have a stiff Exoskeleton, which must be shed to allow the animal to grow ( Ecdysis or molting

Conchology deals with all mollusk shells, however, squid and other cephalopods do not have outer shells (with the exception of the Nautiloidea), having evolved just to have an internal bone or shell, used for buoyancy or support. Squid are marine Cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species The cephalopods ( Greek plural (kephalópoda "head-feet" are the Mollusc class Cephalopoda characterized by Nautiloids are a group of marine Mollusks in the subclass Nautiloidea, which all possess an external shell the best-known example being the modern Nautiluses Some groups (such as the aptly named nudibranchs) have lost their "skeleton" (internal and/or external) altogether, while in some it has been replaced by a cartilaginous support structure. A nudibranch (pronounced (BrE or (AmE is a member of one Suborder of soft-bodied shell-less marine Opisthobranch Gastropod Mollusks Because of this, conchologists deal mainly with the molluscan orders which constitute the gastropods (snails), bivalves, Polyplacophora (chitons) and Scaphopoda (tusk shells). The class Gastropoda or the gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as Snails Bivalves are Molluscs belonging to the class Bivalvia. They have two-part shells and typically both valves are symmetrical along the hinge line Chitons are small to large primitive marine Mollusks in the class Polyplacophora. The tusk shells or scaphopods are a class of marine Mollusks which vary in size from very small to medium sized

History of Conchology

Shell collecting, the "ancestor" or precursor of conchology, most likely goes back for as long as there have been people and beaches: someone walking on the beach would pick up a shell for its beauty and maybe go out the next day to look for more. The fact that molluscs have probably been used by primates as a food source even before humanoids evolved added to its commonality. There have been seashell necklaces found from the Stone Age, some of which were found in areas removed from the ocean, indicating that they were traded. The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking Shell necklaces and jewelry are found at almost all archaeological sites, including at ancient Aztec ruins, digs in ancient China, the Indus Valley, and Native American sites. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin During the Renaissance, people began taking interest in natural objects of beauty to put in wunderkammern. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere For the 2002 novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child see The Cabinet of Curiosities For the 2008 Jane's Addiction box set see A Cabinet of Curiosities Because of their attractiveness, variety, durability and ubiquity (shell-bearing molluscs can be found from nearly all marine and a huge variety of land and fresh water habitats) shells became a large part of these collections. Towards the end of the seventeenth century, people began looking at shells with scientific interest. Lister in 1685-1692 published Historia Conchyliorum, which was the first comprehensive conchological book, with over 1000 engraved plates. Martin Lister (c 1638 Radclive, England - February 2, 1712, Epsom) English naturalist and Physician, was

A plate from Lister’s book, showing what he calls buccinis shells

George Eberhard Rumpf, or Rumphius, (1627-1702) was another important early conchologist. He published the first classifications of molluscs into different groups; he suggested "Single Shelled Ones" (Polyplacophora, limpets, and abalones), "Snails or Whelks" (Gastropods), and "Two-Shelled Ones" (Bivalves). The name Limpet is used for many kinds of mostly saltwater but also freshwater Snails specifically those that have a simple shell which is more or less broadly conical Abalone (from Spanish Abulón) are medium-sized to very large edible sea Snails marine Gastropod Mollusks in the Rumphius first published many of the names and taxonomic terms adopted by Linnæus, and continued to do important scientific work even after he went blind, working by feel. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for

The study of shells & molluscs, like most other branches of zoology, was revolutionized by the "father of modern taxonomy" Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnæus and his system of nomenclature. Zoology (from Greek ζῷον, zoon, "animal" + λόγος, " Logos " "knowledge" is the branch of It is now commonly held that 683 of the 4000 or so animal species he described, are now considered to be molluscs (see Harry G. Lee's excellent article at the Jax Shells website (which contains many well researched conchological articles) for details), although he placed them in several phyla at the time.

After Linnæus, conchology/malacology became an official branch of zoology. There have been many prominent conchologists in the past few centuries; the Sowerby family were famous collectors and shell dealers, as well as being noted for their superb illustrations; John Mawe (1764 – 1829) produced arguably the first conchology how-to guide - The Voyager's Companion or Shell-Collector's Pilot as well as The Linnæan System of Conchology; Hugh Cuming (1791-1865) also is famous for his huge collection and number of new species discovered. John Mawe (1764 – 1829 was a British mineralogist who became well known for his practical approach to the discipline Hugh Cuming (14 February 1791 - 10 August 1865 was an English naturalist and Conchologist. Another fundamental work was American Conchology, or Descriptions of the Shells of North America, Illustrated From Coloured Figures From Original Drawings, Executed from Nature (six volumes, 1830-1834), written by Thomas Say. Thomas Say ( June 27, 1787 &ndash October 10, 1834) was an American naturalist, Entomologist, Malacologist

