Dear Kevin
    I am thinking that you have been a couple of work, surely it will be very
useful.
    The kind of troubles you have found is the routine in our area. Welcome to
Malacology! The rule is the poorly defined taxa, from species to phylum.
    In the present there is no wide accepted classification, perhaps that of
Thiele (still used for who do not care about non-natural taxa).
    I am working a lot in last 6 years trying to produce a more natural
classification for the Caenogastropoda (most of Meso + Neogastropoda of
Thiele). I think I will be successful.
    Anyway, in Gastropoda in particular, the way for a natural classification
has been followed, as for example Haszprunar (1988) and Ponder & Lindberg
(1996, 1997). For the Mollusca, the approach by Salwini-Plaven (1980) is
somewhat accepted. The studies on the remaining classes are apparently in
initial stage.
    Obviously this is my opinion, certainly it is not shared with all
researchers. Remember, the Science is a human comcept, opinions will always
exist.
    Any additional question, please, email me.
    Luiz
_________________________________________________
Luiz Ricardo L. Simone [log in to unmask]
Museu de Zoologia da Unviersidade de São Paulo
Cx. Postal 42694
04299-970 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
_________________________________________________
Mentioned references
Haszprunar, G., 1988. On the origin and evolution of major gastropod groups,
with special reference to the Streptoneura. Journal of Molluscan Studies 54:
367-441.
Ponder, W.F. & Lindberg, D.R., 1996. Gastropod phylogeny – challenges for the
90s. IN Taylor, J. [ed.]. Origin and evolutionary radiation of the Mollusca.
Oxford University Press. London, pp.135-154.
Ponder, W.F. & Lindberg, D.R., 1997. Towards a phylogeny of gastropod molluscs:
a analysis using morphological characters. Zoological Journal of the Linnean
Society 119: 83-265.
Salwini-Plawén, L.v., 1980. A reconsideration of systematics in the Mollusca
(phylogeny and higher classification). Malacologia 19: 249-278.
Thiele, J., 1929-1931. Handbuch der systematichen Weichtierkunde. Jena, vol 1:
625 pp.


Kevin Kutolowski escreveu:

> To All
>
> I would like to pose some questions to the group on the classification of
> Mollusca. I realize that most classifications are based largely on opinion.
> I have read where Kay Vaught' book is riddked with errors and Millard's
> work is not widely accepted. I also realize that most collectors and
> malacologists are only concerned with the taxa from the "Family" down.
> ...
> --- Kevin Kutolowski
> --- [log in to unmask]
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