Dear Conchologists,
    biogeography of molluscs is the matter (and a great passion) behind
my activity in collecting shells. Jointly with numerous coworkers the
FAUNA HELVETICA: MOLLUSCA ATLAS could be concluded in 1998. This new
book of 527 pages shows the distribution of all our 274 indigenous &
naturalized terrestrial and freshwater species in a grid 5 x 5 km.  In
our country which was thought to be explored throughout, to our surprise
three new species were detected (one of them, a 20 cm long greyish-pink
slug, lives in my garden which I bought shortly before the mapping
project was finished!).
    In 1997 I was stimulated by collegues from the Netherlands and
Israel to give an overall view of the mitriform gastropods (Mitridae &
Costellariidae) living in the Red Sea. That review showed that the
occurrence of 66 mitriform species was reliably established (among them
three species new to science were proposed and described). In the
meantime several collectors and the Hebrew University Jerusalem
(National Mollusc Collection) sent numerous voucher specimens for study
and identification. As a result, 18 species can now be added to the Red
Sea mitriform molluscan fauna. Where will the exploration end?
    Now my collegue Sandro Gori (from Livorno, Italy) urged me to have a
critical view on huge amounts of mainly small Costellarids which he
found while diving at more than 10 places of the Maldive Islands for
several years. 54 species of this family are already encountered, among
them six species new to science. I am convinced however that many
species were overlooked and would like to request your help. In case
your collection contains Costellarids (Ribbed Miters) from the Maldives,
please be so kind as to tell me what you have. Doubtful specimens you
may send on loan for study. The species mentioned hereafter are lacking
up to now in our material but are to be expected for biogeographical
reasons in the Maldives area:
Vexillum amabile (Reeve 1845)
V. amandum (Reeve 1845)
V. aureolatum (Reeve 1844)
V. cadaverosum (Reeve 1844)
V. cavea (Reeve 1845)
V. cithara (Reeve 1845)
V. citrinum (Gmelin 1791)
V. collinsoni (A. Adams 1864)
V. depexum (Deshayes in Laborde 1834)
V. discolorium (Reeve 1845)
V. dilectissimum (Melvill & Sykes 1899)
V. intermedium (Kiener 1838)
V. interruptum (Anton 1838)
V. interstriatum (G. B. Sowerby II 1870)
V. leucodesma (Reeve 1845)
V. ligatum (A. Adams 1853)
V. malcolmense (Melvill & Standen 1901)
V. potieri Drivas & Jay 1989
V. suluense (Adams & Reeve 1850)
V. virgo (Linnaeus 1767)
    Looking forward with anticipation to hearing from you,
    With kind regards,
    Hans

Dr. Hans Turner
Casa La Conchiglia
CH-6821 Rovio
Switzerland
Phone: (+41) 91 649 83 73
Fax: (+41) 91 649 61 08
Email: [log in to unmask]