Perhaps the most prominent conchologist of the 20th century was R. Tucker Abbott. Robert Tucker Abbott ( September 28, 1919 &ndash November 3, 1995) was an American conchologist and malacologist Author of dozens of books on conchology, Senior Advisor, Founding Director, and finally Museum Director of the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Abbott brought the world of conchology to the public. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is a museum of Seashells and Conchology located in the city of Sanibel Florida on Sanibel Island on the His most prominent works are "American Seashells" 1955 & 1974, Seashells of the World, 1962, and The Kingdom of the Seashell, 1972. See Category:Conchologists and Guido Poppe for others. Guido T Poppe ( 11 September 1952 - * is a Belgian malacologist and shell dealer Many of the finest collections of seashells are in private hands. John du Pont, and Jack Lightbourne, among others, are known for extensive collections. Emperor Hirohito of Japan also amassed a huge collection, and was a competent and respected amateur conchologist. That said, John DuPont donated his shell collection to the Delaware Museum of Natural History (DMNH) in 1984, and by far the world's largest assemblage of mollusc shells is housed at the Smithsonian Institution, which has millions of lots and perhaps 50,000 species, versus perhaps 35,000 species for the largest private collections. The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of

Uses of shells

Shells have been collected for millennia, but not just for their beauty.

• Molluscs, especially bivalves such as clams and mussels, have been an important food source for many different peoples around the world; one example of this is Midden heaps in North American archeology. Clam is a word which can be used for all some or only a few Species of Bivalve Mollusks the word is a Common name which has The common name mussel is used for members of several different families of Clams or Bivalve Molluscs, from both saltwater and freshwater habitats A midden, also known as a kitchen midden, or a shell heap, is a dump for domestic waste. Other molluscs commonly eaten include octopuses and squid, whelks, oysters, and scallops. The A whelk is one of several Species of large sea Snails marine Gastropod Mollusks found in temperate waters The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. A scallop (ˈskɒləp or /ˈskæləp/ is a marine Bivalve Mollusk of the family Pectinidae.

• Shells have also been used as currency (ie, as a medium of exchange) in various places, including many Indian and Pacific Ocean islands, North America, Africa and the Caribbean. The most common shells to be used as currency have been Cypraea moneta Linne, the “money cowry”, and certain tusk shells, such as those used in North Western North America for many centuries. As well, the Native American wampum belts were made of the shell of the quahog mollusc. Wampum is a string of creamy white colored shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic Channeled whelk ( Busycotypus canaliculatus) shell and is traditionally used The hard clam ( Mercenaria mercenaria) or quahog, is an edible Marine Bivalve Mollusc which is native to the See Shell-money for more information. Shell money is a medium of exchange that was once common It consisted either of whole Sea shells or pieces of them which were worked into beads or artificially shaped It is of historic interest that the Dutch East Indian Company, a major force in the colonization of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, amassed a large portion of its vast fortune via trading shell money of the species Cypraea moneta L. , and C. annulus, for commodities such as spices, exotic animals and gemstones considered valuable in Europe at the time.

• Shells have often been used as tools due to their variety of shapes. Giant clams (Family Tridacnidae) have been used as bowls, and when big enough, even as bathtubs and baptismal fonts. In Japanese cuisine, Geoduck (mirugai is sometimes referred to as "giant clam" In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The bailer volute is so named because Native Australians would use it to bail out their canoes. Many bivalves were used for scrapers, blades, clasps, and other such tools, due to their shape. Some gastropods have been used for oil lamps, the oil being poured in the cavity and the siphonal canal being a perfect holder for the wick. An oil lamp is a simple vessel used to produce light continuously for a period of time from a fuel source In some sea Snails ( marine Gastropod Molluscs in the Infraorder Neogastropoda) the animal has an anterior extension of the

• Shells play a part in religion and spirituality, as well. In Botticelli’s Venus, the goddess Venus (goddess) is depicted as rising from the ocean on a scallop shell. The Birth of Venus is a Painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the Sea as a full grown Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess A scallop (ˈskɒləp or /ˈskæləp/ is a marine Bivalve Mollusk of the family Pectinidae. The scallop shell is also considered the symbol of Saint James the Great. For people and places called Saint James, see the Saint James disambiguation page In Hinduism, the left-handed Chank shell is considered sacred to the god Vishnu. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific One who finds a left-handed Chank shell (one that coils to the left) is sacred to Vishnu, as well. The Chank shell plays an important role in Buddhism, as well. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Cowries were often considered symbols of female fertility, as the shape of the underside of the shell has a resemblance to a vulva. The vulva (from Latin, vulva, plural vulvae or vulvas; see etymology) is the region of the external genital organs In Santeria, shells are used for divination purposes. Santería, also known as La Regla de Lukumi (Lukumi's Rule and The Way of the Saints is an Afro-Cuban religious tradition derived from traditional beliefs

• Shells also have been used as musical instruments, usually trumpets; the most prominent examples are the Triton shell (Charonia tritonis L. Triton is the common name given to a number of very large sea Snails Predatory marine Gastropods in the Genus Charonia ), used as a trumpet in Melanesian and Polynesian culture, and the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas L. Strombus gigas Linnaeus 1758 now known as Eustrombus gigas, is a Species of very large edible sea Snail, a marine ), also often used as a trumpet.

