Hi all,

Is there anything like "official conchological terminology" = a widely
accepted list of malacological terms applied to gastropod shells ?

I use definitions given in Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology
but several things bother me.

For instance: Rib (costa) is defined as “round-topped elevation......disposed
colabrally on shell surface”.
But  term rib or costa is often used (also in Treatise) for
radial linear elevations which are not necessarily round-topped. That
contradicts the definition given in Treatise.
It seems that morphological terms are used quite liberally. And also, there
seem to be no sharp boundary between thread, cord, costa(rib), carina(keel).
They mostly differ by their width and prominence which is very subjective.
What is a “cord” for me can be called “rib” by someone else.

Any comment? Can you recommend some list of malacological terms “verified” by
professional malacologists?

Milan


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