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Date: | Fri, 12 Jun 1998 15:51:59 +0000 |
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Art & Co.;
Do not underestimate the # of spp not yet "known to science", even in
relatively well-known areas- remember my friend's little search of
shallow water on the southern shore of one island in the Carribean
yielding 300 new species!! The micro-fauna of the world's molluscan
hosts is decidedly poorly known, since it is more fun for many people to
go after the sexy families like Conidae- and even there, it seems that
new spp are coming out every day (didn't Mr. P. name a cone after his
pet cat last Friday or so??). The deep oceans are full of surprises,
and researchers are turining up an abundance of new spp- far more than
one might suppose! From what i have heard, we probably don't even have
half of the world's molluscs named, and i have heard estimates down to
20%(by those who are most gung-ho about the depths). The "golden age"
of conchology is NOW.
-Ross M.
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