Some wool dipped in techelet solution, from the Murex trunculus, turning blue in the sunlight outside P'til Techelet in Israel. Hexaplex trunculus (also known as Murex trunculus or the banded dye-murex) is a medium-sized Species of sea Snail,

• Shells have a place in personal adornment, often being used as jewelry. Shell necklaces have always been very popular, and have been found in Stone Age graves as far inland as the Dordogne Valley in France. Dordogne (Dordonha is a department in central France named after the Dordogne River. The Bullmouth Helmet was used to make cameos, and mother of pearl, from abalones or other bivalves, has often been used as decoration - for example, Pearly Kings and Queens wear buttons made of mother-of-pearl. For the "brief appearance" see Cameo appearance. For the "chemical emergency software" see Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is an organic-inorganic Composite material produced by some Mollusks as an inner shell layer A Pearly King (feminine form Pearly Queen) is a person dressed in a Traditional Cockney Costume covered in Mother-of-pearl In Clothing and Fashion design, a button is a small plastic or metal disc- or knob-shaped typically round object usually attached to an article of Clothing

• For decoration. For example, "Sailor's Valentines" were late nineteenth century decorative keepsakes which were made in the Caribbean, and which were often purchased by sailors to give to their loved ones back home. Sailor Valentines are a type of Antique Souvenir, or sentimental gift originally brought home from a sailor's voyage at sea for his loved one during the early 1800s They consisted of elaborate arrangements of seashells glued into attractive symmetrical designs, which were encased on a wooden (usually octagonal) hinged box-frame. The patterns used often featured heart-shaped designs, or included a sentimental expression of love spelled out in small shells.

• Some shell byproducts have also been used in industrial processes. The pen shell’s byssus was used to make rare, very fine, fabric reserved for royalty. The word Byssus has two related meanings and one rather different one according to the context IN BIOLOGY The filaments created by numerous different kinds of marine Royalty also got the benefit of another molluscian byproduct: Tyrian purple, made from the ink glands of murex shells. Murex is a Genus of medium to large sized Predatory tropical sea Snails These are carnivorous marine Gastropod It is similar to the t’khelet blue, made from Murex trunculus, used in tzitzit. Tzitzit or tzitzis ( Hebrew: Biblical   ציצת Modern   ציצית) are "fringes" Hexaplex trunculus (also known as Murex trunculus or the banded dye-murex) is a medium-sized Species of sea Snail, Tzitzit or tzitzis ( Hebrew: Biblical   ציצת Modern   ציצית) are "fringes"

• Finally, one of the most significant shell by-products are pearls, particularly the ones created by several species of pearl oysters. A pearl is a hard roundish object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled Mollusk. Pinctada is a Genus of pearl oysters. These are saltwater clams marine Bivalve Molluscs of the Genus Pinctada Many species of molluscs including gastropods also produce some kind of pearl. The class Gastropoda or the gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as Snails Indeed there is currently a huge trade in the pearls of fresh-water bivalves, although these pearls are almost never valued as highly as valuable as pearls from the saltwater pearl oyster.

Applied conchology

Many conchologists are employed in the study of molluscs that are directly beneficial or harmful to humans. The study of beneficial molluscs, such as bivalves used for food like clams and mussels, or pearl oysters, is primarily focused on their ecology and life habits, the primary concern being the understanding of how to raise them and make them more productive. Pinctada is a Genus of pearl oysters. These are saltwater clams marine Bivalve Molluscs of the Genus Pinctada

Conversely, much of the study of harmful molluscs is focused on their physiology, with the goal of developing controls that are effective while minimizing undesirable side effects. One example of a harmful "introduced" & invasive mollusc is the zebra mussel, which has spread throughout North America, costing billions of dollars. The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a Species of small freshwater Mussel, an Aquatic Bivalve Mollusk. Considerable recent effort have gone into finding biological controls such as species-specific parasites and diseases, as well as genetic controls. Biological control of pests in Agriculture is a method of controlling pests (including Insects Mites Weeds and plant diseases

Organizations

Like other scientific specialties, conchologists have a number of local, national, and international organizations. There are also many organizations specializing in specific subareas.

