Hi Tom

With due respect to Eisenberg, we are dealing with many tens of thousands of
species, we have documented 1393 species in 97 families in the bivalvia from
Australia (Bivalves of Australia 1 & 2) about 100 Spondylus and 108 species of
Scaphopods. The numbers of bivalves will certainly increase to beyond 2000 when
future research is completed, the Spondylus will also increase considerably.
Recent work by Scarabino has already doubled the known Indo-Pacific numbers.
Multiply all these figures by 4 and you have a rough figure on the world-wide
bivalvia/scaphopoda. Multiply this figure then by 10 and you have an idea on the
amount of gastropodes. Quite an impressive figure and I doubt that Conch-L
members would be able to hold their concentration or youthful zeal long enough
to complete the work although it certainly would be a magnficent project to take
us into the year 3000.

Kev