Announcing the new website:   www.MalacologicalTerms.org

Once upon a time...
    Many years ago (my "formative" years, waaaaay back!), I thrived on
learning about mollusks. A command of the associated terminology was
imperative to increased knowledge, conversation, and publication.  A
tattered photocopy of Wineford Arnold's (1965) "Glossary of 1001 Terms"
sufficed until an original was acquired. Small glossaries in the back of
shell books were helpful, but many books had to be searched (often
unsuccessfully) in hopes of finding a term defined.

I gathered terms and definitions from many sources. I once considered
printing and selling the compilation of terms, when funds were tight,
but procrastination took its toll. Perhaps this was best because even as
a copy was printing, it would become incomplete and outdated.  With the
capabilities of the internet, websites on mollusks sometimes provided
glossaries...  some small with a few terms, some substantial with a
hundred or more terms, some with illustrations, and some with annotated
photographs.  Although some are excellent, all were "incomplete" and
scattered. One still had to search many places in hopes of finding a
term defined.


And now...
The answer was a website for all terms, that anyone could add to for the
benefit of everyone else, forever.  I created this new site to provide
others with the compilation was gathering dust on my shelves.  The
purpose is also to provide "one stop shopping" for malacological terms,
or at least a "jump point" that can directly lead the visitor to better
information elsewhere. Unlike a printed glossary, you'll always be
accessing the latest version of the data...  and, it's FREE!

You can search for a term, or request a compilation of terms on a
pre-determined subtopic like larval terms, shape terms, hinge terms, new
terms, etc., or even an output of All Terms in the glossary.  Want to
"play"?...   choose to search for a randomly selected term, then
another, then another!   ...OR, pick a term and follow the links to
other terms.  The glossary is cross-referenced, with most definitions
providing links to other terms. It contains some terms used in
malacology which may not be strictly considered a "malacological term"
or "conchological term" (e.g., ecological or taxonomic terms). There are
many other great web pages of subsets of molluscan terms, and sometimes
a definition will refer/link the user to great pages in Wikipedia as
well as to excellent molluscan websites.

Like other glossaries,  www.MalacologicalTerms.org  is also incomplete.
I suspect that it always will be.  However, it can improve a lot with
your help...  in fact, it is designed for your input!  It's improvement
depends on your help.  Although presently holding over 1600 terms, it
lacks many terms and definitions that YOU can add!  Several levels of
user accounts are available, but not required for viewing or even for
(initial) data entry.  "Visitors", without an account, can view data and
submit terms and definitions'  "Contributor" accounts allow credit for
submissions;  "Editors" will accept or improve definitions and
"Administrators" will help control the site. The longevity of your input
will be assured, as plans will be developed to pass on the "ownership"
of the site to others (an individual, individuals, or an
institution/organization).

With time...  lots of time!, and with your help...   lots of help!, I
believe that this site can become THE site to provide terminology for
malacological/conchological "newbies", students, as well as those with
"amateur" and professional interests in the Mollusca.

I think that initially this site is a good site.  Technically, its
continued development still needs a lot of my time.  I think that with
input from many people around the world, it can be a great site. With
time, I think that it will evolve into a fantastic site!  But, that's
just me...  I'm biased and hopeful.  I appreciate your feedback, onlist
or offlist, to improve the site and its contents, for everyone, forever!

Paul Mikkelsen
www.MalacologicalTerms.org

Please direct offlist correspondence regarding this site to:
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