A rather interesting discussion on this topic is Kenneth J. Boss' Critical
Estimate of the Number of Recent Mollusca, Occasional Papers on Mollusks,
Vol. 3, #40 (May 14, 1971) pp 81-135, which has a rather impressive
bibliography.  The introduction in part cites "Sabrosky (1953) cited several
estimates, which ranged from 40,000 (Hunter and Hunter, 1949) to 150,000
(Schrock and Twenhofel, 1953).  Recently, Mayr (1969) and Nicol (1969)
independently arrived at an estimate near 107,000.  Documenting various
totals and their sources, Schilder (1949) showed that authorities have
continually increased the sum from the 674 species treated by Linnaeus in
1758 to the 127,000 indicated by Jaeckel in 1958. . . ." (p. 81).  Boss
estimates a rather lower number of 46,810 (page 110).  I believe this paper
is still in print from Harvard Musuem of Comparative Zoology.
Looking forward to my seeing my Greater St. Louis Shell Club colleagues at
our annual picnic tomorrow in hot St. Louis.
Alan Gettleman (from almost equally hot and definitely more humid)
Merritt Island, Florida

----- Original Message -----
From: "CHARLES F STURM" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 9:24 AM
Subject: Re: How Many?? forwarded reply


> Regarding the number of mollusks, the numbers I generally see bandied
> around range between 100000-200000.  Recently, at the Tree of Life
> Conference at the American Museum of Natural History (May 2002) David
> Lindberg cited the number as being 300000.
>
> I can offer no solid documentation to support any of these numbers.
>
> Regards,
> Charlie
>
****************************************************************************
**
> Charlie Sturm, Jr
> Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
>                      Carnegie Museum of Natural History
>                      Pittsburgh, PA, USA
>
> Assistant Professor - Family Medicine
>
> [log in to unmask]