• Conchologists of America
• Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
• Club Conchylia, the German/Austrian Society for Shell Collecting
• Belgian Society for Conchology
• Conquiliologistas do Brasil

Museums

Many museums contain very large and important mollusc collections.

• Natural History Museum, USA National Museum of Natural History - The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has one of, if not the, finest shell collection in the world. The National Museum of Natural History is a Natural history Museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National (This science is researched here by Dr. Ellen Stronge, who basically studies marine biology but is also involved in Conchology) Some other museums are:
• Natural History Museum, Vienna Naturhistorisches Museum. The Naturhistorisches Museum ( en: Museum of Natural History or NHMW is a large Museum located in Vienna, Austria.
• Natural History Museum, Paris Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
• Natural History Museum, Berlin Humboldt Museum
• Natural History Museum, London Natural History Museum
• Natural History Museum, Brussels Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (one of the three biggest shell collections in the world)
• Natural History Museum, Leiden Natural History Museum, Leiden
• Natural History Museum, Sweden Swedish Museum of Natural History
• The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum in Sanibel Island, Florida, which is the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to shells. The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle ( MNHN) is the French national Museum of Natural history. The Museum für Naturkunde (in English, the Museum of Natural History) widely known as the Naturkundemuseum, occasionally as the Humboldt Museum The Natural History Museum is one of three large Museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London (the others are the Science Museum The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is a Museum in the Belgian capital of Brussels dedicated to natural history The Swedish Museum of Natural History (in Swedish Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, literally the National Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, is Sanibel Island is an Island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers.

Identification of molluscs

Molluscs are usually identified by consulting general or regional shell collecting guides (an example of a general guide is the Compendium of Seashells, by R. T. Abbott and P. Dance), and specific scientific books on different taxa of shell-bearing molluscs (monographs) or "iconographies" (limited text - mainly photographs). A monograph ( Classical Greek, "One Writer" or "Single Writing") is a work of writing upon a single subject usually also by a single The identifications are generally achieved by examining illustrations and written descriptions, rather than by the use of Identification keys as is more often the case in identifying plants. An identification key is a printed or computer-aided device that aids the identification of biological organisms (e This is because the great amount of variability within many species and families makes the construction of truly useful keys extremely difficult. Because the phylum Mollusca contains a very large number of species and the characters separating them are constantly being debated, identification of some individual species is often very difficult even for a specialist.

Numerous smaller and more obscure mollusc species are yet to be described. In other words they have not yet been differentiated from similar species and assigned scientific (binomial) names in articles in journals recognized by the International Committee on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) by scientists. "ICZN" redirects here It is also sometimes used for the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature in error Large numbers of new species are published in the scientific literature each year. There are currently an estimated 100,000 species worldwide.

Fake Shells

Shell collectors who purchase shells from dealers may sometimes encounter shells which have been altered to represent new species, rare color varieties, and so on. For some examples see [1]

Depictions of Molluscs

Shells have been featured on over 5,000 different stamps. This website has a gallery of the stamps, with pictures.

Shells have also been featured on many coins, including those of The Bahamas (1974), Cuba (1981), Haiti (1973), Nepal (1989) and The Philippines (1993). The dollar ( ISO 4217 code BSD) has been the Currency of The Bahamas since 1966. The peso ( ISO 4217 code CUP, sometimes called the "national peso" is one of two official currencies in use in Cuba, the other being the The gourde ( French) goud ( Kreyol) is the currency of Haiti. The rupee (रूपैयाँ ( sign: ₨; code: NPR)is the official Currency of Nepal. The peso ( Filipino: piso) ( sign: ₱; code: PHP) is the currency of the Philippines.

Sources

• National Geographic Magazine, March 1969, “The Magic Lure of Sea Shells”, Paul A. Overview The NGS's historical mission is "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural historical and natural Zahl
• Seashells of the Northern Hemisphere, 1990, Surrey, R. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. Tucker Abbott,
• Man and Mollusc
• History of conchology
• Symphony of the Exotic Seas

External links

• Femorale Shells Thousands of images, some very good conchological information, and links related to shell collecting.
• Schooner Specimen Shells - as above. Indeed, many sites of shell dealers contain a wide variety of information useful to beginning or amateur conchologists.
• Conchology.be The largest online resource for conchology with over 210000 pictures of seashells.
• The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum in Sanibel Island, Florida, which is the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to shells. Sanibel Island is an Island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers.
• Conchologists of America
• Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
• Club Conchylia, the German Society for Shell Collecting
• Belgian Society for Conchology
• Worldwide Conchology - particularly good for its galleries and expert information about land snails.
• ShellMonster, A large personal shell collection